Halifax (Regional Municipality) v. Human Rights Commission (N.S.) et al., (2005) 232 N.S.R.(2d) 161 (CA)

• Judge: MacDonald, C.J.N.S., Oland and Hamilton, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal of Nova Scotia (Canada)
• Case Date: February 10, 2005
• Jurisdiction: Nova Scotia
• Citations: (2005), 232 N.S.R.(2d) 161 (CA);2005 NSCA 70

Halifax v. HRC (2005), 232 N.S.R.(2d) 161 (CA);

 737 A.P.R. 161

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2005] N.S.R.(2d) TBEd. AP.038

Halifax Regional Municipality (appellant) v. The Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission and Kirk Johnson (respondents)

(CA 225416; 2005 NSCA 70)

Indexed As: Halifax (Regional Municipality) v. Human Rights Commission (N.S.) et al.

Nova Scotia Court of Appeal

MacDonald, C.J.N.S., Oland and  Hamilton, JJ.A.

April 22, 2005.

Summary:

A board of inquiry appointed under the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act found that Johnson had been the victim of discrimination by the Halifax Regional Police and awarded him damages. The board also awarded Johnson two-thirds of his solicitor-client costs. The Halifax Regional Municipality appealed from the board's decision on the ground that a board of inquiry set up under the Act did not have express or implied jurisdiction to award costs.

The Nova Scotia Court of Appeal allowed the appeal and set aside the board's award as it applied to costs.

Civil Rights - Topic 7071

Federal, provincial or territorial legislation - Commissions or boards - Jurisdiction - Compensation to victims - [See Civil Rights - Topic 7082 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 7082

Federal, provincial or territorial legislation - Boards of inquiry - Jurisdiction - The Nova Scotia Court of Appeal held that the authority of a board of inquiry to "compensate" in s. 34(8) of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act did not include the capacity to award legal costs - A compensation award was separate and distinct from an award for costs - The former related to the victim's injury, the latter related to the process - See paragraph 20.

Civil Rights - Topic 7108

Federal, provincial or territorial legislation - Practice - Costs - [See Civil Rights - Topic 7082 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 7117

Federal, provincial or territorial legislation - Practice - Appeals - A board of inquiry appointed under the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act found that Johnson had been the victim of discrimination by the Halifax Regional Police and awarded him damages - The board also awarded Johnson two-thirds of his solicitor-client costs - The Halifax Regional Municipality appealed from the board's decision on the ground that a board of inquiry set up under the Act did not have express or implied jurisdiction to award costs - The appeal involved the board's interpretation of s. 34(8) of the Act and whether it authorized the board to award legal costs as part of a compensation order - The Nova Scotia Court of Appeal held that the standard of review was correctness - See paragraphs 9 to 15.

Cases Noticed:

Nkwazi v. Correctional Services of Canada (2001), 41 C.H.R.R. D/109 (C.H.R.T.), refd to. [para. 6].

Alberta Union of Provincial Employees et al. v. Lethbridge Community College, [2004] 1 S.C.R. 727; 319 N.R. 201; 348 A.R. 1; 321 W.A.C. 1, refd to. [para. 10].

Kaiser v. Multibond Inc. (2003), 219 N.S.R.(2d) 91; 692 A.P.R. 91 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 11].

Human Rights Commission (N.S.) et al. v. Play It Again Sports Ltd. et al. (2004), 227 N.S.R.(2d) 292; 720 A.P.R. 292 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 12].

Creager v. Provincial Dental Board (N.S.) (2005), 230 N.S.R.(2d) 48; 729 A.P.R. 48 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 15].

Brown (Charles), Re (1928), 60 N.S.R. 76 (C.A.), consd. [para. 21].

Family and Children's Services of Annapolis County v. C. (1983), 62 N.S.R.(2d) 365; 136 A.P.R. 365 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 23].

Nova Scotia (Minister of Community Services) v. Elliott et al. (1995), 141 N.S.R.(2d) 346; 403 A.P.R. 346 (S.C.), consd. [para. 23].

Labour Relations Board (N.S.) v. Canadian Union of Public Employees and Nova Scotia Federation of Labour (1982), 52 N.S.R.(2d) 181; 106 A.P.R. 181; 135 D.L.R.(3d) 582 (C.A.), affd. [1983] 2 S.C.R. 311; 49 N.R. 107; 60 N.S.R.(2d) 369; 128 A.P.R. 369, consd. [para. 24].

Williamson v. Williams et al. (1998), 223 N.S.R.(2d) 78; 705 A.P.R. 78 (C.A.), consd. [para. 28].

Liquor Control Board (Ont.) and Parker v. Karumanchiri, Ng and Yan (1988), 25 O.A.C. 161 (Div. Ct.), consd. [para. 30].

Moncton v. Buggie and New Brunswick Human Rights Commission (1985), 65 N.B.R.(2d) 210; 167 A.P.R. 210; 21 D.L.R.(4th) 266 (C.A.), leave to appeal refused [1986] 1 S.C.R. xi; 65 N.R. 75; 66 N.B.R.(2d) 270; 169 A.P.R. 270, consd. [para. 32].

University of British Columbia v. Berg, [1993] 2 S.C.R. 353; 152 N.R. 99; 26 B.C.A.C. 241; 44 W.A.C. 241, consd. [para. 36].

Canadian Human Rights Commission v. Canadian Liberty Net et al., [1998] 1 S.C.R. 626; 224 N.R. 241, consd. [para. 39].

Statutes Noticed:

Human Rights Act, R.S.N.S. 1989, c. 214, sect. 34(8) [para. 16].

Counsel:

W. Augustus Richardson, for the appellant;

Michael Wood, Q.C. and Jennifer Ross, for the respondent, the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission;

Victor Goldberg and Martha Mann, for the respondent, Kirk Johnson.

This appeal was heard on February 10, 2005, before MacDonald, C.J.N.S., Oland and Hamilton, JJ.A., of the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal. The following judgment of the Court of Appeal was delivered by MacDonald, C.J.N.S., on April 22, 2005.