Bazant, Re; Bilson, University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association and Bazant v. University of Saskatchewan, (1984) 36 Sask.R. 184 (CA)

• Judge: MacDonald, Cameron and Vancise, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (Saskatchewan)
• Case Date: November 30, 1984
• Jurisdiction: Saskatchewan
• Citations: (1984), 36 Sask.R. 184 (CA)

Bazant, Re (1984), 36 Sask.R. 184 (CA)

MLB headnote and full text

Re Bazant; Bilson, University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association and Bazant v. University of Saskatchewan

(No. 8231)

Indexed As: Bazant, Re; Bilson, University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association and Bazant v. University of Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan Court of Appeal

MacDonald, Cameron and Vancise, JJ.A.

November 30, 1984.

Summary:

A university professor was denied tenure. On his appeal to the university tenure appeal committee the issue of the admissibility of certain evidence arose. The chairman of the committee consulted the university's counsel, who was not counsel for the university at the hearing, on the admissibility of the evidence. On his advice the chairman ruled the evidence inadmissible. The professor's appeal was dismissed.

The professor grieved from the dismissal of his appeal on the ground of the procedural impropriety of the chairman consulting counsel for the university. The arbitrator dismissed the grievance. The professor applied to quash the arbitrator's decision.

The Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench allowed the application, quashed the award and remitted the matter to a differently constituted tenure appeal committee. The court held that the committee breached its duty of fairness by consulting counsel for the university, which raised a reasonable apprehension of bias. The university appealed.

The Saskatchewan Court of Appeal allowed the appeal and restored the decision of the arbitrator. The Court of Appeal held that there was no failure of natural justice in the conduct of the hearing by the tenure appeal committee.

Vancise, J.A., dissenting in the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal, would have dismissed the appeal - See paragraphs 45 to 106.

Arbitration - Topic 7905

Judicial review - Jurisdiction of the courts - Consensual arbitrator - The Saskatchewan Court of Appeal referred to the proper scope of judicial review of a decision of a consensual arbitrator (see paragraphs 15 to 20).

Administrative Law - Topic 2002

Natural justice - Nature - The Saskatchewan Court of Appeal referred to a definition of natural justice (see paragraph 28).

Administrative Law - Topic 2081

Natural justice - Constitution of board or tribunal - The Saskatchewan Court of Appeal referred to the right to a disinterested or objective determination by a board or tribunal (see paragraphs 28 and 29).

Administrative Law - Topic 2087

Natural justice - Constitution of board or tribunal - Bias - The Saskatchewan Court of Appeal referred to a definition of reasonable apprehension of bias (see paragraphs 35 and 103).

Administrative Law - Topic 2088

Natural justice - Constitution of board or tribunal - Bias - Apprehension of bias, what constitutes - A University professor appealed to an appeal committee the refusal of the university to grant him tenure - During the hearing of the appeal the chairman of the appeal committee consulted counsel for the university (who was not acting for the university at the hearing) about the admissibility of certain evidence offered by the professor - The evidence was rejected - The Saskatchewan Court of Appeal held that there was no failure of natural justice in the circumstances (see paragraphs 36 and 37).

Administrative Law - Topic 2415

Natural justice - Procedure - Judicial review, decisions of domestic trials - The Saskatchewan Court of Appeal referred to the reluctance of the courts to interfere, on the grounds of procedural unfairness, with decisions of domestic tribunals (such as a faculty tenure committee) unless there has been a substantial miscarriage of justice (see paragraphs 38 to 42).

Arbitration - Topic 3585

The arbitrator - Powers, respecting remedies - A judge of the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal referred to the powers of an arbitrator respecting remedies (see paragraphs 70 to 72).

Cases Noticed:

FR Absalom Ltd. v. Great Western (London) Garden Village Society Ltd., [1933] A.C. 592, refd to. [paras. 15 and 66].

Faubert and Watts v. Temagami Mining Co., [1960] S.C.R. 235, refd to. [para. 15].

Volvo Canada Ltd. v. International Union United Automobile Aerospace and Agricultural Workers of America, Local 720 (1979), 99 D.L.R.(3d) 193; 27 N.R. 502 (S.C.C.), refd to. [paras. 15 and 65].

Shalansky v. Board of Governors of the Pasqua Hospital (1983), 22 Sask.R. 153; 47 N.R. 76; 145 D.L.R.(3d) 413 (S.C.C.), refd to. [paras. 15 and 62].

Bell Canada v. Office and Professional Employees' International Union Local 131, [1974] S.C.R. 335; 36 D.L.R.(3d) 561, refd to. [paras. 17 and 62].

Metropolitan Toronto Police Association et al. v. The Metropolitan Toronto Board of Commissioners of Police, [1975] 1 S.C.R. 630; 2 N.R. 95; 45 D.L.R.(3d) 548, refd to. [para. 17].

McLeod v. Egan, [1975] 1 S.C.R. 517, refd to. [paras. 20 and 66].

Bradburn v. Wentworth Arms Hotel, [1979] 1 S.C.R. 846; 24 N.R. 417, refd to. [paras. 20 and 67].

Re Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union et al. and Dominion Stores Ltd. (1982), 17 Sask.R. 22; 137 D.L.R.(3d) 524; [1982] 5 W.W.R. 245, refd to. [paras. 20 and 68].

