Dabbs v. Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada, (1998) 113 O.A.C. 307 (CA)
Judge | Laskin, Charron and O'Connor, JJ.A. |
Court | Court of Appeal (Ontario) |
Case Date | August 26, 1998 |
Jurisdiction | Ontario |
Citations | (1998), 113 O.A.C. 307 (CA);1998 CanLII 7165 (NS CA);1998 CanLII 7165 (ON CA);41 OR (3d) 97;165 DLR (4th) 482;7 CCLI (3d) 38;[1998] OJ No 3622 (QL);113 OAC 307;27 CPC (4th) 243;82 ACWS (3d) 638 |
Dabbs v. Sun Life (1998), 113 O.A.C. 307 (CA)
MLB headnote and full text
Temp. Cite: [1998] O.A.C. TBEd. SE.022
Paul Dabbs (plaintiff/respondent/moving party) v. Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada (defendant/respondent) and Jack Maclean (class member/appellant)
(C30326; M22971; M23028)
Indexed As: Dabbs v. Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada
Ontario Court of Appeal
Laskin, Charron and O'Connor, JJ.A.
September 14, 1998.
Summary:
Dabbs, as representative plaintiff, brought a class action on behalf of 400,000 policy holders who purchased vanishing premium policies from Sun Life.
The Ontario Court (General Division), in a decision reported [1998] O.T.C. Uned. 269, certified the action as a class proceeding and approved a settlement agreement. Maclean, a class member, sought leave to appeal the decision. Dabbs moved to quash the appeal.
The Ontario Court of Appeal dismissed Maclean's motion, allowed Dabb's motion and quashed the appeal.
Editor's note: for related proceedings in this matter see 50 O.T.C. 396; 48 O.T.C. 391; 44 O.T.C. 351 and 38 O.T.C. 98.
Practice - Topic 209.9
Persons who can sue and be sued - Individuals and corporations - Status or standing - Class actions - Appeals - Maclean, a class member, appealed a decision certifying the class action and approving a settlement agreement - The representative plaintiff sought to quash the appeal, asserting that Maclean lacked standing to appeal because he was not a party - The Ontario Court of Appeal quashed the appeal - Only parties had a right to appeal under s. 30(3) of the Class Proceedings Act - Furthermore, Maclean had not sought leave to act as a representative party under s. 30(5) - Finally, the court rejected Maclean's assertion that a right of appeal existed under s. 6(1)(b) of the Courts of Justice Act since the decision was a final order - Section 30(3) of the Class Proceedings Act took precedence over s. 6(1)(b) of the Courts of Justice Act.
Practice - Topic 209.9
Persons who can sue and be sued - Individuals and corporations - Status or standing - Class actions - Appeals - A representative plaintiff brought a class action on behalf of 400,000 class members - The trial judge certified the class action and approved a settlement - Maclean, a class member, sought leave to act as a representative party in order to appeal the decision (Class Proceedings Act, s. 30(5)) - The Ontario Court of Appeal denied leave - There was no evidence that Maclean would adequately represent the interests of the class by appealing the decision - Courts in three jurisdictions had approved the settlement - Maclean was the only class member who sought to set it aside - A class member's wishes ought not to govern the interests of the entire class - Finally, Maclean could always opt out of the class and pursue his claim in his personal capacity - See paragraphs 18 to 20.
Practice - Topic 8841
Appeals - Bar of right of appeal - General - [See first Practice - Topic 209.9 ].
Practice - Topic 8893
Appeals - Parties - Standing to appeal - [See both Practice - Topic 209.9 ].
Practice - Topic 8984
Appeals - When appeal available - From final judgment or order - [See first Practice - Topic 209.9 ].
Cases Noticed:
Abdool v. Anaheim Management Ltd. (1995), 78 O.A.C. 377; 21 O.R.(3d) 453 (Div. Ct.), refd to. [para. 6].
792266 Ontario Ltd. v. Monarch Trust Co. (Liquidation) (1996), 94 O.A.C. 384 (C.A.), agreed with [para. 14].
O'Donohue v. Silva et al. (1995), 87 O.A.C. 161; 27 O.R.(3d) 162 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 16].
Statutes Noticed:
Class Proceedings Act, S.O. 1992, c. 6, sect. 30(3) [para. 9]; sect. 30(5) [para. 10].
