Fecteau v. College of Psychologists (N.B.), 2014 NBCA 74

• Judge: Deschênes, Bell and Quigg, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (New Brunswick)
• Case Date: October 28, 2014
• Jurisdiction: New Brunswick
• Citations: 2014 NBCA 74;(2014), 428 N.B.R.(2d) 371 (CA)

Fecteau v. College of Psychologists (2014), 428 N.B.R.(2d) 371 (CA);

    428 R.N.-B.(2e) 371; 1116 A.P.R. 371

MLB headnote and full text

Sommaire et texte intégral

[French language version follows English language version]

[La version française vient à la suite de la version anglaise]

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Temp. Cite: [2014] N.B.R.(2d) TBEd. DE.037

Renvoi temp.: [2014] N.B.R.(2d) TBEd. DE.037

Dr. Gary Fecteau (appellant) v. The College of Psychologists of New Brunswick (respondent)

(41-14-CA; 2014 NBCA 74)

Indexed As: Fecteau v. College of Psychologists (N.B.)

Répertorié: Fecteau v. College of Psychologists (N.B.)

New Brunswick Court of Appeal

Deschênes, Bell and Quigg, JJ.A.

December 18, 2014.

Summary:

Résumé:

Craft filed a complaint with the College of Psychologists of New Brunswick, against Fecteau. The Discipline Committee dismissed the complaint. Fecteau's lawyer sought to make a presentation to the Discipline Committee with respect to recovery of costs, pursuant to s. 16(6) of the College of Psychologists Act. The Discipline Committee ruled that it was functus officio and refused to hold a hearing on costs. Fecteau applied for judicial review.

The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, in a decision reported at 419 N.B.R.(2d) 395; 1090 A.P.R. 395, dismissed the application. The court's jurisdiction was superseded by s. 17 of the College of Psychologists Act which prescribed an appeal directly to the Court of Appeal.

The New Brunswick Court of Appeal granted Fecteau an extension of time within which to appeal and granted leave to appeal.

The New Brunswick Court of Appeal allowed the appeal.

Administrative Law - Topic 554

The hearing and decision - Decisions of the tribunal - Finality (functus officio) - Power of tribunal to amend or reopen decision - Craft filed a complaint with the College of Psychologists of New Brunswick, against Fecteau - The Discipline Committee dismissed the complaint - Fecteau's lawyer sought to make a presentation to the Discipline Committee with respect to recovery of costs, pursuant to s. 16(6) of the College of Psychologists Act - The Discipline Committee ruled that it was functus officio and refused to hold a hearing on costs - The New Brunswick Court of Appeal held that the appropriate standard of review was correctness - See paragraphs 13 to 19 - The Discipline Committee was not functus officio on the issue of costs until such time as it made an order in that regard - No final order is possible until it heard from both the College and Fecteau on that issue - The court directed that the Discipline Committee hear the parties on the issue of whether the proceedings were warranted and, in the event it concluded they were not, on the issue of costs - See paragraphs 20 to 26.

Administrative Law - Topic 9006

Boards and tribunals - Jurisdiction - Termination of (functus officio) - [See Administrative Law - Topic 554 ].

Administrative Law - Topic 9122

Boards and tribunals - Administrative appeals - Scope of appeal or standard of review - [See Administrative Law - Topic 554 ].

Professional Occupations - Topic 2369

Psychologists, therapists and counsellors - Disciplinary proceedings - Practice - Costs - [See Administrative Law - Topic 554 ].

Droit administratif - Cote 554

Audience et décision - Décisions du tribunal - Finalité (functus officio) - Pouvoir du tribunal de modifier ou de reconsidérer la décision - [Voir Administrative Law - Topic 554 ].

Droit administratif - Cote 9006

Commissions et tribunaux administratifs - Compétence - Épuisement (functus officio) - [Voir Administrative Law - Topic 9006 ].

Droit administratif - Cote 9122

Commissions et tribunaux - Appels administratifs - Étendue de l'appel ou norme de révision - [Voir Administrative Law - Topic 9122 ].

Droit des professions - Cote 2369

Psychologues, thérapeutes et conseillers - Poursuites disciplinaires - Procédure - Dépens - [Voir Professional Occupations - Topic 2369 ].

Cases Noticed:

Irving (J.D.) Ltd. v. North Shore Forest Products Marketing Board et al. (2014), 422 N.B.R.(2d) 233; 1096 A.P.R. 233; 2014 NBCA 42, refd to. [para. 13].

Bainbridge et al. v. New Brunswick (Board of Management) (2005), 282 N.B.R.(2d) 125; 738 A.P.R. 125; 2005 NBCA 29, refd to. [para. 13].

Godin v. Star-Key Enterprises Ltd. (2006), 305 N.B.R.(2d) 180; 791 A.P.R. 180; 2006 NBCA 91, refd to. [para. 13].

New Brunswick (Board of Management) v. Dunsmuir, [2008] 1 S.C.R. 190; 372 N.R. 1; 329 N.B.R.(2d) 1; 844 A.P.R. 1; 2008 SCC 9, refd to. [para. 14].

Khosa v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), [2009] 1 S.C.R. 339; 385 N.R. 206; 2009 SCC 12, refd to. [para. 14].

Dr. Q., Re, [2003] 1 S.C.R. 226; 302 N.R. 34; 179 B.C.A.C. 170; 295 W.A.C. 170; 2003 SCC 19, refd to. [para. 14].

Moore v. New Brunswick Real Estate Association (NBREA) (2007), 319 N.B.R.(2d) 147; 823 A.P.R. 147; 2007 NBCA 64, leave to appeal refused (2008), 384 N.R. 393 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 15].

Proprio Direct Inc. v. Association des courtiers et agents immobiliers du Quebec et al., [2008] 2 S.C.R. 195; 375 N.R. 1; 2008 SCC 32, refd to. [para. 17].

Ryan v. Law Society of New Brunswick, [2003] 1 S.C.R. 247; 302 N.R. 1; 257 N.B.R.(2d) 207; 674 A.P.R. 207; 2003 SCC 20, refd to. [para. 17].

Chandler v. Alberta Association of Architects, [1989] 2 S.C.R. 848; 99 N.R. 277; 101 A.R. 321, refd to. [para. 20].

Higgins Estate v. Arseneau (2014), 425 N.B.R.(2d) 109; 1107 A.P.R. 109; 2014 NBCA 65, refd to. [para. 21].

Glaspy v. Glaspy (2011), 381 N.B.R.(2d) 137; 984 A.P.R. 137; 2011 NBCA 101, refd to. [para. 22].

Therrien, Re - see Québec (Ministre de la Justice) v. Therrien, J.

Québec (Ministre de la Justice) v. Therrien, J., [2001] 2 S.C.R. 3; 270 N.R. 1; 2001 SCC 35, refd to. [para. 22].

Douglas v. SLH Transport Inc., 2010 CHRT 25, dist. [para. 25].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Sullivan, Ruth, Sullivan on the Construction of Statutes (5th Ed. 2008), p. 210 [para. 21].

Counsel:

Avocats:

John P. Barry, Q.C., and John Morrissy, for the appellant;

Enrico Scichilone, for the respondent.

This appeal was heard on October 28, 2014, by Deschênes, Bell and Quigg, JJ.A., of the New Brunswick Court of Appeal. The following judgment of the Court of Appeal was delivered in both official languages by Bell, J.A., on December 18, 2014.