Ambrosi v. British Columbia (Attorney General), 2014 BCCA 123

JudgeBennett, Garson and Hinkson, JJ.A.
CourtCourt of Appeal (British Columbia)
Case DateNovember 05, 2013
JurisdictionBritish Columbia
Citations2014 BCCA 123;(2013), 353 B.C.A.C. 244 (CA)

Ambrosi v. B.C. (A.G.) (2013), 353 B.C.A.C. 244 (CA);

    603 W.A.C. 244

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2014] B.C.A.C. TBEd. AP.006

Dan Ambrosi (appellant) v. British Columbia (Attorney General) (respondent)

(CA040256; 2014 BCCA 123)

Indexed As: Ambrosi v. British Columbia (Attorney General)

British Columbia Court of Appeal

Bennett, Garson and Hinkson, JJ.A.

April 4, 2013.

Summary:

Ambrosi swore informations alleging criminal offences against six government employees in Kamloops, B.C. (i.e., to start private prosecutions). Ambrosi alleged that the six individuals (public servants) refused to deliver property to a person entitled to demand it (i.e., Ambrosi), contrary to s. 337 of the Criminal Code (i.e., an offence under the heading "Offences Resembling Theft").

The British Columbia Provincial Court conducted the required pre-inquiry into whether to issue process (either a summons or a warrant) and concluded that a case for process was not made out on the evidence. Ambrosi applied for an order of certiorari to quash the judge's decision not to issue process, and for an order of mandamus, compelling the judge to reconsider the matter and issue process.

The British Columbia Supreme Court, in a decision reported [2012] B.C.T.C. Uned. 1261, dismissed the application. Ambrosi appealed.

The British Columbia Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal. Ambrosi was not a person authorized to make the demand for delivery of property and, therefore, there was no evidence of an offence being committed.

Criminal Law - Topic 25

Prosecution of crime - Persons who may conduct prosecutions - Private prosecutions - See paragraphs 19 to 36.

Criminal Law - Topic 1709

Theft - Special types - Public servant refusing to deliver property - See paragraphs 37 to 59.

Criminal Law - Topic 3204

Compelling appearance, detention and release - Issuance of summons or warrant - Pre- inquiry (pre-enquete) - See paragraphs 19 to 36.

Statutes - Topic 1845

Interpretation - Intrinsic aids - Titles, headings and section numbers - Headings and marginal notes - See paragraph 54.

Cases Noticed:

R. v. McHale (G.W.) (2010), 261 O.A.C. 354; 2010 ONCA 361, leave to appeal refused (2010), 413 N.R. 393; 279 O.A.C. 395 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 20].

R. v. Kalanj; R. v. Pion, [1989] 1 S.C.R. 1594; 96 N.R. 191, refd to. [para. 20].

Southam Inc. et al. v. Coulter, J. et al. (1990), 40 O.A.C. 341; 60 C.C.C.(3d) 267 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 26].

MacIntyre v. Attorney General of Nova Scotia et al., [1982] 1 S.C.R. 175; 40 N.R. 181; 49 N.S.R.(2d) 609; 96 A.P.R. 609, refd to. [para. 27].

Canadian Broadcasting Corp. v. Dagenais et al., [1994] 3 S.C.R. 835; 175 N.R. 1; 76 O.A.C. 81, refd to. [para. 30].

R. v. Mentuck (C.G.), [2001] 3 S.C.R. 442; 277 N.R. 160; 163 Man.R.(2d) 1; 269 W.A.C. 1, refd to. [para. 30].

Ambrosi v. British Columbia (Attorney General), [2012] B.C.T.C. Uned. 720; 2012 BCSC 720, refd to. [para. 31].

Duarte et al. v. British Columbia (Attorney General) et al. (2012), 314 B.C.A.C. 306; 534 W.A.C. 306; 2012 BCCA 6, refd to. [para. 35].

Rizzo & Rizzo Shoes Ltd. (Bankrupt), Re, [1998] 1 S.C.R. 27; 221 N.R. 241; 106 O.A.C. 1, refd to. [para. 40].

Gravel v. St. Leonard (City), [1978] 1 S.C.R. 660; 17 N.R. 486, refd to. [para. 43].

Skapinker v. Law Society of Upper Canada, [1984] 1 S.C.R. 357; 53 N.R. 169; 3 O.A.C. 321, refd to. [para. 54].

Statutes Noticed:

Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46, sect. 337 [para. 37]; sect. 504 [para. 19]; sect. 507.1 [para. 22].

Counsel:

The appellant appeared in person;

L. Ruzicka, for the respondent.

This appeal was heard in Vancouver, B.C., on November 5, 2013, before Bennett, Garson and Hinkson, JJ.A., of the British Columbia Court of Appeal. The decision of the court was delivered by Bennett, J.A., on April 4, 2014.

