Bulletins

OF CANADA                                            DU CANADA   

             BULLETIN  OF                                          BULLETIN DES

             PROCEEDINGS                                          PROCÉDURES

February 25, 2000  346 - 368                                                              le 25 février 2000

CONTENTS                                                   TABLE DES MATIÈRES

Alain Guyot et al.

Julius H. Grey

Grey Casgrain

v. (27739)

Her Majesty the Queen (Que.)

Pierre Lévesque

A.G. of Quebec

FILING DATE   7.2.2000

H.K.

v. (27745)

Le tribunal de la jeunesse (Qué.)

DATE DE PRODUCTION 8.2.2000

FEBRUARY 21, 2000 / LE 21 FÉVRIER 2000

                                              CORAM:   Chief Justice McLachlin and Iacobucci and Major JJ. /

Le juge en chef McLachlin et les juges Iacobucci et Major

Ian Brown and Marcus Leech

carrying on business as Synchronics

v. (27405)

Synchronics, Incorporated (F.C.A.)(Ont.)

NATURE OF THE CASE

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms  - Procedural law - Judgment and orders - Action against partnership alleging copyright infringement - Interlocutory application by partners to act for partnership and file joint defence and counterclaim dismissed - Application to reconsider dismissed - On motion for default judgment by Respondent, order issuing allowing Applicants 15 days to retain lawyer, failing which default judgment would issue - Applicants’ appeal quashed - Whether time to appeal from interlocutory orders of Federal Court (Trial Division) expired.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

March 23, 1999

Federal Court of Canada (Trial Division)

(Teitelbaum J.F.C.C.)

Application for an order authorizing the human Applicants to act for the defendant Synchronics, and for an order permitting all three defendants to file a joint statement of defence and counterclaim denied

May 7, 1999

Federal Court of Canada (Trial Division) (Teitelbaum J.F.C.C.)

Application for reconsideration denied;

Applicants ordered to retain the services of legal counsel within 15 days of order, failing which judgment would be granted by default  

June 15, 1999

Federal Court of Appeal

(Linden, Rothstein and Noël JJ.A.)

Respondent's application to quash Applicants' appeal allowed

August 26, 1999

Federal Court of Appeal

(Strayer J.A.)

Motion for an order staying the execution of judgment dismissed

September 14, 1999

Supreme Court of Canada

Application for leave to appeal filed

Karin A. Ruggeberg

v. (27344)

Bancomer, S.A. (Ont.)

NATURE OF THE CASE

Procedural law - Civil procedure - Conflict of laws - Forum non conveniens - Applicant commencing action in Ontario for damages arising out of termination of employment with Mexican bank - Ontario action stayed on ground that Mexico was appropriate forum - Whether, in absence of contractual stipulation, employees working in Canada for foreign employers are presumptively governed by employment law of Canada or by that of employer’s jurisdiction - Whether Canadian law should be applied to determine whether or not a jurisdiction clause unilaterally imposed by a foreign employer after employment has commenced should apply to the contract of employment - Whether there are circumstances where a dismissed employee may have resort to remedies in more than one jurisdiction - Whether contracts of employment with foreign employers are treated differently from those with domestic employers.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

CORAM:   L’Heureux-Dubé, Bastarache and LeBel JJ. /

Les juges L’Heureux-Dubé, Bastarache et LeBel

Llewelyn Simon

v. (27345)

Her Majesty The Queen in Right of Ontario (Ont.)

NATURE OF THE CASE

Canadian Charter  - Criminal law - Crown liability - Torts - Malicious prosecution - What is the nature and scope of the cause of action created by sections 7  and 24  of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms  - Whether that cause of action is separate and distinct from the common law tort of malicious prosecution - Whether the prosecution of an individual for the offence of fraud, in the circumstances of the present case, where there is no evidence of mens rea, is a violation of the individual's rights under section 7  of the Charter  - Whether the Crown has an absolute right to prosecute - Whether the Supreme Court's decision in Weber v. Ontario Hydro, [1995] 2 S.C.R. 929, applies to the facts of this case?

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Alan Thomas Mathers

v. (27387)

Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada (B.C.)