Nicholson v. Haldimand-Norfolk Reg. Police Commissioners, [1979] 1 S.C.R. 311; 23 N.R. 410; 88 D.L.R.(3d) 671, refd to. [paras. 28 and 75].

Furnell v. Whangarei High Schools Board, [1973] A.C. 660, refd to. [para. 28].

Szilard v. Szasz, [1955] S.C.R. 3, refd to. [paras. 29 and 35].

Russell v. Duke of Norfolk, [1949] 1 All E.R. 109, refd to. [para. 30].

Minister of Natural Revenue v. Coopers and Lybrand, [1979] 1 S.C.R. 495; 24 N.R. 163, refd to. [para. 30].

Kane v. Board of Governors U.B.C., [1980] 1 S.C.R. 1105; 31 N.R. 214, refd to. [paras. 30 and 82].

A.G. Can. v. Inuit Tapirisat of Canada, [1980] 2 S.C.R. 735; 33 N.R. 304, refd to. [para. 30].

Elliott v. Governors of University of Alberta and Allen, [1973] 4 W.W.R. 195, refd to. [para. 38].

McWhirter v. Governors of the University of Alberta (1980), 18 A.R. 145; 103 D.L.R.(3d) 255 (Alta. C.A.), refd to. [paras. 40 and 83].

Paine v. University of Toronto (1982), 131 D.L.R.(3d) 325 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [paras. 40 and 83].

Harlekin v. University of Regina, [1979] 2 S.C.R. 561; 26 N.R. 364, refd to. [paras. 41 and 97].

Faubert and Watts v. Temagami Mining Co. Ltd. (1960), 22 D.L.R.(2d) 220; [1960] 2 S.C.R. 235, refd to. [para. 62].

Metropolitan Toronto Police Association et al. v. Metropolitan Board of Commissioners of Police, 42 N.R. 271; 134 D.L.R.(3d) 192 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 62].

Posluns v. Toronto Stock Exchange (1964), 46 D.L.R.(2d) 210, refd to. [para. 69].

Westcoast Transmission Company Limited v. Majestic Wiley Contractors Ltd., [1982] 6 W.W.R. 149, refd to. [para. 71].

Martineau v. Matsqui Institution Disciplinary Board (No. 2), [1980] 1 S.C.R. 602; 30 N.R. 119; 106 D.L.R.(3d) 385, refd to. [paras. 76 and 78].

Minister of National Revenue v. Coopers and Lybrand, 24 N.R. 163; [1979] 1 S.C.R. 495, refd to. [para. 76].

Ridge v. Baldwin, [1964] A.C. 40, refd to. [para. 79].

Selvaragan v. Race Relations Board, [1976] 1 All E.R. 13, refd to. [para. 80].

Russell v. Duke of Norfolk, [1949] 1 All E.R. 109, refd to. [para. 80].

Re Elliott and Governors of University of Alberta (1973), 37 D.L.R.(3d) 197 (Alta. S.C.T.D.), refd to. [para. 83].

Re Vanek and Governors of the University of Alberta (1975), 57 D.L.R.(3d) 595 (Alta. S.C.), refd to. [para. 83].

Zeller's (Western) Ltd. v. Retail, Wholesale and Dpt. Store Union, Local 955, et al. (1973), 40 D.L.R.(3d) 761, refd to. [para. 88].

Lee v. Showman Guild of Great Britain, [1952] 2 Q.B. 329, refd to. [para. 94].

Pollock v. Alberta Union of Public Employees (1978), 12 A.R. 398, refd to. [para. 94].

Kennedy v. Gillis (1961), 30 D.L.R.(2d) 82, refd to. [para. 94].

Hughes v. Seafarers' International Union of North America, Canadian District (1961), 31 D.L.R.(2d) 441, refd to. [para. 94].

Calvin v. Carr, [1980] A.C. 574, refd to. [para. 99].

Dime v. Blanche Junket Canal, [1853] 3 H.L.C. 759, refd to. [para. 103].

Committee for Justice and Liberty et al. v. National Energy Board (1976), 68 D.L.R.(3d) 716; 9 N.R. 115 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 103].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Pue, Natural Justice in Canada, p. 63 [para. 21].

Forbes, Robert E., Judicial Review of the Private Decision Maker: The Domestic Tribunal, Univ. of Western Ont. Law Rev. (1976), vol. 15, p. 123 [para. 31].

Mullan, Administrative Law (2nd Ed.), pp. 31-129 [para. 35].

Fridman, G.H.L., Commentary on Elliott v. Governors University of Alberta, Chitty's Law Journal, vol. 21, no. 6, p. 181 [para. 38].

Russell on Arbitration (18th Ed.), p. 186 [para. 70].

Counsel:

T. Wakeling, Q.C., for the appellant, University of Saskatchewan;

G.J.D. Taylor, Q.C., for the respondent.

This appeal was heard by MacDonald, Cameron and Vancise, JJ.A., of the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal.

The decision of the Court of Appeal was delivered on November 30, 1984, and the following opinions were filed:

Cameron, J.A. - see paragraphs 1 to 44.

Vancise, J.A., dissenting - see paragraphs 45 to 106.

MacDonald, J.A., concurred with Cameron, J.A.