Bulletins

OF CANADA                                            DU CANADA   

             BULLETIN  OF                                          BULLETIN DES

             PROCEEDINGS                                          PROCÉDURES

June 20, 1997  1157 - 1207                                                                  le 20 juin 1997

CONTENTS                                                   TABLE DES MATIÈRES

JUNE 13, 1997 / LE 13 JUIN 1997

                                                  CORAM:  Chief Justice Lamer and Cory and McLachlin JJ. /

Le juge en chef Lamer et les juges Cory et McLachlin

                                                                                         Rosaire Desbiens

                                                                                                c. (25805)

                                                                                       Sa Majesté la Reine

                                                                                                     - et -

                                                               Monsieur le Juge Sarto Cloutier (Crim.)(Qué.)

NATURE DE LA CAUSE

Droit criminel - Preuve - Procédure préalable au procès - Stupéfiants - Enquête préliminaire -Erreur de compétence -  Application de l’arrêt Skogman c. R., [1988] 2 R.C.S. 93 -  La Cour d’appel s’est-elle mal dirigée en droit en autorisant le juge qui effectue la révision de substituer son opinion à celle du juge enquêteur? - La Cour d’appel a-t-elle une conception erronée de la suffisance de la preuve dans le contexte d’une libération à l’enquête préliminaire.

HISTORIQUE PROCÉDURAL

                                                      Wigmore Consultants Ltd. And Rodney Dennis Wigmore

                                                                                                v. (25901)

                                                                      Her Majesty The Queen (Crim.)(Sask.)

NATURE OF THE CASE

Criminal law - Procedure - Disclosure - Whether the Crown provided adequate disclosure to the Applicant - Incompetence of counsel - Whether Applicant’s counsel at trial was incompetent - Where the accused alleges incompetence of counsel, what is the appropriate inquiry for an appellate  court - What is the standard of proof imposed upon an accused who alleges incompetence of trial counsel - Discretion of trial judge - Whether the trial judge properly exercised his discretion to prevent the Applicant from calling evidence at the close of the Crown’s case when the Applicant had previously been provided several opportunities to respond to the Crown’s case - Whether the Applicant waived his right to a jury trial.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

                                                                        John Campbell and Salvatore Shirose

                                                                                                v. (25780)

                                                                       Her Majesty The Queen (Crim.)(Ont.)

NATURE OF THE CASE

Criminal law - Abuse of process - Stay of proceedings - Reverse sting operation - Whether the reverse sting operation was an abuse of process warranting a stay of proceedings - Disclosure - Solicitor-client privilege - Whether there was a solicitor-client relationship between an RCMP officer and a lawyer with the Crown law office who advised him concerning the reverse sting operation - Whether material regarding communications between the RCMP officer and the Crown lawyer ought to have been disclosed - Whether the Crown proved the conspiracy charged - Whether the Applicants’ sentences should have been reduced as a result of the “illegal” police conduct.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

                                                                                             Roger Callow

                                                                                                v. (25891)

The Board of School Trustees of School District No. 45 (West Vancouver) and West Vancouver Teachers’ Association and The Attorney General for British Columbia (B.C.)

NATURE OF THE CASE

Administrative Law - Judicial Review - Standing - Labour Law - Labour Relations - Limitations on a union’s exclusive representation rights - Relationship between a court’s residual jurisdiction and a union’s exclusive representation right - Whether a court’s residual jurisdiction may be invoked to resolve a dispute arising under a collective agreement.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

January 17, 1997

Court of Appeal for British Columbia

(Hollinrake, Newbury and Huddart, JJ.A)

Appeal dismissed

March 14, 1997

Supreme Court of Canada

Application for leave to appeal filed

CORAM: Chief Justice Lamer and L’Heureux-Dubé and Gonthier JJ. /

Le juge en chef Lamer et les juges L’Heureux-Dubé et Gonthier

                                                 Marc St-Cyr, Nicholas Kwok, Nancy Kwok et François Dupuis

                                                                                                c. (25785)

                                                                          The Mutual Trust Company (Qué.)

NATURE DE LA CAUSE

Droit International - Procédure - Droit international privé - Procédure civile - Jugements et ordonnances - Reconnaissance et exécution de jugement émanant d’une autre province canadienne  - Irrecevabilité d’une requête sous les art. 165(1) et 165(4) du Code de procédure civile  du Québec et règle audi alteram partem - Portée des contestations admissibles à l’encontre d’une requête en exemplification d’un  jugement  canadien - Admissibilité exceptionnelle des contestations reposant sur des dispositions d’application impératives ou d’ordre public - Compétence de la Cour supérieure d’entendre une demande reconventionnelle à l’encontre d’une requête en exemplification de jugement - Prescription des recours sous la Loi des valeurs mobilières, L.R.Q., ch. V-1.1, et incidence des délais fixés pour entamer des procédures judiciaires en vertu de cette loi.

HISTORIQUE PROCÉDURAL

Le 11 avril 1996

Cour supérieure (Vaillancourt j.c.s.)

Requêtes en irrecevabilité de l’intimée pour rejet des défenses et demandes reconventionnelles des demandeurs  rejetées

Le 29 mai 1996

Cour d’appel du Québec (Brossard j.c.a.)

Requête pour permission de faire appel d’un jugement interlocutoire accordée

Le 21 novembre 1996

Cour d’appel du Québec

(Rothman, LeBel et Rousseau-Houle jj.c.a.)