Court of Justice Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C-4, sect. 6(1)(b) [para. 12].
Authors and Works Noticed:
Côté, Pierre-André, Construction of Statutes (2nd Ed., 1983), p. 301 [para. 13, footnote 5].
Driedger, Elmer, Construction of Statutes (2nd Ed. 1983), p. 227 [para. 13, footnote 4].
Counsel:
Michael S. Deverett, for the appellant;
H. Lorne Morphy, Q.C., and Patricia D.S. Jackson, for the respondent, Sun Life;
Michael A. Eizenga and Michael J. Peerless, for the plaintiff/respondent.
These motions were heard on August 26, 1998, by Laskin, Charron and O'Connor, JJ.A., of the Ontario Court of Appeal. On September 14, 1998, O'Connor, J.A., delivered the following decision for the Court of Appeal.
To continue reading
Request your trial-
Court Of Appeal Summaries (February 14-18, 2022)
...Corporation, 2019 ONCA 822, Fontaine v. Duboff Edwards Haight & Schachter, 2012 ONCA 471, Dabbs v. Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada (1998), 41 O.R. (3d) 97 (C.A.), Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. v. Froese, 2013 ONCA 131, Fontaine v. Canada (Attorney General), 2012 ONCA 206, Byers (Litigatio......
-
Court Of Appeal Summaries (February 14-18, 2022)
...Corporation, 2019 ONCA 822, Fontaine v. Duboff Edwards Haight & Schachter, 2012 ONCA 471, Dabbs v. Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada (1998), 41 O.R. (3d) 97 (C.A.), Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. v. Froese, 2013 ONCA 131, Fontaine v. Canada (Attorney General), 2012 ONCA 206, Byers (Litigatio......
-
An Old Snail in a New Bottle? Waiver of Tort as An Independent Cause of Action
...See also In re Cendant Corp. Sec. Litig., 404 F. 3rd 173 at 187 (3d Cir. 2005). 47 Dabbs v. Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada (1998), 41 O.R. (3d) 97 (C.A.), leave to appeal to S.C.C. dismissed, [1998] S.C.C.A. No. 372 [Dabbs C.A.]. 48 Section 9 of the Class Proceedings Act , 1992, S.O. ......
-
Twenty Years Later: What Are the Risks Faced By Plaintiffs’ Counsel, and How Have These Risks Changed?
...citing the Court of Appeal’s decision in the case and the Supreme Court’s denial of leave: Dabbs v Sun Life Assurance Co of Canada (1998) 41 OR (3d) 97 (CA), leave to appeal to SCC refused, [1998] SCCA No 372. However, that decision was about whether an objector (the sole one in a class of ......
-
L.C. v. Grenville Christian College et al., 2013 ONCA 139
...(Attorney General) (2013), 300 O.A.C. 290; 2013 ONCA 18, refd to. [para. 21, footnote 3]. Dabbs v. Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada (1998), 113 O.A.C. 307; 41 O.R.(3d) 97 (C.A.), dist. [para. Locking v. Armtec Infrastructure Inc. - see Simmonds et al. v. Armtec Infrastructure Inc. et al. Si......
-
Niagara Falls (City) v. Lundy's Lane Portfolio Inc., (2010) 271 O.A.C. 198 (DC)
...to. [para. 26]. Maclean v. Dabbs et al. - see Dabbs v. Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada. Dabbs v. Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada (1998), 113 O.A.C. 307; 165 D.L.R.(4th) 482 (C.A.), consd. [para. Kourtessis et al. v. Minister of National Revenue et al., [1993] 2 S.C.R. 53; 153 N.R. 1; 27 B......
-
Ford et al. v. Hoffmann-La Roche (F.) Ltd. et al., [2005] O.T.C. 207 (SC)
...refd to. [para. 44]. Dabbs v. Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada, [1998] O.T.C. Uned. 269 ; 40 O.R.(3d) 429 (Gen. Div.), affd. (1998), 113 O.A.C. 307; 41 O.R.(3d) 97 (C.A.), leave to appeal refused (1998), 235 N.R. 390 ; 118 O.A.C. 399 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. Amoco Canada Petroleum ......