NATURE OF THE CASE

Commercial law - Insurance - Breach of contract - Long term disability benefits - “Total disability” within the policy of insurance - Whether the Court of Appeal erred in law in dismissing the appeal - Whether uncontradicted expert testimony given at trial may be disregarded without making any adverse finding as to the credibility of the expert witness - Whether expert medical evidence may be disregarded where the trial judge does not agree with the expert’s methodology of diagnosis, in the absence of expert evidence contradicting the validity of the methodology used - Whether a trial judge may substitute her own opinion for that of an expert witness - Whether subjective pain and genuine belief in disability can satisfy the test for total disability in the absence of medical evidence as to the cause of the pain.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

CORAM:   Gonthier, Binnie and Arbour JJ. /

Les juges Gonthier, Binnie et Arbour

Society of Composers, Authors and

Music Publishers of Canada

v. (27304)

Canadian Association of Broadcasters and

 Société du droit de reproduction des auteurs,

compositeurs et éditeurs au Canada (F.C.A.)

NATURE OF THE CASE

Administrative law - Broadcasting - Judicial review - Jurisdiction - Copyright Board certifying Applicant’s tariff for commercial television stations - Whether Copyright Board had jurisdiction to incorporate the modified blanket licence in Applicant’s tariff as a new and additional form of licence that could be used by a broadcaster at its option - Whether Board in so amending Applicant’s tariff was motivated by an extraneous and irrelevant consideration.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Jean Lamy, La Commission des lésions professionnelles

et La Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail

c. (27311)

La Société canadienne des postes

- et -

Le Procureur général du Canada (Qué.)

NATURE DE LA CAUSE

Droit du travail ‐ Droit administratif - Législation - Accidents du travail - Interprétation - Contrôle judiciaire ‐ Quelle est l'étendue du renvoi aux lois provinciales d'accidents du travail et de maladies professionnelles qu'effectue la Loi sur l’indemnisation des employés de l’État, L.R.C. 1970, ch. C-9 (ci-après “la L.I.E.É.”)? - Quelle est la norme de contrôle applicable à l'égard de la décision d'un organisme provincial portant sur l'application d'une disposition de preuve et de procédure alors qu'il est habilité par le législateur fédéral en vertu de la L.I.E.É. à décider des questions d'admissibilité à l'indemnisation pour les employés de l'État fédéral? - Quelle est la norme de contrôle judiciaire applicable à la décision rendue par la Commission d’appel en matière de lésions professionnelles pour décider du droit à l'indemnité du demandeur Jean Lamy? - La Commission d’appel en matière de lésions professionnelles pouvait-elle décider du droit à l'indemnisation du demandeur Lamy en appliquant l'article 28 de la Loi sur les accidents du travail et les maladies professionnelles, L.R.Q., ch. A-3.001 (ci-après “la L.A.T.M.P.”)?

HISTORIQUE PROCÉDURAL

FEBRUARY 24, 2000 / LE 24 FÉVRIER 2000

27234                    HELO LAFRENTZ AND UWE LAFRENTZ v. HERBERT MICHEL (Alta.)

CORAM:               The Chief Justice, Iacobucci 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 - Partnership - Torts - Damages - Liability - Whether the trial judge should have attributed unlimited liability to individuals participating in a limited partnership - Whether s. 63 of the Partnership Act, R.S.A. 1980, c. P-2 is intended to benefit armslength creditors of the partnership as opposed to other limited partners with claims for additional compensation - Whether in the absence of a specific agreement a limited partner is entitled to claim additional compensation for effort expended for the partnership on the basis of quantum meruit or unjust enrichment - And if so, who pays?

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

27268                    MICHAEL S. BUHLERS v. THE SUPERINTENDENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES FOR THE PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA and THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (B.C.)

CORAM:               The Chief Justice, Iacobucci 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  - Civil - Constitutional law - Division of powers - Applicant receiving notice of driving prohibition after failing roadside screening test - Whether driving prohibition provisions of British Columbia Motor Vehicle Act are within legislative competence of province - Whether right to drive a motor vehicle is a liberty protected by s. 7  of  Charter  - Whether driving prohibition provisions violate ss. 7 through 12 of Charter .

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

27216                    TOM DUNMORE, SALAME ABDULHAMID and WALTER LUMSDEN and MICHAEL DOYLE, on their own behalf and on behalf of the UNITED FOOD AND COMMERCIAL WORKERS INTERNATIONAL UNION - v. - ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO, HIGHLINE PRODUCE LIMITED, KINGSVILLE MUSHROOM FARM INC., FLEMING CHICKS (Ont.)

