Girling v. Finning Ltd., (1996) 191 A.R. 388 (QB)

• Judge: Binder, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta (Canada)
• Case Date: November 08, 1996
• Citations: (1996), 191 A.R. 388 (QB)

Girling v. Finning Ltd. (1996), 191 A.R. 388 (QB)

MLB headnote and full text

Thomas M. Girling (plaintiff) v. Finning Limited (defendant)

(Action No. 9501-13375)

Indexed As: Girling v. Finning Ltd.

Alberta Court of Queen's Bench

Judicial District of Calgary

Binder, J.

November 8, 1996.

Summary:

The 52 year old plaintiff employee was dismissed without cause after 15.5 years' employment. The plaintiff sued for damages for wrongful dismissal. At issue was the plaintiff's entitlement to damages for mental distress, the period of reasonable notice and the amount of any bonuses, benefits, etc., the plaintiff was entitled to.

The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench fixed the period of reasonable notice at 12 months. The court dismissed the claim for damages for mental distress.

Master and Servant - Topic 8000

Dismissal without cause - Notice of dis­missal - Reasonable notice - What consti­tutes - A 52 year old employee in a middle management position was dis­missed without cause after 15.5 years' employment - The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench fixed the period of reason­able notice at 12 months - See paragraphs 42 to 58.

Master and Servant - Topic 8003

Dismissal without cause - Notice of dis­missal - Reasonable notice - Consider­ations affecting - The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench, in fixing a period of rea­sonable notice, stated that "although there has been a tendency on the part of the courts towards higher awards, the recent trend is towards moderate awards. ... In Alberta there is a range; and within the range 12 months notice is reasonable in the case of a middle-aged employee, employed for approximately 15 years in a middle management position for several years prior to the termination. ... The length of such notice may be increased or decreased, where there are special mitigat­ing or aggravating, as the case may be, circumstances such as: The manner in which the dismissal takes place ...; Fore­warning ...; Failure to provide a reference." - See paragraph 42.

Master and Servant - Topic 8063

Dismissal without cause - Damages - Mental distress - A 52 year old employee was dismissed without cause after 15.5 years' employment - The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench, in dismissing the employ­ee's claim for damages for mental distress, stated that "absent malice, there is no duty upon an employer to take care to discharge an employee in such a way so as to reduce or even eliminate any risk of mental suf­fering or other adverse consequences to the employee. Any award of punitive or ag­gravated damages, or damages from mental distress consequent upon a wrongful dis­missal, must be independently actionable." - See paragraphs 34 to 41.

Cases Noticed:

Bardal v. The Globe and Mail Ltd. (1960), 24 D.L.R.(2d) 140 (Ont. H.C.), refd to. [para. 31].

Bader v. Canada Trust Co. (1980), 3 A.C.W.S.(2d) 138 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 31].

Yaeger v. Hastings (R.J.) Agencies Ltd., [1985] 1 W.W.R. 218 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 31].

Zimmer v. Cascade Construction Ltd. (1985), 62 A.R. 339; 39 Alta. L.R.(2d) 66 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 31].

Bagby v. Gustavson International Drilling Co., Raymond Concrete Pile Co. of the Americas, Global Marine Exploration Co. and Raymond International Inc. (1980), 24 A.R. 181 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 31].

Aleniuk v. Westown Food Sales Ltd. (1981), 28 A.R. 473 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 31].

Jivrag v. Calgary (City) and Calgary Parking Authority (1986), 71 A.R. 87; 45 Alta. L.R.(2d) 343 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 31].

Vorvis v. Insurance Corp. of British Columbia (1989), 94 N.R. 321; 58 D.L.R.(4th) 193 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 31].

Dunbar v. Port of Coquitlam (City) (1992), 4 C.C.E.L. 206 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 31].

MacLean v. Audiovox Corp. et al. (1994), 48 B.C.A.C. 159; 78 W.A.C. 159; 8 C.C.E.L.(2d) 24 (B.C.C.A.), refd to. [para. 31].

Mitchell et al. v. Lorell Furs Inc. et al. (1991), 108 N.S.R.(2d) 425; 294 A.P.R. 425; 36 C.C.E.L. 187 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 31].

Novosel v. Riegl (1993), 46 C.C.E.L. 245 (Ont. Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 31].

PCL Construction Management Inc. v. Holmes (1994), 157 A.R. 306; 77 W.A.C. 306; 8 C.C.E.L.(2d) 192, refd to. [para. 31].

Christianson v. North Hills News Inc. (1993), 145 A.R. 58; 55 W.A.C. 58; 49 C.C.E.L. 182 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 31].

Bell v. Stanley Industrial Consultants Ltd. et al. (1996), 188 A.R. 53; 40 Alta. L.R.(3d) 53 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 31].

Elderfield v. Aetna Life Insurance Co. of Canada (1996), 79 B.C.A.C. 297; 129 W.A.C. 297 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 31].

Ahmad v. Procter and Gamble Inc. (1991), 44 O.A.C. 338; 34 C.C.E.L. 1 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 31].

Ahmad v. Procter and Gamble Inc. (1987), 18 C.C.E.L. 124 (Ont. H.C.), refd to. [para. 31].

Kenzie v. Standard Motors (77) Ltd. (1985), 40 Sask.R. 228; 8 C.C.E.L. 173 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 31].

Atkins v. Windsor Star (1994), 2 C.C.E.L.(2d) 229 (Ont. Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 31].

Carr v. Ireco Canada II Inc. et al. (1991), 118 A.R. 53; 80 Alta. L.R.(2d) 154 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 31].

Battell v. Canem Systems Ltd. (1981), 1 C.C.E.L. 280 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 31].

Porter v. Canadian Taxpayers Federation (1995), 16 C.C.E.L.(2d) 255, refd to. [para. 31].

Levi v. Chartersoft Canada Inc. and Lee (1994), 99 Man.R.(2d) 241; 8 C.C.E.L.(2d) 10 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 31].

Wallace v. United Grain Growers Ltd., [1995] 9 W.W.R. 153; 102 Man.R.(2d) 161; 93 W.A.C. 161 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 31].

Blackmore v. Cablenet Ltd. (1994), 163 A.R. 41; 26 Alta. L.R.(3d) 108 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 32].

Zimmerman v. Calgary District Hospital Group (1994), 26 Alta. L.R.(3d) 365 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 32].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Levitt, The Law of Dismissal in Canada, pp. 386, 387 [para. 39].

Counsel:

C.J.G. Bally, for the plaintiff;

W.J. Armstrong, for the defendant.

This action was heard before Binder, J., of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench, Judicial District of Calgary, who delivered the fol­lowing judgment on November 8, 1996.