Appel accueilli; défenses et demandes reconventionnelles des demandeurs rejetées

Le 20 janvier 1997

Cour suprême du Canada

Demande d’autorisation d’appel déposée

CORAM: La Forest, Gonthier and Major JJ. /

Les juges La Forest, Gonthier et Major

                                                                            Terry Kerr and William Wright

                                                                                                v. (25865)

                                                                     Police Complaints Commissioner (Ont.)

NATURE OF THE CASE

Administrative law - Judicial review - Police - Evidence - Hearsay - Whether extracts from the notebooks kept by police officers should be admitted into evidence at a board of inquiry hearing into allegations of misconduct and criminal allegations against those officers - Police Services Act, R.S.O. 1990 c.  P. 15 - R.  v.  Fitzpatrick, [1995] 4 S.C.R. 154 - R.  v.  Hawkins, [1996] 3 S.C.R. 1043.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

                                                                                      Dr. Philip I. Polimeni

                                                                                                v. (25881)

                                                       Dr. Rudolph G. Danzinger and Dr. John Foerster (Man.)

NATURE OF THE CASE

Torts - Intentional torts - Conspiracy - Inducement or procurement of breach of contract - Interference with employment relations or economic interests.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

                                                                             Nancy Elizabeth Rose Jennings

                                                                                                v. (25946)

                                                            Canada (Minister of Health Canada) (F.C.A.)(Ont.)

NATURE OF THE CASE

Administrative law - Civil rights - Human Rights - Canadian Human Rights Commission decision dismissing Applicant’s complaint - Interpretation of “having regard to all the circumstances of a complaint”, in sections 44(3) (a)(b)(i) of the Canadian Human Rights Act, in regard to Canadian Human Rights Commission’s adjudicative discretion and Commission’s investigative duties - Whether this provision implies duty of investigative thoroughness notwithstanding the external manifestations of procedural fairness - Whether lower courts erred in law on the role of a Commission investigator in report writing in respect of the Commission’s  jurisdiction under section 44(1) of the Act - Whether lower courts erred in law by refusing to set aside the Commission’s decision.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

                                                                                           S. Bryant Smith

                                                                                                v. (25902)

                                                            New Brunswick Human Rights Commission (N.B.)

NATURE OF THE CASE

Procedural law - Actions - Civil Procedure - Pre-trial procedure - Motion to strike a statement of claim - Is the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission a suable entity? - Whether a legislature may limit the application of the Charter so as to restrict a Charter remedy.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

                                                                                            Ronald Ottens

                                                                                                v. (25871)

                                     Her Majesty The Queen In The Right Of The Province Of Nova Scotia (N.S.)

NATURE OF THE CASE

Labour law - Statutes - Interpretation - Collective Agreement - Discharge - Whether the Court of Appeal erred in concluding that an employee employed for seven years without a written contract and three years with a written contract of employment was not discharged pursuant to s. 71(1) of the Labour Standards Code R.S.N.S. 1989 c.246 when the written contract ended - Whether the Court of Appeal erred in reversing findings of fact of the Tribunal.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

March 6, 1997

Supreme Court of Canada

Application for leave to appeal filed

CORAM: L’Heureux-Dubé, Sopinka and Iacobucci JJ. /

Les juges L’Heureux-Dubé, Sopinka et Iacobucci

                                                                                           Paul Fitzpatrick

                                                                                                v. (25819)

                                                                       Her Majesty The Queen (Crim.)(Ont.)

NATURE OF THE CASE

Criminal law - Whether the Court of Appeal erred in failing to address in their reasons every issue raised on appeal - Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the appeal on the basis of the trial judge’s findings of credibility and fact when the errors alleged by the Applicant infected and undermined the validity of the trial judge’s findings of fact and credibility.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

                                                                                            Bui Nhu Hung

                                                                                                c. (25755)

                                  L’Archevêché de Montréal, représentant de l’Église Catholique Romaine (Qué.)

NATURE DE LA CAUSE

Procédure - Procédure civile - Appel - Action du demandeur contre l’intimé rejetée aux motifs qu’il n’avait pas l’intérêt suffisant pour ester en justice et que la demande ne possédait aucun fondement en droit - Appel du demandeur rejeté en raison de son caractère abusif et dilatoire - Requête en récusation des juges de la Cour d’appel rejetée - Requête en rétractation de jugement rejetée par la Cour d’appel - La Cour d’appel a-t-elle erré?

HISTORIQUE PROCÉDURAL

                                                                  Marie Sarah Eurig as executor of the estate

                                                                                  of Donald Valentine Eurig

                                                                                                v. (25866)

                                                        The Registrar of the Ontario Court (General Division)

                                                                   and the Attorney General of Ontario (Ont.)

