F.A.L. v. A.B.B., (1995) 102 Man.R.(2d) 251 (CA)

JudgeHuband, Twaddle and Lyon, JJ.A.
CourtCourt of Appeal (Manitoba)
Case DateJune 12, 1995
JurisdictionManitoba
Citations(1995), 102 Man.R.(2d) 251 (CA)

F.A.L. v. A.B.B. (1995), 102 Man.R.(2d) 251 (CA);

    93 W.A.C. 251

MLB headnote and full text

L.(F.A.) (petitioner/appellant) v. B.(A.B.) (respondent/respondent)

(Suit No. AI 94-30-01788)

Indexed As: F.A.L. v. A.B.B.

Manitoba Court of Appeal

Huband, Twaddle and Lyon, JJ.A.

June 12, 1995.

Summary:

The petitioner applied for a declaration that he was the father of a little girl. The child's mother, the respondent's wife, had been dead for three years. The trial judge declared the respondent (who was raising the child as his own) to be the father. The petitioner appealed.

The Manitoba Court of Appeal held that it had jurisdiction to order a blood test, but declined to exercise it in these circum­stances. The court dismissed the appeal.

Evidence - Topic 2401.1

Special modes of proof - Presumptions - Inference from failure of party to testify - The petitioner claimed to be the father of a little girl - The child's mother, the respondent's wife, had been dead for three years - The trial judge declared the respondent (who was raising the child as his own) to be the father - The petitioner submitted that an adverse inference should have been drawn from the respondent's failure to testify and participate in blood tests - The Manitoba Court of Appeal held that the respondent "... has been the only father the child has known and, in practical terms at least, will remain such regardless of the outcome of these proceedings. That explanation for his present attitude negates any adverse inference which might other­wise be drawn." - See paragraphs 18 to 30.

Infants - Topic 2503.1

Parentage of children - Determination of parentage - Evidence - Hearsay evidence - The petitioner claimed to be the father of a little girl - The child's mother, the respondent's wife, had been dead for three years - The trial judge declared the respondent to be the father - The judge refused to hear evidence of statements by the mother that she "thought" the petitioner was the child's father because it was hear­say - The petitioner appealed - The Manitoba Court of Appeal held that the evidence was properly excluded because, even if admissible, it was not probative - In the absence of evidence as to why the mother thought the petitioner was the father, her thoughts were irrelevant - See paragraphs 11 to 17.

Infants - Topic 2503.1

Parentage of children - Determination of parentage - Evidence - Failure to testify - Adverse inference - [See Evidence - Topic 2401.1 ].

Infants - Topic 2503.2

Parentage of children - Determination of parentage - Presumption of paternity - The petitioner claimed to be the father of a little girl - The trial judge declared the respondent, the deceased mother's husband, to be the father - The petitioner appealed - The Manitoba Court of Appeal held that the Family Maintenance Act, s. 23, pro­vided for a presumption of paternity when a man was married to the child's mother at the time of the birth - The court stated that "[t]he only evidence which tends to rebut this presumption is that of the peti­tioner to the effect that he had sexual relations with the mother around the time of the child's conception. Absent evidence that the respondent did not have sexual relations with his wife during the relevant period, it remains at least as probable that the respondent is indeed the child's father" - See paragraphs 31 to 37.

Cases Noticed:

Ares v. Venner, [1970] S.C.R. 608, refd to. [paras. 11, 13].

R. v. Khan, [1990] 2 S.C.R. 531; 113 N.R. 53; 41 O.A.C. 353, refd to. [paras. 11, 13].

G., Re (1973), 1 O.R.(2d) 318 (Surr. Ct.), revd. (1974), 5 O.R.(2d) 337 (C.A.), folld. [paras. 13, 15].

Pike v. People (1889), 34 Ill. App. 112, refd to. [para. 16].

Panaccione v. McNab (1976), 28 R.F.L. 182 (Ont. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 23].

Wikstrom v. Children's Aid Society of Winnipeg (City) (1955), 63 Man. R. 272 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 31].

B.J.B. v. J.K. (1989), 56 D.L.R.(4th) 150 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 33].

S. v. S.; W. v. Official Solicitor, [1970] 3 All E.R. 107; [1972] A.C. 24 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 33 et seq.].

J. v. N. (1976), 28 R.F.L. 234 (Man. C.A.), dist. [para. 40 et seq.].

M.C. v. L.A.C. (1990), 66 D.L.R.(4th) 421 (B.C.C.A.), refd to. [para. 45].

C.(M.) v. C.(L.A.) - see M.C. v. L.A.C.

F. (A Minor), Re, [1993] 3 All E.R. 596 (C.A.), refd to. [paras. 57, 58].

M. v. W. and R. (1985), 45 R.F.L.(2d) 337 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 61].

Statutes Noticed:

Court of Queen's Bench Act, S.M. 1988-89, c. 4; C.C.S.M., c. C-280, sect. 63(2) [para. 45].

Family Maintenance Act, R.S.M. 1987, c. F-20; C.C.S.M., c. F-20, sect. 2(1) [para. 51]; sect. 17 [paras. 32, 33]; sect. 21(1) [para. 24]; sect. 21(3) [paras. 21, 26]; sect. 23 [paras. 32, 35]; sect. 23(a) [para. 36].

