The Nova Scotia Construction Safety Association (the “Association”) appealed from the decision of the Human Rights Commission awarding damages to an employee, Karen Davison (“Davison”), who successfully obtained an award for damages for incidents of sexual harassment during the course of her employment. The appeal was dismissed except that the Order of the Human Rights Board of Inquiry that exemplary damages should be awarded against the Association was overturned.

25. July 2006 0
Administrative law – Human rights complaints – Sexual harassment – Gender – Decisions of administrative tribunals – Human Rights Commission – Damages – Judicial review – Delay – Evidence – Procedural requirements and fairness – Abuse of process – test – Standard of review – Reasonableness simpliciter Nova Scotia Construction Safety Assn. v. Nova Scotia (Human Rights ...

On judicial review of a decision of the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal, the court held that the Tribunal was within its statutory jurisdiction in making the damage awards it did and it did not err in finding liability for discrimination on the facts before it

27. December 2005 0
Administrative law – Human rights complaints – Discrimination – Disability – Remedies – Certiorari – Damages – Decisions of administrative tribunals – Human Rights Tribunal – Judicial review – Jurisdiction – Crown immunity – Standard of review – Patent unreasonableness British Columbia v. Bolster, [2005] B.C.J. No. 2365, British Columbia Supreme Court, October 27, 2005, Parrett J. The Province ...

The Court dismissed the Province’s petition for judicial review of a decision of the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal (the “Tribunal”) that the Province discriminated against the Respondents, Ms. Hutchinson and her father, Mr. Hutchinson, on the basis of physical disability and family status in the manner in which it was applying its Choices in Support for Independent Living (“CSIL”) policy which included a blanket prohibition against hiring family members. The Court upheld the Tribunal’s finding that a prima facie case of discrimination had been established against the Province and upheld the Tribunal’s order of monetary compensation of $105,850 to Mr. Hutchinson for lost opportunity for employment.

27. December 2005 0
Administrative law – Human rights complaints – Discrimination – Disability – Family members as care givers – Decisions of administrative tribunals – Human Rights Tribunal – Judicial review – Standard of review – Correctness – Patent unreasonableness – Jurisdiction of tribunal – Damages British Columbia v. Hutchinson, [2005] B.C.J. No. 2270, British Columbia Supreme Court, October 12, 2005, Cullen ...

The P.E.I. Court of Appeal increased the general damages awarded to the Appellant for a breach of his right to freedom of expression under section 2(b) of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms from $15,000 to $75,000 on the basis that the trial judge overlooked evidence regarding the consequences of the Respondent’s infringement on the Appellant

26. July 2005 0
Administrative law – Charter of Rights – Freedom of expression – Employment law – Termination of employment – Damages – Judicial review – Appeals – Evidence – Standard of review of appellate court Morin v. Prince Edward Island Regional Administrative Unit No. 3 School Board, [2005] P.E.I.J. No. 42, Prince Edward Island Supreme Court – Appeal Division, ...

The Court held that the Workers’ Compensation Board (“WCB”) was not entitled to withhold payment of a 1989 continuing award because of the worker’s 1991 receipt of settlement funds from his employer

25. January 2005 0
Administrative law – Workers compensation – Benefits – Statutory provisions – Statutory interpretation – Damages – Settlement monies from other jurisdictions – Decisions of administrative tribunals – Workers Compensation Boards – Judicial review – Jurisdiction – Compliance with legislation – Standard of review – Correctness Dipersio v. Nova Scotia (Workers’ Compensation Appeals Tribunal), [2004] N.S.J. No. 442, Nova ...

The Plaintiff “held an office” with the Defendant Municipality and therefore a duty of fairness applied to the administrative decision to terminate his employment. The Plaintiff was entitled to a hearing which he did not receive; therefore, the Defendant municipality did not comply with its duty of procedural fairness in terminating his employment.

24. August 2004 0
Administrative law – Employment law – Termination of employment – Wrongful dismissal – Hold an office – definition – Damages – Decisions of administrative tribunals – Municipal councils – Judicial review – Administrative decisions – Procedural requirements and fairness Reglin v. Creston (Town), [2004] B.C.J. No. 1218, British Columbia Supreme Court, June 10, 2004, Melnick J. The Plaintiff ...

The appeal by an employer (“Vantage”) from a decision of the Human Rights Panel of the Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission was dismissed where the court found that the evidence considered by the Panel clearly established that Vantage had not given consideration to accommodation of the physical limitations of the complainant (“Marcil”). The court also upheld the Panel’s decision to award $28,000 as compensation for lost employment income.

25. May 2004 0
Administrative law – Human rights complaints – Discrimination – Disability – Duty to accommodate – Employment law – Termination of employment – Damages – Decisions of administrative tribunals – Human Rights Commission – Judicial review – Standard of review – Correctness Vantage Contracting Inc. v. Marcil, [2004] A.J. No. 368, Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench, March 29, 2004, ...

A homeowner (“Covey”) who had leased his home under a one year lease to tenants who later terminated their tenancy on the advice of their physician, applied for judicial review of two decisions of an arbitrator under the Residential Tenancy Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 406. In the first decision, the arbitrator had ruled in favour of the tenants and, in the second one, the arbitrator reviewed and rejected fresh evidence that Covey brought forward in support of his position. The court dismissed Covey’s application on the basis that the decision of the arbitrator and his review of that decision were not patently unreasonable.

28. October 2003 0
Administrative law – Landlord and tenant – Leases – Termination – Evidence – Damages – Arbitration and award – Judicial review application – Standard of review – Patent unreasonableness Covey v. St. Denis, [2003] B.C.J. No. 1795, British Columbia Supreme Court, July 22, 2003, Melnick J. Covey had rented his house to Tyrone and Rosemarie St. Denis ...

The Plaintiff Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (“NTI”), in its action against the Federal Government, claimed that the Firearms Act, R.S.C. 1995, c.39, legislation which introduced a universal licensing and registration scheme for the possession, use and purchase of all firearms and ammunition, unlawfully infringed upon the rights guaranteed to Inuit under the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement (“NLCA”). Pending trial, the court allowed NTI’s application for an interlocutory order staying application of provisions of the Firearms Act and Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1985 c.46, on the basis that the alleged infringement of a treaty right may cause collateral damage to important Inuit interests.

23. September 2003 0
Administrative law – Aboriginal issues – Firearms registration – Infringement on Aboriginal rights – Damages – Stay of proceedings Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. v. Canada (Attorney General), [2003] Nu.J. No. 2, Nunavut Court of Justice, July 8, 2003, Kilpatrick J. The Plaintiff Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (“NTI”), on behalf of Inuit enrolled as beneficiaries under the Nunavut Land ...