CORAM:               L’Heureux-Dubé, Bastarache and LeBel JJ.

The application for leave to appeal is granted.

La demande d’autorisation d’appel est accordée.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms  ‐ Civil - Freedom of Association - Equality rights - Labour law - Labour relations - Unions - Collective bargaining - Sections 2(d) and 15(1) of the Canadian Chater of Rights and Freedoms - Whether the exclusion of agricultural workers from Ontario’s statutory labour relations system violates their freedom of association under s. 2( d )  of the Charter  - Whether the enactment of legislation which directly or indirectly results in the limitation of a fundamental freedom, through the intermediary, of private power constitutes government action subject to review under the Charter  - Whether the exclusion of agricultural workers from Ontario’s statutory labour relations system violates their rights to equal protection and benefit of the law under s. 15(1)  of the Charter  - Whether discrimination on the basis of membership in a group defined by occupational status, in circumstances where that status is associated with disadvantage and powerlessness in society, may constitute discrimination on a ground analogous to the enumerated grounds in s. 15(1)  of the Charter ?

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

27199                    RAGBIER SINGH BHANDAR  - v. - ABTAR SINGH BAINS (B.C.)

CORAM:               Major, Binnie and Arbour JJ.

Upon application by the appellant for an Order delaying the release of the results of his application for leave to appeal; and upon reviewing the material filed; it is ordered that the application be dismissed.

À la suite d’une demande de l’appelant visant à obtenir une ordonnance retardant le dépôt du résultat de sa demande d’autorisation d’appel, et après avoir examiné la documentation déposée, il est ordonné que la demande soit rejetée.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Procedural law - Civil procedure - Setting aside judgments - Whether it is appropriate to draw an inference that a fraud is material absent proof of materiality - Whether it is appropriate to set aside a previous final judgment on the basis of a fraud that goes to a collateral issue such that it might affect one party’s credibility - Whether agreements which prohibit a witness from actively assisting one of the parties in litigation may constitute a fraud on the court process - Traditional and correct test for setting aside a judgment on the basis of fraud - Proper scope of appellate review

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

27199                    RAGBIER SINGH BHANDAR  - v. - ABTAR SINGH BAINS (B.C.)

CORAM:               Major, Binnie and Arbour JJ.

The application for leave to appeal is dismissed with costs.  The motion to adduce new evidence is dismissed with costs.

La demande d’autorisation d’appel est rejetée avec dépens.  La demande visant à présenter de nouveaux éléments de preuve est rejetée avec dépens.

NATURE OF THE CASE

Procedural law - Civil procedure - Setting aside judgments - Whether it is appropriate to draw an inference that a fraud is material absent proof of materiality - Whether it is appropriate to set aside a previous final judgment on the basis of a fraud that goes to a collateral issue such that it might affect one party’s credibility - Whether agreements which prohibit a witness from actively assisting one of the parties in litigation may constitute a fraud on the court process - Traditional and correct test for setting aside a judgment on the basis of fraud - Proper scope of appellate review

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

15.2.2000

Before / Devant: THE REGISTRAR

GRANTED / ACCORDÉE   Time extended to such a date to be calculated from the release of this Court’s reasons in G.D.B. v. The Queen (27240).

15.2.2000

Before / Devant:   THE REGISTRAR

Motion to extend the time in which to serve and file the respondent’s factum

Andrew Scott Darrach

     v. (26564)

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

Requête en prorogation du délai imparti pour signifier et déposer le mémoire de l’intimée

GRANTED / ACCORDÉE   Time extended to October 6, 1999.

15.2.2000

Before / Devant:   THE REGISTRAR

Motion to extend the time in which to serve and file the respondent’s response

Atomic Energy Control Board

     v. (27632)

Alexander Danilov (Ont.)

Requête en prorogation du délai imparti pour signifier et déposer la réponse de l’intimé

GRANTED / ACCORDÉE   Time extended to February 8, 2000.

17.2.2000

Before / Devant:   MAJOR J.

Motion to extend the time in which to serve and file the application for leave

David Masmarti

    v. (27711)

Commission des affaires sociales (Qué.)

