Boudreault Estate, Re, (2001) 290 A.R. 116 (SurCt)

• Judge: Wilson, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta (Canada)
• Case Date: October 30, 2000
• Citations: (2001), 290 A.R. 116 (SurCt);2001 ABQB 196

Boudreault Estate, Re (2001), 290 A.R. 116 (SurCt)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2001] A.R. TBEd. MR.100

Joseph H. Boudreault Estate and Alphonse Levasseur (personal representative)

(Action No. ES14-00609; 2001 ABQB 196)

Indexed As: Boudreault Estate, Re

Alberta Surrogate Court

Judicial District of St. Paul

Wilson, J.

March 15, 2001.

Summary:

A clause in the testator's will directed the executor to distribute the residue of the testator's estate to "my nieces YOLANDE, JEANNINE, and Pauline and Alphonse Levasseur's 4 children - to share and share alike". An application was brought to interpret this clause. An issue was whether the clause divided the residue into sevenths (per capita) or into fourths (per stirpes).

The Alberta Surrogate Court advised that the clause provided for a division of the residue into seven equal shares (per capita distribution).

Wills - Topic 5201

Construction - General - Practice - General - The Alberta Surrogate Court stated that "In my opinion, it is improper to bring an application for interpretation of a will, or for advice or directions with respect to it, until it has been probated. The matter might otherwise be moot." - See paragraph 1.

Wills - Topic 7380

Construction - Quantity of interest taken - Concurrent gifts - When donees take per stirpes - General - A clause in the testator's will directed the executor to distribute the residue of the testator's estate to "my nieces YOLANDE, JEANNINE, and Pauline and Alphonse Levasseur's 4 children - to share and share alike" - An issue in this application was whether the clause divided the residue into sevenths (per capita) or into fourths (per stirpes) - The Alberta Surrogate Court held that, given the presence of the phrase "share and share alike" coupled with the rule that, prima facie, "to A and the children of B" was an indication of a per capita distribution, the testator's intention was one of a per capita distribution - The court directed that the residue be divided into seven equal shares.

Wills - Topic 7388

Construction - Quantity of interest taken - Concurrent gifts - When donees take per capita - General - [See Wills - Topic 7380 ].

Wills - Topic 7685

Construction - Quantity of interest taken - Residue - Determination of interest or share of residuary legatees - [See Wills - Topic 7380 ].

Wills - Topic 7686

Construction - Quantity of interest taken - Residue - Determination of interest or share of one of several residuary legatees -[See Wills - Topic 7380 ].

Wills - Topic 7813

Construction - Quantity of interest taken - Interpretation of particular words and phrases - "Share and share alike" - [See Wills - Topic 7380 ].

Cases Noticed:

Lindblom Estate, Re (1999), 252 A.R. 17; 76 Alta. L.R.(3d) 135 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 18].

Seton, Re, [1972] O.J. No. 617 (H.C.), refd to. [para. 19].

Parish, Re, [1964] 1 O.R. 353 (H.C.), refd to. [para. 19].

Hall, Re; Parker v. Knight, [1948] Ch. 437, refd to. [para. 19].

McKinnon, Re (1965), 55 D.L.R.(2d) 20 (Ont. H.C.), refd to. [para. 19].

Haidl et al. v. Sacher et al. (1979), 2 Sask.R. 93; 106 D.L.R.(3d) 360 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 19].

Birkett, Re; Holland v. Duncan et al., [1950] Ch. 330, refd to. [para. 19].

Harper, Re, [1914] 1 Ch. 70, refd to. [para. 19].

Ianson, Re (1907), 14 O.L.R. 82 (H.C.), refd to. [para. 19].

McNeil Estate, Re (1959), 43 M.P.R. 357 (Nfld. S.C.), refd to. [para. 19].

Houghton v. Bell (1892), 23 S.C.R. 498, refd to. [para. 19].

Daniel, Re, [1945] 2 All E.R. 101 (Ch. D.), refd to. [para. 19].

Jeffrey, Re; Welch v. Jeffrey et al., [1948] 2 All E.R. 131 (Ch. D.), refd to. [para. 19].

Lady Lincoln v. Pelham, [1826] 10 Ves. Jun. 166 (Ch. D.), refd to. [para. 19].

Hare, Re (1958), 16 D.L.R.(2d) 775 (Ont. H.C.), refd to. [para. 19].

Kingsbury v. Walter, [1901] A.C. 187 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 20].

