The Petitioner sought leave under section 31 of the Commercial Arbitration Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c.55 to appeal the decision of an Arbitrator in a motor vehicle case who awarded court order interest to the Respondent motorist (“Lopatka”) after the initial award for damages had been made. The court refused to grant leave, holding that the merits of the appeal did not have sufficient substance to warrant leave and it was important that the principle of finality in arbitrations be maintained.

27. August 2002 0
Administrative law – Motor vehicle accidents – Arbitration and award – Arbitrators – Jurisdiction – Appeals – Leave to appeal – Test Maruna v. Lopatka, [2002] B.C.J. No. 1706, British Columbia Supreme Court, July 19, 2002, Brooke J. Lopatka was involved in four motor vehicle accidents. Pursuant to section 148 of the Regulations to the Insurance ...

Intent is not a necessary precondition to a finding that an act is discriminatory. In the evaluation of a human rights complaint, the Commission must take into account the reality that overt discrimination is rare today and is generally subtle in nature. The appropriate standard of review of the Commission’s decision of whether or not to dismiss a complaint is reasonableness simpliciter. On the facts, the court held that the Commission’s decision was unreasonable and directed an investigation by a new investigator.

27. August 2002 0
Administrative law – Human rights complaints – Boards and tribunals – Judicial review application – Standard of review – Reasonableness Simpliciter – Investigative bodies – Fairness Chopra v. Canada (Attorney General), [2002] F.C.J. No. 1082, Federal Court of Canada – Trial Division, July 12, 2002, Beaudry J. A scientist employed by Health Canada sought judicial review of the ...

The court does not have the jurisdiction to hear a professor’s claims against the University based on the torts of non-sexual common law harassment, intimidation, and unlawful interference with economic interests. In the result, the action was dismissed. The essential nature of the dispute related to the working conditions of employees and the failure of the University to take adequate measures to ensure a safe and harassment free working environment. The appropriate forum for the resolution of the dispute was the grievance and arbitration procedure set out in the collective bargaining agreement.

27. August 2002 0
Administrative law – Labour law – Arbitration – Collective agreements – Working conditions – Jurisdiction of court – Universities – Jurisdiction Hemmings v. University of Saskatchewan, [2002] S.J. No. 457, Saskatchewan Court of Appeal, July 30, 2002, Vancise, Sherstobitoff and Jackson JJ.A. A tenured professor commenced an action against the University for intimidation, intentional infliction of harm, ...

Workers Compensation Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 492 provisions granting spousal benefits for life to widowed parents 40 years of age or older when their children cease dependency but denying pension benefits to widowed parents under 40 years of age when their children cease dependency are discriminatory on the basis of age and therefore contrary to section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

27. August 2002 0
Administrative law – Workers compensation – Benefits – Charter of Rights – Discrimination – Equality rights Burnett v. British Columbia (Worker’s Compensation Board), [2002] B.C.J. No. 1738, British Columbia Supreme Court, July 25, 2002, Holmes J. The Petitioner’s spouse was killed in a work-related accident when she was 32 years old with one dependent child aged ...

Dufault, a teacher and Human Resources Superintendent for a school district, was unsuccessful in overturning a decision by an investigative subcommittee of the British Columbia College of Teachers to issue a citation against him with respect to his involvement in hiring a teacher without certification from the College

28. May 2002 0
Administrative law – Teachers – Disciplinary proceedings – Professional misconduct or conduct unbecoming of member – Investigative bodies – Jurisdiction Dufault v. British Columbia College of Teachers, [2002] B.C.J. No. 864, British Columbia Supreme Court, April 25, 2002, Ross J. Dufault was the Associate Superintendent of Human Resources for the School District of Abbotsford. He was ...

Tremblay’s appeal from the decision of the British Columbia Supreme Court dismissing a petition seeking a declaration that certain orders-in-council concerning budget cuts to the Legal Services Society were ultra vires was dismissed. The Court held that Tremblay had not shown any error of law or principle that would allow the Court to intervene in what was essentially a policy dispute.

28. May 2002 0
Administrative law – Legislation – Orders in council – Ultra vires – Legal Aid – Funding Tremblay v. British Columbia (Attorney General), [2002] B.C.J. No. 942, British Columbia Court of Appeal, May 2, 2002, Finch C.J.B.C., Prowse and Smith JJ.A. Tremblay appealed from the decision of the British Columbia Supreme Court dismissing the petition to quash ...

O’Hara’s application for a judicial review of a decision of the B.C. Human Rights Commission dismissing his complaint was itself dismissed as the Court held that O’Hara could not establish that the Commission’s decision was patently unreasonable or that the investigative process was procedurally unfair

28. May 2002 0
Administrative law – Human rights complaints – Disability – Judicial review application – Boards and Tribunals – Breach of procedural fairness – Patently unreasonable decision – Continuing contravention – Definition O’Hara v. British Columbia (Human Rights Commission), [2002] B.C.J. No. 887, British Columbia Supreme Court, April 16, 2002, Quijano J. O’Hara described himself as disabled from a ...

Stinchcombe succeeded in his appeal of the decision allowing the Law Society of Alberta to proceed with two charges against him relating to events occurring in 1986 and 1987. The Court held that Stinchcombe’s ability to defend the charges had been prejudiced by the Law Society’s inordinate and inexcusable delay and that this constituted a denial of natural justice.

28. May 2002 0
Administrative law – Barristers and solicitors – Disciplinary proceedings – Boards and tribunals – Jurisdiction – Natural justice – Delay – Hearings – Disclosure – Judicial review – Standard of review- Correctness test Stinchcombe v. Law Society of Alberta, [2002] A.J. No. 544, Alberta Court of Appeal, April 26, 2002, Conrad, O’Leary and Paperny JJ.A. On ...

Butterworth failed in his application seeking a stay of his disciplinary hearing before a committee of the College of Veterinarians of Ontario where the court found that prospective damage to Butterworth’s personal and professional reputation did not constitute “irreparable harm”

23. April 2002 0
Administrative law – Veterinarians – Disciplinary proceedings – Stay of proceedings – Jurisdiction – Judicial review – Standard of review – Correctness test Butterworth v. College of Veterinarians of Ontario, [2001] O.J. No. 5265, Ontario Superior Court of Justice, August 10, 2001, MacFarland J. Butterworth, a veterinarian, was scheduled to have his case heard before a ...

Oulton succeeded in obtaining an order that the Chicken Farmers of Nova Scotia (the “Board”) acted ultra vires its jurisdiction in imposing a new entrant’s fee

23. April 2002 0
Administrative law – Boards and tribunals – Jurisdiction Oulton v. Chicken Farmers of Nova Scotia, [2002] N.S.J. No. 127, Nova Scotia Supreme Court, March 18, 2002, Wright J. The Chicken Farmers of Nova Scotia is a commodity board constituted under the Nova Scotia Chicken Marketing Plan, the stated purpose of which is to promote, control ...