Advisory opinions, juridical mischief and Canada’s contribution to the law of statehood

Canada is one of the few counties where the use of advisory opinions approaches that of the international level. The country’s most famous advisory is the 1998 Quebec Secession Reference, which became an authoritative source for international law on statehood and secession. It also showcases the peculiarities of the practice and offers lessons about the operations of law at its conceptual extremes. Because it required Canada’s Supreme Court to …