Cotter, Re (1915), 24 D.L.R. 289 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [para. 20].

Heather, Re (1958), 13 D.L.R.(2d) 587 (Ont. H.C.), refd to. [para. 20].

Jeeves, In Re; Morris-Williams v. Haylett, [1949] Ch. 49 [para. 20].

Plasden Estate, Re (1990), 84 Sask.R. 35 (Surr. Ct.), refd to. [para. 21].

Dixon, In Re; Byram v. Tull, [1899] 42 Ch. 306 [para. 21].

Peacock v. Stockford (1853), 3 De. G.M. & G. 73 (Ch. D.), refd to. [para. 21].

Davies' Will, In Re (1860), 29 Beav. 93 (Rolls Ct.), refd to. [para. 21].

Dale, Re; Mayer v. Wood, [1931] 1 Ch. 357, refd to. [para. 21].

Hutchinson v. LaFortune (1898), 28 O.R. 329 (Div. Ct.), refd to. [para. 22].

Walbran, In Re; Milner v. Walbran, [1906] 1 Ch. 64, refd to. [para. 22].

McKeown Estate, Re, [1942] 2 W.W.R. 182 (Man. Q.B.), refd to. [para. 22].

Puley, In Re (1915), 8 O.W.N. 43 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 22].

Davies, Re (1913), 10 D.L.R. 164 (Ont. S.C.), refd to. [para. 22].

Cossentine, Re, [1933] 1 Ch. 119, refd to. [para. 22].

Alcock, Re, [1945] Ch. 264, refd to. [para. 22].

Robinson, Re, [1949] O.W.N. 421 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 22].

Rogers, Re, [1937] 2 D.L.R. 79 (Man. K.B.), refd to. [para. 22].

Abrey v. Newman (1853), 16 Beav. 431 (Rolls Ct.), refd to. [para. 22].

Butler v. Stratton (1791), 3 Bro. C.C. 367 (Ch. D.), refd to. [para. 26].

Dowding v. Smith, [1891] 3 Beav. 541 (Rolls Ct.), refd to. [para. 26].

Campbell's Trusts, In Re (1886), 31 Ch. D. 685, affd. 33 Ch. D. 98 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 28].

Mason v. Baker, [1856] 2 K. & J. 567 (V.C. Ct.), refd to. [para. 28].

Blacker v. Webb, [1726] 2 P. Wms. 383 (Ch. D.), refd to. [para. 28].

Coatsworth v. Carson (1894), 25 O.R. 591 (Ch. D.), refd to. [para. 28].

Ferguson Re; Bennett v. Coatsworth - see Coatsworth v. Carson.

Baker v. Stone, [1895] 2 Ch. 196 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 29].

Prosser, In Re, [1929] W.N. 85 (Ch. D.), refd to. [para. 31].

Hawes v. Hawes (1880), 14 Ch. D. 614, refd to. [para. 31].

Lugar v. Harman (1786), 1 Cox. 250 (Rolls Ct.), refd to. [para. 31].

Canada Permanent Trust Co. v. Shave et al. (1958), 25 W.W.R.(N.S.) 638 (Sask. Q.B.), refd to. [para. 32].

Wicker v. Mitford, [1782] 3 Brown 442 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 33].

Lindblom Estate, Re, [1999] A.R. Uned. 385 (Surr. Ct.), refd to. [para. 33].

Kelley, Re, [1941] O.W.N. 455 (H.C.), refd to. [para. 33].

Booth v. Vicars (1844), 1 Collyer 6 (V.C. Ct.), refd to. [para. 33].

Harmer, Re (1963), 40 D.L.R.(2d) 825 (Ont. H.C.), affd. (1964), 42 D.L.R.(2d) 321 (Ont. C.A.), affd. [1965] S.C.R. 24; 46 D.L.R.(2d) 521, refd to. [para. 36].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Feeney, Thomas G., The Canadian Law of Wills (3rd Ed. 1987), vol. 2, pp. 13, 108 [para. 18].

Counsel:

Michael S. Hall, for the personal representative, Alphonse Levasseur;

Cheryl A. Schlecker, for Yolande Bourdon and Jeannine Cartier;

Kristian A. Eggum, for Pauline Boudreault;

Scott A. Polischuk, for Donna Mae Reaburn;

Paulette Boudreault-Gilbert, appeared on her own behalf.

This application was heard on October 30, 2000, before Wilson, J., of the Alberta Surrogate Court, Judicial District of St. Paul, who delivered the following judgment on March 15, 2001.