-
Simmonds et al. v. Armtec Infrastructure Inc. et al., 2012 ONCA 774
...ONSC 292, affd. (2012), 287 O.A.C. 148; 109 O.R.(3d) 498; 2012 ONCA 47, refd to. [para. 5]. Dabbs v. Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada (1998), 113 O.A.C. 307; 41 O.R.(3d) 97 (C.A.), leave to appeal refused (1998), 235 N.R. 390; 118 O.A.C. 399 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 7]. Hendrickson v. Kall......
-
Court Of Appeal Summaries (February 14-18, 2022)
...Corporation, 2019 ONCA 822, Fontaine v. Duboff Edwards Haight & Schachter, 2012 ONCA 471, Dabbs v. Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada (1998), 41 O.R. (3d) 97 (C.A.), Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. v. Froese, 2013 ONCA 131, Fontaine v. Canada (Attorney General), 2012 ONCA 206, Byers (Litigatio......
-
Court Of Appeal Summaries (February 14-18, 2022)
...Corporation, 2019 ONCA 822, Fontaine v. Duboff Edwards Haight & Schachter, 2012 ONCA 471, Dabbs v. Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada (1998), 41 O.R. (3d) 97 (C.A.), Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. v. Froese, 2013 ONCA 131, Fontaine v. Canada (Attorney General), 2012 ONCA 206, Byers (Litigatio......
-
Ontario's Court Of Appeal Clarifies Class Member's Appeal Rights Post Settlement Approval
...and Technology v. Hitachi, Ltd., 2022 ONCA 144 [Fanshawe]. 2.Fanshawe at para 17. 3.Fanshawe at para 17. 4.Fanshawe at para 18. 5. (1998), 41 O.R. (3d) 97 (C.A.) 6. 2019 ONCA 822 [Bancroft]. 7.Fanshawe at para 20. 8. Fanshawe at para 23. 9.Fanshawe at paras 25-26. 10.Fanshawe at para 31. Th......
-
Ontario's Court Of Appeal Clarifies Class Member's Appeal Rights Post Settlement Approval
...and Technology v. Hitachi, Ltd., 2022 ONCA 144 [Fanshawe]. 2.Fanshawe at para 17. 3.Fanshawe at para 17. 4.Fanshawe at para 18. 5. (1998), 41 O.R. (3d) 97 (C.A.) 6. 2019 ONCA 822 [Bancroft]. 7.Fanshawe at para 20. 8. Fanshawe at para 23. 9.Fanshawe at paras 25-26. 10.Fanshawe at para 31. Th......
-
An Old Snail in a New Bottle? Waiver of Tort as An Independent Cause of Action
...See also In re Cendant Corp. Sec. Litig., 404 F. 3rd 173 at 187 (3d Cir. 2005). 47 Dabbs v. Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada (1998), 41 O.R. (3d) 97 (C.A.), leave to appeal to S.C.C. dismissed, [1998] S.C.C.A. No. 372 [Dabbs C.A.]. 48 Section 9 of the Class Proceedings Act , 1992, S.O. ......
-
Twenty Years Later: What Are the Risks Faced By Plaintiffs’ Counsel, and How Have These Risks Changed?
...citing the Court of Appeal’s decision in the case and the Supreme Court’s denial of leave: Dabbs v Sun Life Assurance Co of Canada (1998) 41 OR (3d) 97 (CA), leave to appeal to SCC refused, [1998] SCCA No 372. However, that decision was about whether an objector (the sole one in a class of ......
-
Book Review: The Class Actions Controversy: The Origins and Development of the Ontario Class Proceedings Act By Suzanne Chiodo
...at 90–91. Ibid at 90. Ibid at 91. Ibid at 93, with reliance on Dabbs v Sun Life Assurance of Canada (1998), 40 OR (3d) 429 (Gen Div); 41 OR (3d) 97 (CA), leave to appeal to SCC refused, [1998] SCCA No 372. 35 Kalajdzic, above note 1 at CCAR 13-2.indb 390 10/30/2018 11:42:09 AM Volume 13, No......
-
Speaking the Class Action, Thinking the Class Action: A Discussion of Changing Trends in Quebec's Class Action Lexicon
...See also In re Cendant Corp. Sec. Litig., 404 F. 3rd 173 at 187 (3d Cir. 2005). 47 Dabbs v. Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada (1998), 41 O.R. (3d) 97 (C.A.), leave to appeal to S.C.C. dismissed, [1998] S.C.C.A. No. 372 [Dabbs C.A.]. 48 Section 9 of the Class Proceedings Act , 1992, S.O. ......