NATURE OF THE CASE

Property law - Wills - Executors and administrators - Probate fees - Can a province raise revenue by means of a levy that is an estate tax return in all but name without debate or passage in the legislature? - Can a province avoid the constitutional prohibition on indirect taxation, by describing as a probate a “fee” a levy that is an indirect tax in all but name? - Does the statutory power to impose a “fee” authorize an ad valorem levy that bears no relationship whatsoever to the cost of the service for which the fee is levied? - Whether the Courts below erred in refusing to invalidate the Ontario regulation requiring the payment of probate fees.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Chief Victor Buffalo acting on his own behalf and on behalf of all the other members of the Samson Indian Nation Band and The Samson Indian Nation and Band

                                                                                                v. (26018)

Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada and the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and The Minister of Finance

AND BETWEEN:

Chief John Ermineskin, Lawrence Wildcat, Gordon Lee, Art Littlechild, Maurice Wolfe, Curtis Ermineskin, Gerry Ermineskin, Earl Ermineskin, Rick Wolfe, Ken Cutarm, Brian Lee, Lester Fraynn, the elected Chief and Councillors of the Ermineskin Indian Band and Nations suing on their own behalf and on behalf of all the other members of the Ermineskin Indian Band and Nation

                                                                                                        v.

Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada and the Honourable Thomas R. Siddon, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and The Honourable Donald Mazanowski, Minister of Finance (F.C.A.)(Alta.)

NATURE OF THE CASE

Procedural Law - Appeal - Whether the Associate Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Canada’s decision to withdraw a judge assigned to a trial before the trial commences and after an question of a reasonable apprehension of bias has been raised is a judgment or an order subject to appeal to the Federal Court of Appeal.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

May 28, 1997

Federal Court (Court of Appeal) (Isaac C.J.)

Notice of appeal returned

May 30, 1997

Supreme Court of Canada

Applications for leave to appeal, certiorari, remand, stay of execution, expedited hearing and oral hearing  filed by Chief Victor Buffalo et al.

June 6, 1997

Supreme Court of Canada

Applications for leave to appeal, certiorari, remand, stay of execution, expedited hearing and oral hearing filed by Chief John Ermineskin et al.; Letter submitted reiterating request for oral hearings

MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION -- REHEARING

DEMANDE DE RÉEXAMEN -- NOUVELLE AUDITION

CORAM: Chief Justice Lamer and L’Heureux-Dubé and Sopinka JJ. /

Le juge en chef Lamer et les juges L’Heureux-Dubé et Sopinka

Bernard St-Aubin c. Le Curateur Public du Québec (Qué.)(25764)

CORAM: Chief Justice Lamer and Cory and McLachlin JJ. /

Le juge en chef Lamer et les juges Cory et McLachlin

Jozsef Lakotos v. Her Majesty The Queen (Crim.)(Alta.)(25548)

JUNE 19, 1997 / LE 19 JUIN 1997

25703                    COOPÉRATIVE DE COMMERCE “DES MILLES-ÎLES”, ANDRÉ MALO, PAUL BÉLANGER, PIERRE LAPORTE - c. - SOCIÉTÉ DES ALCOOLS DU QUÉBEC (S.A.Q.) ET LE PROCUREUR GÉNÉRAL DU QUÉBEC (Qué.)

CORAM:               Le Juge en chef et les juges L’Heureux-Dubé et Cory

La demande de prorogation de délai est accordée.  La demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée avec dépens.

The application for extension of time is granted.  The application for leave to appeal is dismissed with costs.

NATURE DE LA CAUSE

Couronne - Droit commercial - Droit administratif - Responsabilité civile - Contrats - Obligation -  Injonction - Dommages-intérêts - Appel d’offres au public - Vente de succursales de la Société des alcools du Québec - Injonction permanente - Responsabilité de l’état - Dommages moraux - Exécution forcée de l’obligation de livrer une succursale - Tentative avortée de privatiser un certain nombre de succursales de la Société des alcools du Québec - Un contrat a-t-il été valablement formé entre la Société des alcools du Québec et les demandeurs, soumissionnaires, compte tenu que les décisions du Conseil des ministres remplacent celles du Conseil du trésor? - Le gouvernement et la Société des alcools du Québec sont-ils responsables en dommages à l’égard des demandeurs? - Application de la Charte des droits et libertés de la personne, L.R.Q. c. C-12, et de la Charte canadienne des droits et libertés  - Entente de procéder au moyen d’une cause-type - Effet d’un jugement dans une cause-type.

HISTORIQUE PROCÉDURAL

Le 28 février 1994

Cour Supérieure du Québec (Trudeau j.c.s.)

Action des demandeurs accueillie en partie

Le 23 août 1996

Cour d’appel du Québec

(Lebel, Tourigny et Proulx jj.c.a.)

Appel principal des demandeurs rejeté; appel incident de la Société des alcools du Québec accueilli

Le 19 décembre 1996

Cour suprême du Canada

Demande d’autorisation d’appel et demande de prorogation de délai déposées

25745               DOMENICO MANNO - v. - UNITED STATES OF AMERICA -AND - MINISTER OF JUSTICE OF CANADA (Crim.)(Qué.)

CORAM:           The Chief Justice and Cory and McLachlin JJ.

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.

La demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Criminal law - Extradition - Double criminality - Extradition of fugitive sought on American offence of continuing criminal enterprise, which crime does not have an equivalent in Canadian law - Court of Appeal holding that the extradition judge had improperly considered foreign law in arriving at the conclusion that the extradition request could not be granted on the continuing criminal enterprise count - Whether Court of Appeal erred in law by confusing the test required for double criminality with the standard of evidence required pursuant to s. 13 of the Extradition Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. E-23.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25792               SENTINEL SELF-STORAGE CORPORATION - v. - HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN - and between - ON-GUARD SELF-STORAGE LIMITED - v. - HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN (F.C.A.)(Alta.)

