Colledge v. Niagara Regional Police Commission, (1983) 1 O.A.C. 23 (CA)

• Judge: Arnup, Weatherston and Morden, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (Ontario)
• Case Date: October 12, 1983
• Jurisdiction: Ontario
• Citations: (1983), 1 O.A.C. 23 (CA)

Colledge v. Police Comm. (1983), 1 O.A.C. 23 (CA)

MLB headnote and full text

Colledge v. Niagara Regional Police Commission

Indexed As: Colledge v. Niagara Regional Police Commission

Ontario Court of Appeal

Arnup, Weatherston and Morden, JJ.A.

December 14, 1983.

Summary:

Three charges of discreditable conduct contrary to Regulations under the Police Act were laid against a police officer. Disciplinary proceedings were commenced against the officer under the Act. The officer applied to quash two of the charges on the ground that they were not brought within six months of the commission of the alleged offences and therefore barred by the limitation period in s. 11 of the Public Authorities Protection Act. The judge allowed the application and dismissed the charges. The Police Commission applied to quash the judge's decision.

The Ontario Divisional Court, in a decision reported in 40 O.R.(2d) 340, allowed the application. The constable appealed.

The Ontario Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal.

Crown - Topic 1601

Torts by and against Crown - Actions against Crown - Public authority protection legislation - General - The Ontario Court of Appeal held that the Public Authorities Protection Act, R.S.O. 1980, c. 406, applied to protect public authorities and officers from actions brought against them in civil proceedings by members of the public for alleged wrongful acts or default by the officer in the performance of a public duty - See paragraph 48.

Crown - Topic 1604

Torts by and against Crown - Actions against Crown - Public authority protection legislation - Persons protected - The Ontario Court of Appeal discussed who was protected by the Public Authorities Protection Act, R.S.O. 1980, c. 406 - The court stated that the issue depended on what the person or public authority was doing at the time of the act or omission in question and whether he did it pursuant to a public or statutory duty - See paragraphs 50 to 59.

Limitation of Actions - Topic 7584

Actions against the Crown - Applicability of limitation period - Exercise of statutory or other public duty - The Ontario Court of Appeal held that s. 11 of the Public Authorities Protection Act, which prescribed a six month limitation period for bringing any "action, prosecution or other proceeding" against a public official, did not apply to bar internal disciplinary proceedings against a police officer pursuant to the Police Act and Regulations - See paragraphs 46 to 49.

Police - Topic 4063

Internal organization - Discipline of members - Limitation period - Section 11 of the Public Authorities Protection Act, R.S.O. 1980, c. 406, prescribed a six month limitation period for bringing any "action, prosecution or other proceeding" against a public official - The Ontario Court of Appeal held that s. 11 did not apply to bar internal disciplinary proceedings against a police officer pursuant to the Police Act and Regulations - See paragraphs 46 to 49.

Statutes - Topic 1450

Interpretation - Construction where meaning is not plain - Aids or methods to determine meaning - Legislative history - References to prior versions or amendments - The Ontario Court of Appeal when considering the application of s. 11 of the Public Authorities Protection Act, R.S.O. 1980, c. 406, reviewed the legislative history of the Act - See paragraphs 9 to 17; 61 to 72.

Statutes - Topic 1703

Interpretation - Extrinsic aids - Books and comment - Dictionaries - The Ontario Court of Appeal referred to several dictionaries to determine the meaning of words in the phrase "action, prosecution or other proceeding" in s. 11(1) of the Public Authorities Protection Act, R.S.O. 1980, c. 406 - See paragraphs 29, 33.

Words and Phrases

Action, prosecution or other proceeding - The Ontario Court of Appeal discussed the meaning of the phrase "action, prosecution or other proceeding" as found in s. 11(1) of the Public Authorities Protection Act, R.S.O. 1980, c. 406 - See paragraphs 26, 32, 48 to 49.

Words and Phrases

Any statutory or other public duty - The Ontario Court of Appeal discussed the meaning of the phrase "any statutory or other public duty" as found in s. 11(1) of the Public Authorities Protection Act, R.S.O. 1980, c. 406 - See paragraphs 50 to 56.

Cases Noticed:

Fenn et al. v. City of Peterborough et al. (1979), 25 O.R.(2d) 399, refd to. [paras. 10 and 71].

Davies v. Traders Finance Corp., [1959] O.W.N. 99; 18 D.L.R.(2d) 48, refd to. [paras. 11 and 72].

Berardinelli v. Ontario Housing Corporation et al., [1979] 1 S.C.R. 275; 23 N.R. 298; 90 D.L.R.(3d) 481, refd to. [paras. 12 and 38].

Kuuisto v. City of Port Arthur et al. (1916), 37 O.L.R. 146, refd to. [para. 20].

Harrop v. Ossett Corporation, [1898] 1 Ch. 525, consd. [para. 21].

Roberts v. Metropolitan Borough of Battersea (1914), 110 L.T. 566, consd. [para. 22].

Roberts v. Metropolitan Borough of Battersea, [1914] 1 K.B. 369, refd to. [para. 22].

Rex v. Hertford Union; Ex parte Pollard (1914), 111 L.T. 716, consd. [para. 23].