Counsel:

P.L. Fraser, for the appellant;

R.H. Johnston, for the respondent.

This appeal was heard on November 28, 1994, by Huband, Twaddle and Lyon, JJ.A., of the Manitoba Court of Appeal.

The decision of the Court of Appeal was delivered on June 12, 1995, by Twaddle, J.A.

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4 practice notes
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    • Canada
    • Court of Appeal (Manitoba)
    • March 16, 2009
    ...Uned. 451; 46 E.T.R.(3d) 259 (Sup. Ct.), refd to. [para. 37]. McConomy-Wood v. McConomy - see McConomy Estate, Re. F.A.L. v. A.B.B. (1995), 102 Man.R.(2d) 251; 93 W.A.C. 251 (C.A.), refd to. [para. Shwabiuk v. Shwabiuk (1965), 51 W.W.R.(N.S.) 549 (Man. Q.B.), refd to. [para. 50]. Collins (K......
  • M.V. v. W.P.V. et al., 2003 MBQB 110
    • Canada
    • Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba (Canada)
    • May 15, 2003
    ...draw an adverse inference against M. for refusing to undergo DNA testing - See paragraphs 55 to 66. Cases Noticed: F.A.L. v. A.B.B. (1995), 102 Man.R.(2d) 251; 93 W.A.C. 251 (C.A.), consd. [para. R. v. Smith (A.L.), [1992] 2 S.C.R. 915; 139 N.R. 323; 55 O.A.C. 321; 75 C.C.C.(3d) 257; 94 D.L......
  • Nandwani v. Nandwani et al., (2013) 288 Man.R.(2d) 228 (CA)
    • Canada
    • Manitoba Court of Appeal (Manitoba)
    • September 12, 2012
    ...105; 2000 MBCA 81, refd to. [para. 57]. J. v. N. (1976), 69 D.L.R.(3d) 347 (Man. C.A.), refd to. [para. 65]. F.A.L. v. A.B.B. (1995), 102 Man.R.(2d) 251; 93 W.A.C. 251 (C.A.), refd to. [para. Montreal Trust Co. v. Churchill Forest Industries (Manitoba) Ltd. (1972), 21 D.L.R.(3d) 75 (Man. C.......
  • M.V. v. W.P.V. et al., (2004) 192 Man.R.(2d) 50 (CA)
    • Canada
    • Manitoba Court of Appeal (Manitoba)
    • October 13, 2004
    ...proceedings - Evidence (incl. blood, tissue and DNA tests) - [See Infants - Topic 2503.2 ]. Cases Noticed: F.A.L. v. A.B.B. (1995), 102 Man.R.(2d) 251; 93 W.A.C. 251 (C.A.), refd to. [para. G.R. Micflikier, for the appellants; D.P. Orlikow, for the respondent, W.B.K.V.; D.A. Kreel, for the ......
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  • Simcoff v. Simcoff,
    • Canada
    • Court of Appeal (Manitoba)
    • March 16, 2009
    ...Uned. 451; 46 E.T.R.(3d) 259 (Sup. Ct.), refd to. [para. 37]. McConomy-Wood v. McConomy - see McConomy Estate, Re. F.A.L. v. A.B.B. (1995), 102 Man.R.(2d) 251; 93 W.A.C. 251 (C.A.), refd to. [para. Shwabiuk v. Shwabiuk (1965), 51 W.W.R.(N.S.) 549 (Man. Q.B.), refd to. [para. 50]. Collins (K......
  • M.V. v. W.P.V. et al., 2003 MBQB 110
    • Canada
    • Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba (Canada)
    • May 15, 2003
    ...draw an adverse inference against M. for refusing to undergo DNA testing - See paragraphs 55 to 66. Cases Noticed: F.A.L. v. A.B.B. (1995), 102 Man.R.(2d) 251; 93 W.A.C. 251 (C.A.), consd. [para. R. v. Smith (A.L.), [1992] 2 S.C.R. 915; 139 N.R. 323; 55 O.A.C. 321; 75 C.C.C.(3d) 257; 94 D.L......
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    • Canada
    • Manitoba Court of Appeal (Manitoba)
    • September 12, 2012
    ...105; 2000 MBCA 81, refd to. [para. 57]. J. v. N. (1976), 69 D.L.R.(3d) 347 (Man. C.A.), refd to. [para. 65]. F.A.L. v. A.B.B. (1995), 102 Man.R.(2d) 251; 93 W.A.C. 251 (C.A.), refd to. [para. Montreal Trust Co. v. Churchill Forest Industries (Manitoba) Ltd. (1972), 21 D.L.R.(3d) 75 (Man. C.......
  • M.V. v. W.P.V. et al., (2004) 192 Man.R.(2d) 50 (CA)
    • Canada
    • Manitoba Court of Appeal (Manitoba)
    • October 13, 2004
    ...proceedings - Evidence (incl. blood, tissue and DNA tests) - [See Infants - Topic 2503.2 ]. Cases Noticed: F.A.L. v. A.B.B. (1995), 102 Man.R.(2d) 251; 93 W.A.C. 251 (C.A.), refd to. [para. G.R. Micflikier, for the appellants; D.P. Orlikow, for the respondent, W.B.K.V.; D.A. Kreel, for the ......

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