Requête en prorogation du délai imparti pour signifier et déposer la demande d’autorisation

GRANTED / ACCORDÉE   Time extended to March 23, 2000.

17.2.2000

Before / Devant:   MAJOR J.

Motion to extend the time in which to serve and file the application for leave

David Masmarti

    v. (27712)

Bernard Cohen, et al. (Qué.)

Requête en prorogation du délai imparti pour signifier et déposer la demande d’autorisation

GRANTED / ACCORDÉE   Time extended to March 23, 2000.

18.2.2000

Before / Devant: THE REGISTRAR

Motion to extend the time in which to serve and file the intervener the Attorney General of Quebec’s factum and book of authorities

K.L.W.

    v. (26779)

Winnipeg Child and Family Services (Man.)

Requête en prorogation du délai imparti pour signifier et déposer le mémoire et le recueil de jurisprudence et de doctrine de l’intervenante la procureure générale du Québec

GRANTED / ACCORDÉE    Délai prorogé au 10 février 2000.

18.2.2000

Before / Devant:   THE REGISTRAR

Motion to extend the time in which to serve and file the respondent’s book of authorities

A.R.B.

    v. (26918)

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

Requête en prorogation du délai imparti pour signifier et déposer le recueil de jurisprudence et de doctrine de l’intimée

GRANTED / ACCORDÉE    Time extended to February 8, 2000.

18.2.2000

Before / Devant:   THE REGISTRAR

Motion to extend the time in which to serve and file the respondent’s response

Her Majesty the Queen

     v.  (27678)

Clarence Hoyles (Crim.)(Nfld.)

Requête en prorogation du délai imparti pour signifier et déposer la réponse de l’intimé

GRANTED / ACCORDÉE   Time extended to February 18, 2000.

21.2.2000

Before / Devant:   THE REGISTRAR

Motion to extend the time in which to serve and file the intervener the Attorney General of Saskatchewan book of authorities

Reference respecting the firearms Act

    v . (26933)

Attorney General of Canada (Alta.)

Requête en prorogation du délai imparti pour signifier et déposer le recueil de jurisprudence et de doctrine de l’intervenant le procureur général de la Saskatchewan

GRANTED / ACCORDÉE   Time extended to February 9, 2000.

22.2.2000

Before / Devant: MAJOR J.

Motion to extend the time in which to serve and file the application for leave

Elwyn Patterson, et al.

    v. (27757)

Attorney General of British Columbia et al. (B.C.)

Requête en prorogation du délai imparti pour signifier et déposer la demande d’autorisation

GRANTED / ACCORDÉE   Time extended to February 11, 2000.

15.2.2000

François Simard

    c. (27767)

Sa Majesté la Reine (Qué.)

DE PLEIN DROIT

17.2.2000

Ville de Sept-Îles

     c. (27291)

Le Syndicat canadien de la fonction publique, section locale 2589 et al. (Qué.)

21.2.2000

John Gorenko et al.

    v. (27266)

Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada et al. (Qué.)

BY/PAR:                Attorney General of New Brunswick

IN/DANS:              The Minister of National Revenue

   v. (27066)

Grand Chief Michael Mitchell also known as Kanantakeron (F.C.A.)

18.2.2000

Joel Epstein et al.

    v.  (27608)

The Salvation Army Scarborough Grace General Hospital et al. (Ont.)

(leave)

21.2.2000 & 22.2.2000

CORAM:               Chief Justice McLachlin and L’Heureux-Dubé, Gonthier, Iacobucci, Major, Bastarache, Binnie, Arbour and LeBel JJ.

Reference respecting the firearms Act

     v. (26933)

Attorney General of Canada (Alta.)

Roderick A. McLennan, Q.C., Thomas W.R. Ross and Neal A. McLennan, for the appellant.

Robert Earl Charney and Edward J. Maksimowski, for the intervener the A.G. for Ontario.

Louise Walsh Poirier and Reinhold Endres, Q.C., for the intervener the A.G. of Nova Scotia.

Gabriel Bourgeois, for the intervener the A.G. of New Brunswick.

Kenneth J. Tyler, for the intervener the A.G. of Manitoba.

Graeme G. Mitchell, Q.C. and Thomson Irvine, for the intervener the A.G. of Saskatchewan.

Scott Duke, for the intervener the Government of the Northwest Territories.