R. v. Port of London Authority; Ex parte Kynoch, Limited, [1919] 1 K.B. 176 (C.A.), consd. [para. 24].

R. v. Marshland Smeeth and Fen District Commissioners, [1920] 1 K.B. 155, consd. [para. 25].

Rex v. London County Council; Ex parte Swan and Edgar (1927) Limited (1929), 141 L.T. 590, consd. [para. 25].

Hume v. Druyff (1873), L.R. 8 Ex. 214, refd to. [para. 29].

Taylor v. Mackintosh, [1924] 3 D.L.R. 926 (B.C.C.A.), refd to. [para. 29].

Regina v. Adair; Ex parte Penney, [1971] 2 O.R. 399, not folld. [para. 34].

Re Beauchamp and Town of Espanola et al. (1981), 32 O.R.(2d) 482; 122 D.L.R.(3d) 149, affd. 128 D.L.R.(3d) 766, consd. [para. 36].

Re Stephen J. Elliott, 7 W.C.B. 242, consd. [para. 43].

Re Metropolitan Toronto Board of Commissioners of Police et al. and Ontario Human Rights Commission et al. (1979), 27 O.R.(2d) 48, consd. [para. 44].

Bradford Corporation v. Myers, [1916] 1 A.C. 242, refd to. [para. 52].

McGonegal et al. v. Gray, [1952] 2 S.C.R. 274, refd to. [para. 53].

Berardinelli v. Ontario Housing Corporation et al. (1977), 15 O.R.(2d) 217 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [para. 54].

Moffatt et al. v. Dufferin County Board of Education et al., [1973] 1 O.R. 351; 31 D.L.R.(3d) 143, refd to. [para. 54].

Ontario Industrial Loan Co. v. Lindsey (1883), 3 O.R. 66, refd to. [para. 64].

Statutes Noticed:

Public Authorities Protection Act, R.S.O. 1980, c. 406, sect. 11(1) [paras. 9, 27, 32 to 33, 47, 49, 51, 72]; sect. 11(2) [para. 30]; sect. 12 [paras. 27 to 28].

Public Authorities Protection Act 1893 (Imp.), 56 and 57 Vict., c. 61 [paras. 12, 19, 52 to 53] sect. 1 [paras. 12, 55]; sect. 2 [para. 12].

Limitation Act 1939 (Imp.), 2-3 Geo. 6, c. 21, sect. 21 [para. 17].

Law Reform (Limitation of Actions etc.) Act 1954 (Imp.), 2 & 3 Eliz. II, c. 36, sect. 1, sect. 8(3) [para. 17].

Magistrates and others in the Performance of Public Duties, an Act to Amend and Consolidate the Laws affording Protection to, 1851, 14-15 Vict., c. 54 [paras. 13, 61].

Justices of the Peace in Upper Canada, an Act to Protect, from Vexatious Actions 1853, 16 Vict., c. 180, sect. 1, sect. 7 [para. 62]; sect. 15, sect. 16 [paras. 63 to 64].

Justices of the Peace and Other Officers, an Act to Protect, from Vexatious Actions 1859, c. 126, sect. 1, sect. 9, sect. 20 [para. 64].

Justices of the Peace and Other Officers, an Act to Protect, from Vexatious Actions, R.S.O. 1877, c. 73, sect. 20 [para. 65].

Justices of the Peace and Other Officers, an Act to Protect, from Vexatious Actions, R.S.O. 1887, c. 73, sect. 1(2) [para. 65]; sect. 24 [para. 66].

Public Authorities Protection Act 1911 (Ont.), 1 Geo. 5, c. 22, sect. 13 [paras. 15, 30, 55, 67 to 68]; sect. 14 [paras. 27 to 28].

Public Authorities Protection Act, an Act to Consolidate and Amend the, S.O, 1926, c. 30, sect. 12 [paras. 69 to 70].

Public Authorities Protection Act, an Act to Amend the, S.O. 1976, c. 19, sect. 1(1) [paras. 10, 72]; sect. 1(2) [para. 31]; sect. 2 [para. 10].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Halsbury's Laws of England (4th Ed.), vol. 44, para. 812 [para. 12].

Halsbury's Laws of England (3rd Ed.), vol. 25, p. 944 [para. 17].

Chartres, John, The Public Authorities Protection Act of 1893, 1912, pp. 117-118; 118-119 [para. 21]; 142 [para. 71].

Murray's New English Dictionary, vol. 7 [para. 29].

Shorter Oxford Dictionary [para. 29].

Webster's New World Dictionary (2d College Ed.) [para. 29].

Stroud's Judicial Dictionary (4th Ed.).

Counsel:

R.N. Brady, for the applicant, appellant;

A.M. Gans, for the Niagara Regional Police Commission, respondent;

S.M. Grant, for the Police Association of Ontario, intervener;

W. Michael Temple, Q.C., for the Ontario Provincial Police Association, intervener;

J. Brian Johnston, Q.C., for the Attorney General of Ontario.

This appeal was heard before Arnup, Weatherston and Morden, JJ.A., of the Ontario Court of Appeal, on October 12, 1983. The decision of the Court of Appeal was delivered by Arnup, J.A., on December 14, 1983.