Big John Holdings Ltd. v. Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission (P.E.I.), (1993) 111 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 297 (PEITD)

• Judge: Jenkins, J.
• Case Date: June 21, 1993
• Jurisdiction: Prince Edward Island
• Citations: (1993), 111 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 297 (PEITD)

Big John v. IRAC (1993), 111 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 297 (PEITD);

    348 A.P.R. 297

MLB headnote and full text

Big John Holdings Ltd. (applicant) v. The Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission (respondent)

(GSC-12330)

Indexed As: Big John Holdings Ltd. v. Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission (P.E.I.)

Prince Edward Island Supreme Court

Trial Division

Jenkins, J.

September 15, 1993.

Summary:

Big John Holdings Ltd. applied for judicial review of an interim order of the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission.

The Prince Edward Island Supreme Court, Trial Division, dismissed the application.

Administrative Law - Topic 3303

Judicial review - Bars - Appeal available - The Island Regulatory and Appeals Com­mis­sion issued an interim order while investi­gating alleged violations of the motor carrier regulatory scheme by Big John Holdings Ltd. - Big John applied for judicial review of the interim order, alleg­ing an excess of jurisdiction and a breach of natural justice - The Prince Edward Island Supreme Court, Trial Division, dis­missed the application - The court held that Big John Holdings had a statutory right of appeal under the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission Act and that statu­tory right did not exclude the jurisdic­tion of the court to carry out a judicial review - However, in this case, there were no special circumstances to cause the court to exercise its discretion to proceed with the judicial review.

Administrative Law - Topic 3303

Judicial review - Bars - Appeal available - The Prince Edward Island Supreme Court, Trial Division, held that the statu­tory right of appeal in s. 13(1) of the Island Regula­tory and Appeals Commis­sion Act, did not abrogate the right of the court to hear an application for judicial review - The court stated "... there is common law jurisdiction of this court to conduct judicial review and issue preroga­tive writs. That jurisdiction continues to exist notwithstanding the provisions of the Judicial Review Act and the Island Regu­latory and Appeals Com­mission Act ...".

Carriers - Topic 1702

Licensing - Statutory appeals - Existence of statutory appeal - Effect on judicial review application - [See first Adminis­trative Law - Topic 3303 ].

Cases Noticed:

Medical Association (Ont.) et al. v. Miller et al. (1976), 14 O.R.(2d) 468; 2 C.P.C. 125 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 13].

Hendrickson v. Kallio, [1932] 4 D.L.R. 580 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [para. 13].

Kolbrich et al. v. Ontario (Minister of Housing) (1978), 20 O.R.(2d) 85 (Div. Ct.), refd to. [para. 13].

Hackett, Ex Parte (1882), 21 N.B.R. 513 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 14].

National Farmers Union v. Potato Market­ing Council (P.E.I.) (1989), 74 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 64; 231 A.P.R. 64 (P.E.I.T.D.), refd to. [para. 20].

United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, Local 1388 v. Cana­dian Paperworkers Union, Local 167 (1990), 81 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 40; 225 A.P.R. 40 (P.E.I.T.D.), refd to. [para. 20].

Maritime-Ontario Freight Lines Ltd. v. Bourque (E.J.) Transport Ltd. et al. (1987), 81 N.B.R.(2d) 94; 205 A.P.R. 94 (C.A.), not folld. [para. 21].

IPX International Ltd. v. Workers' Com­pensation Board (B.C.) (1988), 25 B.C.L.R.(2d) 273 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 21].

Service Employees' International Union, Local 333 v. Nipawin District Staff Nurses' Association et al., [1975] 1 S.C.R. 382; 41 D.L.R.(3d) 6, refd to. [para. 22].

McLaine (Eric D.) Construction Ltd. v. Southport (Community) (1990), 82 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 158; 257 A.P.R. 158 (P.E.I.T.D.), refd to. [para. 23].

Sterzik and Calgary Police Association v. Beattie, Calgary Chief Constable and Calgary Police Service (1985), 62 A.R. 390; 39 Alta. L.R.(2d) 375 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 25].

Woodglen & Co. v. North York (City) et al. (1983), 149 D.L.R.(3d) 186 (Div. Ct.), refd to. [para. 27].

Statutes Noticed:

Island Regulatory and Appeals Commis­sion Act, R.S.P.E.I. 1990, c. I-11, sect. 13(1) [para. 7]; sect. 13(2) [para. 26]; sect. 13(4) [para. 30].

Judicial Review Act, R.S.P.E.I. 1990, c. J-3, sect. 4(2) [para. 17].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Black's Law Dictionary [para. 10].

Garner, Administrative Law (7th Ed. 1989), pp. 108 [para. 14]; 228 [para. 20].

Jones, David Phillip and de Villars, A.S., Principles of Administrative Law (1985), p. 9 [para. 19].

Counsel:

John L. MacDougall, Q.C., for the appli­cant;

M. Lynn Murray, for the respondent.

This application was heard on June 21, 1993, before Jenkins, J., of the Prince Edward Island Supreme Court, Trial Divi­sion, who delivered the following judgment on September 15, 1993.