William Craik and Lee Kirkpatrick, for the intervener the Government of the Yukon Territory.

Delia Opekokew, Darren W. Winegarden, Albert C. Peeling and John D. Parsons, for the intervener Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations.

Dallas K. Miller, Q.C., for the intervener Coalition of Responsible Firearm Owners and Sportsmen (CORFOS).

David R. Holman, for the intervener Law-Abiding Unregistered Firearms Association (LUFA).

Brian A. Crane, Q.C. and Paul Shaw, for the intervener Shooting Federation of Canada.

Graham R. Garton, Q.C. and Sheilah Martin, Q.C., for the respondent.

Paul Larochelle, c.r. et Michelle Thivierge, pour l’intervenante Association pour la santé publique du Québec.

Alexander D. Pringle, Q.C. and June Ross, for the intervener Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters.

Peter A. Downard, Paul F. Monahan and Rochelle S. Fox, for the interveners CAVEAT, et al.

Jill Copeland, for the interveners Coalition for Gun Control.

RESERVED / EN DÉLIBÉRÉ

Nature of the case:

Constitutional law - Division of powers - Firearms Act , S.C. 1995, c. 39  - Whether the licensing provisions as they related to an ordinary firearm, constituted an infringement of the jurisdiction of the Legislature of Alberta with respect to the regulation of property and civil rights - Whether the registration provisions, as they related to an ordinary firearm, constituted an infringement of the jurisdiction of the Legislature of Alberta with respect to the regulation of property and civil rights.

Nature de la cause:

Droit constitutionnel – Répartition des compétences – Loi sur les armes à feu , L.C. 1995, ch. 39  – Les dispositions relatives à la délivrance de permis, dans la mesure où elles portent sur les armes à feu ordinaires, constituent-elles une violation de la compétence de la législature de l’Alberta en ce qui concerne la réglementation de la propriété et des droits civils? – Les dispositions relatives à l’enregistrement, dans la mesure où elles portent sur les armes à feu ordinaires, constituent-elles une violation de la compétence de la législature de l’Alberta en ce qui concerne la réglementation de la propriété et des droits civils?

23.2.2000

CORAM:               Chief Justice McLachlin and L’Heureux-Dubé, Gonthier, Iacobucci, Major, Bastarache, Binnie, Arbour and LeBel JJ.

Andrew Scott Darrach

     v. (26564)

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

Lawrence Greenspon and Blair Crew, for the appellant.

Rosella M. Cornaviera and Karen Shai, for the respondent.

Graham R. Garton, Q.C. and Robin Parker, for the intervener the A.G. of Canada.

Joanne Marceau et Marie-Claude Gilbert, pour l’intervenant le procureur général du Québec.

Cynthia Devine, for the intervener the A.G. of Manitoba.

Alexander Budlovsky and Marian K. Brown, for the intervener the A.G. of British Columbia.

Elizabeth Thomas and Carissima Mathen, for the interveners Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund, et al.

RESERVED / EN DÉLIBÉRÉ

Nature of the case:

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms  - Criminal law - Evidence - Sexual assault - Whether ss. 276(1), 276.1(2)(a), 276.2(2) and 276(2)(c) (the “rape shield” provisions) infringe an accused’s Charter  rights.

Nature de la cause:

Charte canadienne des droits et libertés  - Droit criminel - Preuve - Agression sexuelle - Les art. 276(1), 276.1(2)a), 276.2(2) et 276(2)c) (dispositions sur la « protection des victimes de viol ») portent‐ils atteinte aux droits de l’accusé garantis par la Charte ?

AGENDA for the weeks beginning February 28 and March 6, 2000.

ORDRE DU JOUR pour les semaines commençant les 28 février et 6 mars 2000.

Date of Hearing/                                     Case Number and Name/    

Date d'audition                                        Numéro et nom de la cause

The Court will not be sitting on those weeks

La Cour ne siègera pas durant ces semaines

NOTE: 

This agenda is subject to change.  Hearing dates should be confirmed with Registry staff at (613) 996-8666.

Cet ordre du jour est sujet à modification.  Les dates d'audience devraient être confirmées auprès du personnel du greffe au (613) 996-8666.

SUPREME COURT OF CANADA SCHEDULE

CALENDRIER DE LA COUR SUPREME

- 1999 -

- 2000 -