CORAM:           The Chief Justice and Cory and McLachlin JJ.

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed with costs.

La demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée avec dépens.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Taxation - Assessment - Assessment of Goods and Services Tax - Whether the additional amounts paid by the defaulting tenants were a financial service or a taxable supply - Did the Federal Court of Appeal err in law by dismissing the Applicants’ appeals from assessment pursuant to the Excise Tax Act , R.S.C, 1985, c.E-15  - Did the Federal Court of Appeal err in law by overturning findings of fact made by the Tax Court judge.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25830               QUINTUS PERERA AND IRIS ALOYSIUS - v. - ARISTEA STAVROPOULOS (Qué.)

CORAM:           The Chief Justice and L’Heureux-Dubé and Gonthier JJ.

The application for extension of time is granted.  The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.

La demande de prorogation de délai est accordée.  La demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Civil Code - Property law - Real rights - Latent defect - Purchase with legal warranty - Action to recover the costs of repairing latent defects.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25862               SA MAJESTÉ LA REINE - c. - DANIEL COOK (Crim.)(Qué.)

CORAM:           Le Juge en chef et les juges Cory et McLachlin

La demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée.

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.

NATURE DE LA CAUSE

Droit criminel - La Cour d’appel du Québec a-t-elle erré en droit en ordonnant la tenue d’un nouveau procès pour deux motifs nullement invoqués par l’intimé, statuant ainsi ultra petita et violant la règle audi alteram partem? - La Cour d’appel a-t-elle erré en droit en privant la demanderesse d’invoquer les dispositions réparatrices prévues à l’article 686(1)b)iii) du Code criminel ?

HISTORIQUE PROCÉDURAL

25821               YVES BISSON - c. - SA MAJESTÉ LA REINE (Crim.)(Qué.)

CORAM:           Le Juge en chef et les juges Cory et McLachlin

La demande d’autorisation d’appel est accordée quant aux questions en litige 1 et 2 seulement.

The application for leave to appeal is granted on issues 1 and 2 only.

NATURE DE LA CAUSE

Droit criminel - Preuve - Directives au jury - La Cour d’appel a-t-elle erré en droit en concluant que le comportement du juge envers les avocats lors du procès ne constituait pas une atteinte aux droits constitutionnels du demandeur justifiant la tenue d’un nouveau procès? - La Cour d’appel a-t-elle erré en droit en concluant que les directives du juge du procès relativement à la conscience coupable n’étaient pas erronées? - La Cour d’appel a-t-elle erré en droit en entérinant les directives du juge du procès qui avait omis de dire au jury que la déclaration du policier Girard, faite sur les ondes-radio de la Sûreté du Québec dans le cours des événements ayant mené à l’arrestation du demandeur, pouvait non seulement servir à titre de déclaration antérieure incompatible mais faisait également preuve de son contenu?

HISTORIQUE PROCÉDURAL

25682               HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN v. R.C. (Crim.)(Nfld.)

CORAM:           La Forest, Gonthier and Major JJ.

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.

La demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Criminal law - Sentencing - Dangerous Offender - Does the hearing judge have a discretion as regards both a determination of dangerousness and the sentence to be imposed - Is there a right of appeal from a finding of dangerous offender or only from the sentence imposed - Whether the Court of Appeal erred in considering an issue not raised by counsel - Whether the Court of Appeal erred in distinguishing between individuals who are only a danger to their families and those who constitute a danger to strangers - Whether the Court of Appeal erred in concluding that the predicate offence must meet a threshold test of seriousness - Whether the Court of Appeal erred in describing the sexual abuse by the Respondent of his children as being insufficient as predicate offences for a dangerous offender application because they were minor.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25631               CCLC TECHNOLOGIES INC. v. HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN (F.C.A.)

CORAM:           La Forest, Gonthier and Major JJ.

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed with costs.

La demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée avec dépens.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Taxation - Assessment - Disallowance of investment tax credit - Whether amounts provided by the Province of Alberta pursuant to a Coal Research Agreement were “assistance” within subparagraph 12(1)(x)(iv) or subsections 127(11.1) and 127(9) of the Income Tax Act, R.S.C. 1985, c.1- Whether the amounts provided were an acquisition of an interest in property for the purposes of subparagraph 12(1)(x)(viii).

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

November 10, 1995

Federal Court Trial Division

(Rouleau J.)

Appeal of tax assessment allowed

September 19, 1996

Federal Court of Appeal

(Hugessen, Strayer and Desjardins JJ.A.)

Appeal allowed

November 15, 1996

Supreme Court of Canada

Application for leave to appeal filed

25628               RAYMOND GAUVREAU and KAREN GAUVREAU v. LIBERO C. PACI (Ont.)

CORAM:           La Forest, Gonthier and Major JJ.

The application for extension of time is granted and the application for leave to appeal is dismissed with costs.

La demande de prorogation de délai est accordée et la demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée avec dépens.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Procedural Law - Civil Procedure - Evidence - Solicitor’s negligence - Proof of Standard of Care - A solicitor retained in the purchase of residential property failed to conduct an engineering search that would have disclosed that the sewer line for the property ran through abutting land pursuant to a terminable license that was about to expire - Whether expert testimony was required to prove the standard of care required of a solicitor in residental real estate transaction.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25713               BRADLEY RALLISON v. HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN (Crim.)(Ont.)

