Bijural Terminology Records

Common Law

thing in action

Civil Law

n/a

Title of the Legislative Text

Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, R.S., c. B-3

Provision

  2. "property" includes money, goods, things in action, land and every description of property, whether real or personal, legal or equitable, and whether situated in Canada or elsewhere, and includes obligations, easements and every description of estate, interest and profit, present or future, vested or contingent, in, arising out of or incident to property; ….

Problem

The common law concept of "things in action" has no equivalent in civil law. Its equivalent in common law in French is "choses non possessoires" , but this term is absent from the French version.

Solution

In the French version, the definition of "biens" is amended by adding the terms "choses non possessoires" .

Harmonized Provision

(Amendment to the French version only)

 2. « bien » Bien de toute nature, qu'il soit situé au Canada ou ailleurs. Sont compris parmi les biens les biens personnels et réels, en droit ou en equity, les sommes d'argent, marchandises, choses non possessoires et terres, ainsi que les obligations, servitudes et toute espèce de domaines, d'intérêts ou de profits, présents ou futurs, acquis ou éventuels, sur des biens, ou en provenant ou s'y rattachant.

Federal Law-Civil Law Harmonization Act, No. 2, S.C. 2004, c. 25, s. 7(2), (5) and (9).