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14 practice notes
  • Table of cases
    • Canada
    • Irwin Books Criminal Procedure. Fourth Edition
    • June 23, 2020
    ...1, [1976] SCJ No 86............................................................. 82, 83 Ambrosi v British Columbia (Attorney General), 2014 BCCA 123, 311 CCC (3d) 264, 353 BCAC 244 ................................................................ 56 Application under s 83.28 of the Criminal ......
  • Elements of Criminal Procedure
    • Canada
    • Irwin Books Criminal Procedure. Fourth Edition
    • June 23, 2020
    ...by fourteen years or more imprisonment), a private prosecution may proceed to the conclusion of the preliminary 68 R v Ambrosi , 2014 BCCA 123 [ Ambrosi ]. 69 See Canadian Broadcasting Corp v Morrison , 2017 MBCA 36, at para 22 quoting R v Halik , 2010 ONSC 125 at para 20: “the justice has ......
  • R. v. Orr,
    • Canada
    • Court of Appeal (British Columbia)
    • February 3, 2021
    ...or provincial Attorney General commences by invoking ss. 504 and 507 of the Code. In Ambrosi v. British Columbia (Attorney General), 2014 BCCA 123, Bennett J.A. explained the [19] There are two stages to commencing a prosecution under the Criminal Code. The first is laying an information [u......
  • Canadian Broadcasting Corporation et al v. Morrison, 2017 MBCA 36
    • Canada
    • Court of Appeal (Manitoba)
    • April 7, 2017
    ...(see Edge at paras 74-77, 91; McHale #1 at paras 47, 65, 69; Friesen at paras 9‑11; and Ambrosi v British Columbia (Attorney General), 2014 BCCA 123 at paras 23-24, leave to appeal to SCC refused, [2014] SCCA No [79] The statutory interpretation argument of the applicants as to exactly what......
  • Request a trial to view additional results
11 cases
  • R. v. Orr,
    • Canada
    • Court of Appeal (British Columbia)
    • February 3, 2021
    ...or provincial Attorney General commences by invoking ss. 504 and 507 of the Code. In Ambrosi v. British Columbia (Attorney General), 2014 BCCA 123, Bennett J.A. explained the [19] There are two stages to commencing a prosecution under the Criminal Code. The first is laying an information [u......
  • Canadian Broadcasting Corporation et al v. Morrison, 2017 MBCA 36
    • Canada
    • Court of Appeal (Manitoba)
    • April 7, 2017
    ...(see Edge at paras 74-77, 91; McHale #1 at paras 47, 65, 69; Friesen at paras 9‑11; and Ambrosi v British Columbia (Attorney General), 2014 BCCA 123 at paras 23-24, leave to appeal to SCC refused, [2014] SCCA No [79] The statutory interpretation argument of the applicants as to exactly what......
  • Servus Credit Union Ltd. v. Parlee, 2015 ABQB 700
    • Canada
    • Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta (Canada)
    • November 5, 2015
    ...to Mr. Parlee's Quo Warranto application. This provision was recently interpreted in Ambrosi v British Columbia (Attorney General) , 2014 BCCA 123 at para 53, 353 BCAC 244, leave denied [2014] SCCA No 320. Bennett JA concluded s 337 "...was enacted to prevent theft by public employees of th......
  • R. v. Hok (A.), 2016 ABQB 335
    • Canada
    • Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta (Canada)
    • June 17, 2016
    ...or legal validity": R v McHale 2010 ONCA 361 at para 74, leave to appeal to SCC refused, [2010] SCCA No 290 (see also R v Ambrosi , 2014 BCCA 123 [ Ambrosi CA] at para 24). [19] No appeal lies against a decision of a s 507.1 hearing judge; the appropriate way to proceed is through an applic......
  • Request a trial to view additional results
1 firm's commentaries
  • Private Prosecutions In The Public Interest?: Process, Possibilities, And Problems
    • Canada
    • Mondaq Canada
    • October 27, 2016
    ...S.C.), at paras. 9-11 [Friesen], and Ambrosi v. British Columbia (Attorney General), 2012 BCSC 1261, at paras. 54-57 [Ambrosi], aff'd 2014 BCCA 123 [Ambrosi BCCA]; see also R. v. McHale, 2010 ONCA 361, at paras. 65 and 74 6. McHale, at para. 48; R. v. Whitmore (1987), 41 C.C.C. (3d) 555 (On......
2 books & journal articles
  • Table of cases
    • Canada
    • Irwin Books Criminal Procedure. Fourth Edition
    • June 23, 2020
    ...1, [1976] SCJ No 86............................................................. 82, 83 Ambrosi v British Columbia (Attorney General), 2014 BCCA 123, 311 CCC (3d) 264, 353 BCAC 244 ................................................................ 56 Application under s 83.28 of the Criminal ......
  • Elements of Criminal Procedure
    • Canada
    • Irwin Books Criminal Procedure. Fourth Edition
    • June 23, 2020
    ...by fourteen years or more imprisonment), a private prosecution may proceed to the conclusion of the preliminary 68 R v Ambrosi , 2014 BCCA 123 [ Ambrosi ]. 69 See Canadian Broadcasting Corp v Morrison , 2017 MBCA 36, at para 22 quoting R v Halik , 2010 ONSC 125 at para 20: “the justice has ......

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