CORAM:           La Forest, Gonthier and Major JJ.

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.

La demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Criminal law - Constitutional law - Division of powers - Jurisdiction - Whether s. 259(5)(b)(i) of the Criminal Code , which makes it an offence to drive while under suspension pursuant to a provincial statute, is ultra vires the Parliament of Canada as an impermissible interdelegation of the Federal criminal law power to the provincial legislatures.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25698               B.J. KERN & SON LTD. and DOUGLAS B. KERN v. SETTLERS SAVINGS AND MORTGAGE CORP. INC. (Sask.)

CORAM:           La Forest, Gonthier and Major JJ.

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed with costs.

La demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée avec dépens.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Commercial law - Guaranty/suretyship - Property law - Mortgages - Did the court err in construing the Applicant’s, Kern, undertaking to be a guarantee of the mortgage loan of the corporate Applicant - Principles of interpretation in construing the nature of the agreement.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25660/25661      MERCK & CO. INC. and ZENECA PHARMA INC. v. THE MINISTER OF NATIONAL HEALTH AND WELFARE and APOTEX INC. (F.C.A.)

CORAM:           La Forest, Gonthier and Major JJ.

The applications for leave to appeal are dismissed, and the request for an oral hearing is denied, the whole with costs.

Les demandes d’autorisation d’appel sont rejetées, de même que la requête en obtention d’une audition, le tout avec dépens.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Property law - Patents - Statutes - Interpretation - Section 56  of the Patent Act  R.S.C., 1985, c. P-4  - Patented Medicines (Notice of Compliance) Regulations - Does s. 56 create an exception to infringement or an immunity from liability - Did Federal Court of Appeal err in holding that an allegation of non-infringement based on s. 56 was justified under the Regulations? 

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25726               JAMES WALTER TAYLOR v. HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN (Crim.)(N.S.)

CORAM:           La Forest, Gonthier and Major JJ.

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.

La demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms  - Criminal law - Provincial offences - Right to counsel - Legal Aid - Whether Legal Aid must provide counsel to an indigent accused.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25759               ALTOBA DEVELOPMENT LTD. v. SASKPOWER (Sask.)

CORAM:           La Forest, Gonthier and Major JJ.

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed with costs.

La demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée avec dépens.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Commercial law - Contracts - Building contracts - Tender calls - Action for breach of contract - Did the trial judge err in finding that the Applicant’s tender failed to comply with the terms of the call for tenders.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25757               SASKATOON CITY HOSPITAL v. SASKATCHEWAN UNION OF NURSES (Sask.)

CORAM:           La Forest, Gonthier and Major JJ.

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed with costs.

La demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée avec dépens.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Judicial Review - Standard of Review - Contracts - Interpretation of a collective agreement - Anti-discrimination clauses - Applicability of jurisprudence under the Charter and human rights legislation to an interpretation of an anti-discrimination clause in a collective agreement - Whether declining to extend a normal retirement age for fiscal reasons constitutes discrimination on the basis of age.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25783               EILEEN GRACE BAHLSEN v. HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN as represented by the Minister of Transport (F.C.A.)

CORAM:           La Forest, Gonthier and Major JJ.

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed with costs.

La demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée avec dépens.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms  - Civil rights - Whether the Federal Court of Appeal misapplied the minimal impairment branch of the proportionality test under s.1  of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms  - Whether the Federal Court of Appeal effectively reversed the burden of proving that a limitation under s.15  of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms  was demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society - Whether cases in employment law under human rights legislation should have been applied - Whether the Federal Court of Appeal erred in law by effectively reversing the onus under s.1 of the Charter.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25706               DOUBLE BAR L RANCHING LTD. v. BAYVET CORP. and MILES LABORATORIES INC. (Sask.)

CORAM:           La Forest, Gonthier and Major JJ.

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed with costs.

La demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée avec dépens.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Torts - Negligence -Evidence -  Manufacturer’s failure to warn - Did the Court of Appeal err in law in imposing an onus or legal obligation on the consumer to follow the manufacturer’s instructions to seek directions beyond its product’s insert and to consult with governmental recommendations (which, in effect, by imposing such obligations, resulted in the manufacturer passing on the risk to the consumer?) -  Did the Court of Appeal err in law in holding that the manufacturer’s instructions were not misleading and gave an adequate warning of the foreseeable risks?  Did the Court of Appeal err in holding that the instructions taken from the identical product of the same manufacturer being used in the United States was of no significance? - Did the Court of Appeal err in law in failing to adhere and follow the principles underscored in Lambert v. Lastoplex Chemicals Co. Ltd. [1972] S.C.R. 569 in respect to its commitment to explicitness in labelling?

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25882               CALDWELL & ROSS LTD. v. HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN (Crim.)(N.B.)

CORAM:           La Forest, Gonthier and Major JJ.

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.

La demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Criminal law - Procedure - Whether trial judge erred in permitting Crown to amend Information at the close of the Crown’s case “to conform with the evidence led at trial” when the information in question was known to the Crown before the Information was laid - Whether amendment of the Information at the close of the Crown’s case denied the Applicant the right to make a full answer and defence.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25397               THOMAS WHITE v. WOOLWORTH CANADA INC. (Nfld.)

CORAM:           La Forest, Gonthier and Major JJ.

The applications for leave to appeal and to cross-appeal are dismissed.  There is no order as to costs.

