An item for history buffs among you;
The Doomsday Book, a survey of England conducted nearly 1,000 years ago, became accessible online Friday. The book is the oldest record in Britain's National Archives and one of the most valuable documents in England.King William I ordered the survey in 1085 to determine the taxable value of the land he ruled. William had become the king of England in 1066 after he defeated the Saxon king, Harold, at the Battle of Hastings.
Officials traversed William's kingdom to assess who owned which pieces of land and what was on it. They compiled a detailed record that lists over 13,000 places with estimates of the number of freemen, indentured peasants and slaves on each estate.
There's more background and some tips on using the site at Digital Lifestyles.
You can access the "Domesday Book" website here.
I find it interesting that in 1085 King William undertook an enterprise i.e. the identification and titling of land and possessions in England, that to this day has not been undertaken in many third world countries. Yet this is the very process that Hernando de Soto in his book "The Mystery of Capital" identifies as one of the essential foundations for the creation of wealth. It's also interesting that implicit in this undertaking was a recognition of a right to private property, tacitly understood even before the writing of Magna Carta. Oh the wisdom of the ancients!
A lot of that property belonged to the Saxons, many of whom rebelled against the Normans shortly after Hastings. Entire villages were destroyed and the north was laid to waste. Seized property was redistributed amongst the Norman nobility. That's war. Saxon England was one of the more advanced European nations at the time. Doomsday Book is an amazing accomplishment, but I certainly wouldn't refer to it as ancient!
Remeber the recognition of the right to property, at that time, was politically to keep the landed elite happy and in line. Can't have them fighting amongst themselves over borderlines and ownership requiring the king to take sides.
This was about consolidation of power and elite accomodation.
Now the side benefits are well known as poperty became affordable to the "little guy".
Today it would be opposed by the left as locking in the existing power structure and by the right as a clear path to government confiscation and taxation.
Ahh the wisdom of absolute divine right monarchs :->
remember, there are no property rights enshrined in the Trudeau Constitution.
Cal2 wrote..."remember, there are no property rights enshrined in the Trudeau Constitution."
Speaking of absolute monarchs...and divine right in the his own mind....
Yes it is a shame. But you know it can always be read in with the correct supreme court....just need 10 years of conservative government.
everything of this nature, the absence of property rights in the turdeau constitution, can be explained and understood if you become aware turdeau was a closet fascist: admirer of mao, friend to castro, jarezulski (sp) sympathizer etc etc
Everybody's favourite "dipper" Ed Broadbent is responsible for the lack of Canadian property rights. Repeal that odious bill whilst we still can.
Circe,
The same sex marriage debate proved one thing. That even if a "right" is specifically left out of the constitution and even if there are copious notes of the debates around the constitution that specifically state that something was to be left out that doesnt mean it cannot be read in.
Just follow the path. Get some like minded members in the law schools, build the academic case for it, find a couple of lower courts to rule in your favour scare the federal government in to not challengin the rulings and voila the supreme court will roll over and show its belly like a well fed dog...oh sorry, ensure there are 2 or 3 appointments to the SC that made their name before the SC appointment on that very issue.
Not being in the constitution doesnt matter in Canada, nor do you you need 7 of 10 with 50% to get a constitutional ammendment.
So dont despair property rights can be read in.
Circe,
No need to repeal. In Canada there is no need to follow constitutional ammendment procedures to get changes.
Even for explicity removed provisions like property rights. The SSM debate showed how this is done.
1) Get some like minded law school profs to start building the literature background
2) Map out a case strategy, what type of case and in which jusrisdictions and on what points of law
3) Start the legal process by suing or causing yourself to be sued for a particular point
4) Have a couple of wins in lower courts
5) Convince or scare the federal government into not appealing and not comment
6) Have at least 2 of your law school profs appointed to the bench
7) Then voila the SC reads in the provision because the federal government failed to comment on these cases overturning the clear original intent of the framers of the 182 accord.
It may take 10 to 15 years but thats how you change the constitution without 7 provinces representing 50 per cent of the population.
So no need for such a blunt intrument as repeal or ammendment....just be patient and subtle. All you need is 15 years of conservative government to get your SC appointment changes.
... turdeau constitution ...
Robert J, was that a typo or deliberate? ;~)
By the way, can anyone tell me when the Normans are going to end the occupation and make reparations?
many of the buildings described in the doomsday book are still standing today what a fascinating history!
I am still waiting for reparations and an apology for the confiscation of the land entitlements of my Saxon forebears. The Nisei Japanese got theirs, the Chinese head Tax was returned. The North American Aboriginals are holding the entire continent to ransom ad infinitum.
The Normans owe me.
That means France owes me since it was the French region of Normandy who conquered my forebears. Since the "pur laine" Quebecois are all from Normandy originally a case could be made that Quebec owes reparations to the ROC.
Silly isn't it.