Pump the brakes – sections 133(1)(b) and (c) of the Civil Resolutions Tribunal Act, S.B.C. 2012, c. 25 are declared unconstitutional and of no force and effect

20. April 2021 0
Administrative law – Legislation – Legislative Assembly – Constitutional law – Boards and tribunals – Jurisdiction – Practice and procedure – Summary proceedings – Remedies Trial Lawyers Association of British Columbia v. British Columbia (Attorney General), [2021] B.C.J. No. 389, 2021 BCSC 348, British Columbia Supreme Court, March 2, 2021, C.E. Hinkson C.J.S.C. Effective April ...

The petitioner hospital was unsuccessful on judicial review in setting aside the decision of the Human Rights Tribunal to not summarily dismiss a human rights complaint as having no reasonable prospect of success under section 27(1) of the Human Rights Code. The complaint was for alleged discrimination by the hospital on the grounds of mental and physical disability in relation to the provision of services. The court found that the complaint had some prospect of success and that the Tribunal’s decision was not patently unreasonable. The court rejected the argument that the Tribunal was not in a position to second-guess the exercise of professional medical judgment by the hospital staff in the provision of services, absent discrimination.

19. February 2019 0
Administrative law – Decisions reviewed – Human Rights Tribunal – Discrimination – Disability – Judicial review – Jurisdiction – Standard of review – Patent unreasonableness – Practice and procedure – Summary proceedings Hospital v. J.R. (Litigation guardian of), [2018] B.C.J. No. 3731, 2018 BCSC 2079, British Columbia Supreme Court, November 26, 2018, L.W. Bernard J. ...

The BC Court of Appeal held that the Vancouver Police Board (“VPB”) is a separate body from the Board of Police Commissioners (“Board”). As such, the VPB was not found liable for any tort liability of the Board in respect of alleged sexual assaults committed by a former police constable.

22. September 2015 0
Administrative law – Decisions of administrative tribunals – Police Review Board – Police – Professional governance and discipline – Professional misconduct or conduct unbecoming – Practice and procedure – Summary proceedings – Judicial review – Compliance with legislation – Statutory interpretation – Legislation – Retrospective and retroactive operation Gulkison v. Vancouver Police Board, [2015] B.C.J. ...

A member of the Law Society of British Columbia and the Certified Accountants Association of British Columbia (the “Appellant”), brought an action for damages for defamation, malicious prosecution, negligence, misfeasance in public office etc. against the members of the Professional Conduct Inquiry Committee and the Director of Ethics of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (the “Respondents”) after they forwarded an investigator’s report to the Law Society and Certified General Accountants Association. The B.C. Court of Appeal held that a person who provides information to a professional disciplinary body about the conduct of one of its members, is not liable in an action brought by that member. The communication is subject to absolute privilege, which provides a defence to all claims. In addition, while the filing of a jury notice is an important factor to consider in assessing whether a matter is appropriate for summary trial, and may “hold an extra value in cases of defamation”, it is not a bar to bringing an application for summary trial pursuant to Rule 18A. The trial judge exercised his discretion in determining that the matter was appropriate for disposition by summary trial and made no error in principle in deciding the case under Rule 18A.

22. July 2003 0
Administrative law – Accountants – Disciplinary proceedings – Investigative bodies – Powers – Jurisdiction – Absolute privilege – Practice and procedure – Jury notice – Summary proceedings Hung v. Gardiner, [2003] B.C.J. No. 1048, British Columbia Court of Appeal, May 6, 2003, Ryan, Hall and Levine JJ.A. The Appellant is a member of the Law Society of ...