Les demandes d’autorisation d’appel et d’appel incident sont rejetées.  Il n’y a pas d’ordonnance quant aux dépens.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Labour law - Commercial law - Contracts - Damages - Master and servant - Workers’ compensation - Whether the Court of Appeal errred in assessing damages for wrongful dismissal - Whether workers with back injuries require extended notice periods - Whether the manner of dismissal in this case requires punitive or aggravated damages - Applicability of the rule against double compensation in the context of an action for wrongful dismissal - Set-off of workers’ compensation benefits against pay in lieu of notice - Calcuation of the commencement of the notice period for the wrongful dismissal of an employee receiving workers’ compensation.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25587               FRANCIS WAYNE MacDONALD v. JAMES MOMBOURQUETTE and THE ROMAN CATHOLIC & EPISCOPAL CORPORATION OF ANTIGONISH (N.S.)

CORAM:           La Forest, Gonthier and Major JJ.

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.

La demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Torts - Equity - Fiduciary duty - Intentional torts - Limitation of actions - Prescription - Vicarious liability - Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that the action against the Respondent was statute barred - Whether the Court of Appeal erred in determining that the Church was not vicariously liable for the acts of Mombourquette - Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that there was no fiduciary relationship between the Applicant and the Church.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25527               THE SAULT STE. MARIE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF POLICE and BARRY V. KING v. TOM MAKILA (Ont.)

CORAM:           La Forest, Gonthier and Major JJ.

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.  The application for extension of time to cross-appeal and the cross-appeal and the ancillary motion are dismissed.

La demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée.  La demande de prorogation de délai imparti pour former l’appel incident, de même que l’appel incident et la requête accessoire sont rejetées.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Administrative law - Judicial review - Remedies - Natural justice - Fairness - Whether the Court of Appeal erred in upholding the trial judge’s finding that the Respondent had been denied procedural fairness - Whether the Court of Appeal failed to consider and apply the law as set out in Re Nicholson and Haldiman-Norfolk Regional Board of Commissioner of Police, [1979] 1 S.C.R. 311 and s. 27(b) of Regulation 791 of the Police Act, R.S.O. 1990 as amended - Whether the Court of Appeal erred in upholding the trial judge’s decision that the Respondent had been wrongfully dismissed as a probationary police constable - Whether the Court of Appeal erred in upholding the award of damages in the sum of $138,180.58.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25608               FRIENDS OF THE LUBICON, KEVIN THOMAS, ED BIANCHI, STEPHEN KENDA, JANE DOE, JOHN DOE and PERSONS UNKNOWN v. DAISHOWA INC. (Ont.)

CORAM:           La Forest, Gonthier and Major JJ.

The application for extension of time is granted and the application for leave to appeal is dismissed.

La demande de prorogation de délai est accordée et la demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Administrative law - Injunction  - Torts - Whether the Divisional Court erred in granting an injunction enjoining the Applicants from intentionally interfering with Daishowa’s contractual and economic relations by unlawful means, including picketing and threats of picketing aimed at Daishowa’s customers - Whether the Court of Appeal erred in dismissing the application for leave to appeal from the Divisional Court’s decision - Whether a secondary picketing in a non-labour context is legal in Canada.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

May 30, 1995

Ontario Court (General Division) (Kiteley J.)

Injunction against the Applicant granted in part

January 23, 1996

Ontario Court (General Division) (Divisional Court)

(O’Leary, McRae and Corbett JJ.)

Injunction against the Applicant granted

April 24, 1996

Court of Appeal for Ontario

(Finlayson, McKinlay and Arbour JJ.A.)

Motion for leave to appeal dismissed

November 7, 1996

Supreme Court of Canada

Application for leave to appeal filed

25644               GORDON GARLAND v. THE CONSUMERS’ GAS CO. LTD. (Ont.)

CORAM:           La Forest, Gonthier and Major JJ.

The application for leave to appeal is granted.

La demande d’autorisation d’appel est accordée.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Commercial law - Interest - Criminal rate of interest - Late payment penalties - Whether the Court of Appeal erred in applying Nelson v. C.T.C. Mortgage Corp. (1984), 16 D.L.R. (4th) 139 (B.C.C.A.), aff’d [1986], 1 S.C.R. 749 - Whether the late payment penalties charged by the Respondent fall under s.347  of the Criminal Code , R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46 .

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25710               COOPERS & LYBRAND LTD., in its representative capacity as the Trustee in Bankruptcy of Manning Mercury Sales Ltd. v. FORD MOTOR COMPANY OF CANADA LTD. and HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN (Canada), as represented by the Minister of the Department of National Revenue (Customs and Excise) (Sask.)

CORAM:           La Forest, Gonthier and Major JJ.

The application for leave to appeal is remanded to the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal to be dealt with in accordance with this Court’s decision in Royal Bank of Canada v. Sparrow Electric Corp., [1997] 1 S.C.R. 411.

