Caspian Construction Inc. v. Drake Surveys Ltd., 2003 MBQB 86

• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba (Canada)
• Case Date: April 08, 2003
• Jurisdiction: Manitoba
• Citations: 2003 MBQB 86;(2003), 174 Man.R.(2d) 263 (QBM)

Caspian Constr. v. Drake Surveys (2003), 174 Man.R.(2d) 263 (QBM)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2003] Man.R.(2d) TBEd. MY.025

Caspian Construction Inc. (plaintiff) v. Drake Surveys Ltd. (defendant)

(CI 02-01-26984; 2003 MBQB 86)

Indexed As: Caspian Construction Inc. v. Drake Surveys Ltd.

Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench

Winnipeg Centre

Harrison, Master

April 8, 2003.

Summary:

The plaintiff sued the defendant in Manitoba. The defendant moved for an order declaring Alberta to be the forum conveniens.

A Master of the Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench dismissed the motion.

Conflict of Laws - Topic 7281

Contracts - Jurisdiction - General - The plaintiff, a general contractor, was registered and carried on business in Manitoba (although it had Alberta offices) - It sued the defendant in Manitoba, alleging negligent performance of a contract for surveying services - The defendant argued that Alberta was the forum conveniens - The services had been provided for an Alberta project - The defendant's business was in Alberta - Virtually all of its witnesses and documentary evidence were in Alberta - The majority of the plaintiff's evidence was in Manitoba - The plaintiff had previously commenced a similar action in Alberta, but undertook to discontinue it if the Manitoba action proceeded - A Master of the Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench held that there was a real and substantial connection with Manitoba (jurisdiction simpliciter) - There was a strong possibility that the contract was made in Manitoba and there was evidence that the parties might have chosen Manitoba to settle their disputes - The court was not satisfied that Alberta could adjudicate the dispute at any less inconvenience and expense than Manitoba - The plaintiff's right to choose a forum should be upheld.

Conflict of Laws - Topic 7284

Contracts - Jurisdiction - Forum conveniens - [See Conflict of Laws - Topic 7281 ].

Conflict of Laws - Topic 7286

Contracts - Jurisdiction - Choice of forum by parties - [See Conflict of Laws - Topic 7281 ].

Cases Noticed:

Incorporated Broadcasters Ltd. et al. v. CanWest Global Communications Corp. et al. (2003), 169 O.A.C. 1 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 6, Schedule A].

Craig Broadcast Systems Inc. v. Magid (Frank N.) Associates Inc. (1998), 123 Man.R.(2d) 252; 159 W.A.C. 252; 155 D.L.R.(4th) 356; [1998] 4 W.W.R. 17 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 18, Schedule A].

Amchem Products Inc. et al. v. Workers' Compensation Board (B.C.), [1993] 1 S.C.R. 897; 150 N.R. 321; 23 B.C.A.C. 1; 39 W.A.C. 1; 102 D.L.R.(4th) 96, refd to. [para. 20, Schedule A].

Tolofson v. Jensen and Tolofson, [1994] 3 S.C.R. 1022; 175 N.R. 161; 77 O.A.C. 81; 51 B.C.A.C. 241; 84 W.A.C. 241, refd to. [para. 20, Schedule A].

Antares Shipping Corp. v. Ship Capricorn et al., [1977] 2 S.C.R. 422; 7 N.R. 518; 65 D.L.R.(3d) 105, refd to. [para. 27].

Poulsen (Jan) & Co. v. Seaboard Shipping Co., [1995] 2 W.W.R. 633 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 30].

Hunt v. Lac d'Amiante du Québec Ltée et al., [1993] 4 S.C.R. 289; 161 N.R. 81; 37 B.C.A.C. 161; 60 W.A.C. 161, refd to. [para. 36, Schedule A].

Hunt v. T & N plc et al. - see Hunt v. Lac d'Amiante du Québec Ltée et al.

Muscutt et al. v. Courcelles et al. (2002), 160 O.A.C. 1; 213 D.L.R.(4th) 577 (C.A.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Sto. Domingo Estate v. Kenora (Town) (1996), 111 Man.R.(2d) 124 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule A].

DiPaolo Machine Works Ltd. v. Prestige Equipment Corp. (1996), 5 C.P.C.(4th) 175 (Ont. Gen. Div.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Saint John Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co. v. Kingsland Maritime Corp. et al. (1981), 126 D.L.R.(3d) 332 (F.C.A.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Reimer v. Alvarez et al. (1997), 132 Man.R.(2d) 161 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Vancouver Island Helicopters Ltd. v. Robertshaw Controls Co. (1980), 116 D.L.R.(3d) 716 (Ont. H.C.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Westminer Canada Holdings Ltd. et al. v. Coughlan et al. (1990), 41 O.A.C. 377; 75 O.R.(2d) 405 (Div. Ct.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Gotch v. Ramirez et al., [2000] O.T.C. 301; 48 O.R.(3d) 515 (Sup. Ct.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Aikmac Holdings Ltd. v. Loewen, [1989] 6 W.W.R. 759; 66 Man.R.(2d) 295; 42 C.P.C.(2d) 139 (C.A.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Burt et al. v. Clarkson Gordon Inc. et al., [1989] 6 W.W.R. 753; 60 Man.R.(2d) 149; 62 D.L.R.(4th) 676 (C.A.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Progressive Holdings Inc. v. Crown Life Insurance Co. et al., [2000] 9 W.W.R. 79; 147 Man.R.(2d) 175 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Direct Energy Marketing Ltd. v. Hillson (1999), 247 A.R. 48; 72 Alta. L.R.(3d) 140; 34 C.P.C.(4th) 200 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Imperial Agencies Ltd. v. Regal Confections Inc. (1995), 102 Man.R.(2d) 74; 93 W.A.C. 74 (C.A.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Toronto-Dominion Bank v. Hudye Soil Services Inc. et al., [2000] 9 W.W.R. 272; 149 Man.R.(2d) 56 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Castel, J.G., Canadian Conflict of Laws (4th Ed. 1997), p. 257 [para. 29].

Dicey A.V., and Morris, J.H.C., The Conflict of Laws (11th Ed.), p. 105 [para. 20].

Perell, Paul M., A Litigator's New Primer on Conflict of Laws (1995), 17 Adv. Q. 300, generally [para. 37].

Counsel:

Timothy J. Fry, for the plaintiff;

Rinus De Waal, for the defendant.

This motion was heard by Master Harrison of the Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench, Winnipeg Centre, who delivered the following decision on April 8, 2003.