La demande d’autorisation d’appel est renvoyée à la Cour d’appel de la Saskatchewan pour être tranchée conformément à l’arrêt de notre Cour Banque royale du Canada c. Sparrow Electric Corp., [1997] 1 R.C.S. 411.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Commercial law - Bankruptcy - Banks/banking operations - Creditor & debtor - Securities - Did the Court of Appeal err in law in concluding that the Minister of Revenue’s claim for unremitted source deductions deemed trusts took priority over the bank’s Bank Act, S.C. 1991, c. B.1.01 security - Did the Court of Appeal err in law in its determination of priority to funds realized by the sale of inventory in the ordinary course of business.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25704               MURRAY RYAN v. THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF VICTORIA, THE ESQUIMALT AND NANAIMO RAILWAY CO. and CANADIAN PACIFIC LTD./CANADIEN PACIFIQUE LTÉE (B.C.)

CORAM:           La Forest, Gonthier and Major JJ.

The application for extension of time and the application for leave to appeal are granted.

Les demandes de prorogation de délai et la demande d’autorisation d’appel sont accordées.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Torts -Negligence - Nuisance - Defence of Statutory Authority - Whether railways should benefit from special rules regarding the defence of statutory authority and regarding the common law of nuisance.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25777               HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN v. GREGORY JACOB PARSONS (Crim.)(Nfld.)

CORAM:           La Forest, Gonthier and Major JJ.

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.

La demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Criminal law - Evidence - Hearsay Evidence - Whether all of the hearsay evidence should have been admitted at trial where much of it was repetitive - Whether the necessity requirement for hearsay evidence involves a consideration of the amount of evidence.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25760               BARBICAN PROPERTIES INC. v. HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN (F.C.A.)

CORAM:           La Forest, Gonthier and Major JJ.

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed with costs.

La demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée avec dépens.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Taxation - Assessment - Statutes - Interpretation - Whether the Tax Court erred in its interpretation and application of paragraphs 20(1)(c) and 18(1)(i) of the Income Tax Act.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25550               ERIC WILLIAM HUTCHINGS v. HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN (Crim.)(B.C.)

CORAM:           La Forest, Gonthier and Major JJ.

The application for extension of time is granted and the application for leave to appeal is dismissed.

La demande de prorogation de délai est accordée et la demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms  - Criminal law ‐ Narcotics ‐ Unreasonable search and seizure ‐ Validity of warrant ‐ Evidence ‐ Admissibility of evidence ‐ Expectation of privacy ‐ Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that gathering evidence under the B.C. Hydro and Power Authority Electric Tariff was not an unreasonable search and seizure - Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that there was no reasonable expectation of privacy in the outside of a barn - Whether the Court of Appeal erred in finding that the use of a forward looking infra-red device and the information obtained with the forward looking infra-red device did not constitute a search within the meaning of s. 8 of the Charter.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25775               RICHARD GERRY WHITE v. HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN (Crim.)(Ont.)

CORAM:           La Forest, Gonthier and Major JJ.

The application for extension of time and the application for leave to appeal are granted.

La demande de prorogation de délai et la demande d’autorisation d’appel sont accordées.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Criminal Law - Evidence - Whether consciousness of guilt evidence must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt - Whether trial judge failed to instruct jury properly regarding the need for evidence to support or confirm a witness’s testimony - Whether trial judge erred in his jury instructions regarding evidence of planning and deliberation - Whether trial judge erred by excluding from the jury the possibility that reasonable doubt might arise from a lack of evidence - Whether trial judge erred in his jury instructions regarding motive - Whether trial judge erred in his jury instructions regarding verdicts - Whether trial judge erred in his jury instructions regarding use of prior criminal records.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25854               YVES RHÉAL CÔTÉ v. HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN (Crim.)(Ont.)

CORAM:           La Forest, Gonthier and Major JJ.

The application for extension of time and the application for leave to appeal are granted.

La demande de prorogation de délai et la demande d’autorisation d’appel sont accordées.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Criminal Law - Evidence - Whether consciousness of guilt evidence must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt - Whether trial judge failed to instruct jury properly regarding the need for evidence to support or confirm a witness’s testimony - Whether trial judge erred in his jury instructions regarding evidence of planning and deliberation - Whether trial judge erred by excluding from the jury the possibility that reasonable doubt might arise from a lack of evidence - Whether trial judge erred in his jury instructions regarding motive - Whether trial judge erred in his jury instructions regarding verdicts - Whether trial judge erred in his jury instructions regarding use of prior criminal records.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25809               RADCLIFFE MARK HALL v. HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN (Crim.)(Alta.)

CORAM:           L’Heureux-Dubé, Sopinka and Iacobucci JJ.

The application for extension of time is granted and the application for leave to appeal is dismissed.

La demande de prorogation de délai est accordée et la demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Criminal law - Unreasonable verdict - Whether the verdict was unreasonable and not supported by the evidence - Defences - Honest but mistaken belief in consent - Whether the trial judge erred in not charging the jury on the defence of honest but mistaken belief in consent.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25905               M.C.L. v. HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN (Crim.)(Alta.)

CORAM:           L’Heureux-Dubé, Sopinka and Iacobucci JJ.

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed.

La demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Criminal law - Young Offenders - Transfer to ordinary court - What is the correct approach when determining whether the conditions for transfer have been met - What is the effect of s. 3 of the Young Offenders Act on the test for transfer - Is there a legal burden on the young person to establish that he is capable of being rehabilitated - What effect should the possibility of a post-conviction placement hearing have on the test for transfer - What is the correct standard of review for an appellate court reviewing a transfer order.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25806               LEONARDO G. GALUEGO v. CAROL HENSLEY and DARYL BEAN (Ont.)

CORAM:           L’Heureux-Dubé, Sopinka and Iacobucci JJ.

The application to add the Public Service Staff Relations Board as a party to the application for leave to appeal and the application for leave to appeal are dismissed with costs.

La demande d’ajout de la Commission des relations de travail dans la Fonction publique comme partie à la demande d’autorisation d’appel et la demande d’autorisation d’appel sont rejetées avec dépens.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Administrative Law - Judicial Review - Jurisdiction - Whether the Federal Court of Appeal properly exercised its discretion when it dismissed an application to reconsider an order quashing an application for judicial review.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

March 14, 1996

Public Service Staff Relations Board

(Dumoulin D., Registry Officer)

September 3, 1996

Federal Court of Appeal

(Marceau, Stone and Robertson JJ.A)

Hearing re-scheduled until November 1996

Application for judicial review quashed

December 10, 1996

Federal Court of Appeal

(Marceau, Stone and Robertson JJ.A)

Application for reconsideration dismissed

February 6, 1997

Supreme Court of Canada

Application for leave to appeal filed

25804               GORDON H. FREUND PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION AND BRUCE G. MacDONALD PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION, CARRYING ON BUSINESS UNDER THE FIRM NAME AND STYLE OF MacDONALD & FREUND v. PAUL HALJAN (Alta.)

CORAM:           L’Heureux-Dubé, Sopinka and Iacobucci JJ.

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed with costs.

La demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée avec dépens.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Procedural law - Judgments and orders - Duties arising upon the making of an order of a court for the protection of a creditor - Whether the solicitor was in breach of an undertaking.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25801               JOE W. HARRIS v. CINABAR ENTERPRISES LTD. and LARRY B. NUGENT (Alta.)

CORAM:           L’Heureux-Dubé, Sopinka and Iacobucci JJ.

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed with costs.

La demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée avec dépens.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Property law ‐ Mines and minerals ‐ Commercial law - Contracts ‐ Interpretation ‐ Oil and gas ‐ Law pertaining to mineral royalties - Overriding royalties in Crown petroleum and natural gas leases - Whether the beneficiary of restrictive covenant relating to property will have an effective remedy in law or equity against the promisor where there is no privity of contract - Unjust enrichment and restitution where the beneficiary is not party to the contract containing the covenant and where the covenant was imposed and assumed for services and benefits rendered by the beneficiary.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

25678               RÉAL MELANSON c. L’UNIVERSITÉ DE MONTRÉAL, LA FACULTÉ DE MÉDECINE DE L’UNIVERSITÉ DE MONTRÉAL et DR. PIERRE BOIS (Qué.)

CORAM:           Les juges L’Heureux-Dubé, Sopinka et Iacobucci

La demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée avec dépens.

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed with costs.

NATURE DE LA CAUSE

Droit administratif - Justice naturelle - Contrôle judiciaire - Preuve - Recours en mandamus et en dommages du demandeur demandant qu’il soit ordonné qu’on lui décerne le diplôme de doctorat en médecine qu’on lui refuse au motif qu’il aurait échoué un examen en fin de 5^ième année d’étude - Preuve d’expert - La Cour d’appel a-t-elle erré en droit en ne reprochant pas au premier juge d’avoir substitué, selon le demandeur, son opinion personnelle à une conclusion découlant d’une preuve claire à l’effet que le demandeur n’a subi aucun échec durant sa 5^ième année? - La Cour d’appel et le juge de première instance ont-ils manifestement erré en droit en recherchant, selon le demandeur, la démonstration effective d’un parti pris et d’un préjugé réels pour invalider les décisions contestées (nemo judex)? - La Cour d’appel et le juge de première instance ont-ils manifestement erré en fait et en droit en ne concluant pas dans les circonstances à la violation flagrante par les intimés d’autres règles élémentaires de justice naturelle? - Les intimés ont-ils manqué à leurs obligations contractuelles de fair-play?

HISTORIQUE PROCÉDURAL

25743               ANAMOR INVESTMENTS INC. c. LEVY PILOTTE ET ASSOCIÉS INC. et PETER WOLKOVE (Qué.)

CORAM:           Les juges L’Heureux-Dubé, Sopinka et Iacobucci

La demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée avec dépens.

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed with costs.

NATURE DE LA CAUSE

Droit commercial - Faillite - Législation - Interprétation - Ordre de priorité - Articles 72(1) , 136(1)  et 146  de la Loi sur la faillite et l’insolvabilité , L.R.C. 1985, ch. B-3  - Conséquences en matière de faillite d’une sûreté dont les conditions de formation n’ont pas été respectées - Article 1979h du Code civil du Bas-Canada stipulant que le privilège du créancier nanti n’est pas opposable au locateur avant la notification du nantissement - En matière de faillite, l’article 1979h permet-il au locateur, créancier privilégié aux termes de l’art. 136(1)f) de la Loi, d’être payé avant le créancier nanti, créancier garanti aux termes de l’art. 136(1), lorsque le nantissement ne lui a pas été notifié? - Husky Oil Operations Ltd. c. Ministre du Revenu national, [1995] 3 R.C.S. 453.

HISTORIQUE PROCÉDURAL

25681               ERIC YU-HUA CHU - v. - HUBERMAN CRISTALL HUTCHINSON (B.C.)

CORAM:           The Chief Justice and Cory and McLachlin JJ.

The application for reconsideration is dismissed.