Human Rights Commission (N.B.) v. New Brunswick (Minister of Education) et al., 2005 NBQB 90

• Judge: Landry, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of New Brunswick (Canada)
• Case Date: January 06, 2005
• Jurisdiction: New Brunswick
• Citations: 2005 NBQB 90;(2005), 284 N.B.R.(2d) 70 (TD)

HRC v. N.B. (2005), 284 N.B.R.(2d) 70 (TD);

    284 R.N.-B.(2e) 70; 742 A.P.R. 70

MLB headnote and full text

[French language version follows English language version]

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

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Temp. Cite: [2005] N.B.R.(2d) TBEd. FE.055

New Brunswick Human Rights Commission (applicant) v. Province of New Brunswick and School District 2 (respondents) and Bonnie (Bernadette) Cudmore (respondent)

(M/M/0088/04; 2005 NBQB 90)

Indexed As: Human Rights Commission (N.B.) v. New Brunswick (Minister of Education) et al.

New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench

Trial Division

Judicial District of Moncton

Landry, J.

February 25, 2005.

Summary:

Cudmore filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission (the applicant) against the Department of Education and School District 2 (the respondents). Cudmore claimed that the respondents had discrimi­nated against her son, N., on the basis of mental disability. A Board of Inquiry under the Human Rights Act dismissed the com­plaint. The applicant applied for judicial review.

The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, dismissed the ap­plication.

Editor's note: certain names in the following case have been initialized or the case other­wise edited to prevent the disclosure of identities where required by law, publication ban, Maritime Law Book's editorial policy or otherwise.

Civil Rights - Topic 980.1

Discrimination - Duty to accommodate - General - [See Civil Rights - Topic 1153 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 1153

Discrimination - Education - Discrimina­tion on basis of disability - Cudmore filed a complaint with the Human Rights Com­mission against the Department of Educa­tion and School District 2 (the respon­dents) - Cudmore claimed that the respon­dents had discriminated against her son on the basis of mental disability - Cudmore argued that her son's special needs as a mentally disabled person were not appro­priately accommodated by the respondents as provided for in the Education Act - A Board of Inquiry under the Human Rights Act dismissed the complaint - The Board held that the respondents' policy of inclu­sion of exceptional students as well as its special education programs met the re­quirement for accommodation - Cudmore failed to establish a prima facie case of discrimination - The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, dis­missed an application for judicial review - The Board's decision was reasonable - See paragraphs 7 and 25 to 36.

Civil Rights - Topic 7115

Federal, provincial or territorial legislation - Practice - Judicial review - Standard of review - Cudmore filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission (the ap­plicant) against the Department of Educa­tion and School District 2 (the respon­dents) - Cudmore claimed that the respon­dents had discriminated against her son on the basis of mental disability - A Board of Inquiry under the Human Rights Act dis­missed the complaint - The applicant ap­plied for judicial review - The New Bruns­wick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Divi­sion, held that given the absence of a full privative clause in the Act, the applicable standard of review was reasonableness - See paragraph 24.

Education - Topic 5402

Students - "Exceptional" students - Pro­grams and services - [See Civil Rights - Topic 1153 ].

Education - Topic 5403

Students - "Exceptional" students - Inte­gration - [See Civil Rights - Topic 1153 ].

Cases Noticed:

Barrie Public Utilities et al. v. Canadian Cable Television Association et al. (2003), 304 N.R. 1; 2003 SCC 28, refd to. [para. 21].

Basi v. Canadian National Railway Co. (1988), 9 C.H.R.R. D/5029 (Cdn. H.R.T.), refd to. [para. 21].

Superintendent of Motor Vehicles (B.C.) et al. v. Council of Human Rights (B.C.), [1999] 3 S.C.R. 868; 249 N.R. 45; 131 B.C.A.C. 280; 214 W.A.C. 280, refd to. [para. 21].

Public Service Employee Relations Com­mission (B.C.) v. British Columbia Gov­ernment and Service Employees' Union, [1999] 3 S.C.R. 3; 244 N.R. 145; 127 B.C.A.C. 161; 207 W.A.C. 161, refd to. [para. 21].

Canada (Minister of National Health and Welfare) v. Chander (1997), 131 F.T.R. 301; 29 C.H.R.R. D/300 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 21].

Director of Investigation and Research, Competition Act v. Southam Inc. et al., [1997] 1 S.C.R. 748; 209 N.R. 20, refd to. [para. 21].

Commission scolaire régionale de Chambly v. Syndicat de l'enseignement de Cham­plain et autres, [1994] 2 S.C.R. 525; 169 N.R. 281, refd to. [para. 21].

Ewtushik v. Newfoundland (Minister of Health) et al. (1998), 167 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 130; 513 A.P.R. 130 (Nfld. T.D.), refd to. [para. 21].

Holden v. Canadian National Railway (1990), 112 N.R. 395; 14 C.H.R.R. D/12 (F.C.A.), refd to. [para. 21].

Horton v. Niagara (Regional Municipality) (1987), 9 C.H.R.R. D/4611 (Ont. Bd. Inq.), refd to. [para. 21].

New Brunswick (Board of Management) v. Doucet-Jones (2004), 274 N.B.R.(2d) 237; 718 A.P.R. 237 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 21].

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. 21].

Executive Director of Assessment (N.B.) v. Ganong Bros. Ltd. et al. (2004), 271 N.B.R.(2d) 43; 712 A.P.R. 43; 2004 NBCA 46, refd to. [para. 21].

Human Rights Commission (Ont.) and O'Malley v. Simpsons-Sears, [1985] 2 S.C.R. 536; 64 N.R. 161; 12 O.A.C. 241, refd to. [para. 21].

Ontario Human Rights Commission, Dun­lop, Hall and Gray v. Borough of Etobi­coke, [1982] 1 S.C.R. 202; 40 N.R. 159, refd to. [para. 21].

Ross v. New Brunswick School District No. 15 - see Attis v. Board of Education of District No. 15 et al.

Attis v. Board of Education of District No. 15 et al., [1996] 1 S.C.R. 825; 195 N.R. 81; 171 N.B.R.(2d) 321; 437 A.P.R. 321, refd. [para. 21].

Regina (City) v. Kivela et al. (2004), 253 Sask.R. 59; 2004 SKQB 372, refd to. [para. 21].

Leonardis v. Canada Post Corp., [2002] C.H.R.D. No. 24, refd to. [para. 21].

Voice Construction Ltd. v. Construction & General Workers' Union, Local 92 (2004), 318 N.R. 332; 346 A.R. 201; 320 W.A.C. 201 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 22].

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 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 22].

Robichaud v. Canada (Treasury Board) - see Brennan v. Canada and Robichaud.

Brennan v. Canada and Robichaud, [1987] 2 S.C.R. 84; 75 N.R. 303, refd to. [para. 22].

Dickason and Human Rights Commission (Alta.) v. University of Alberta, [1992] 2 S.C.R. 1103; 141 N.R. 1; 127 A.R. 241; 20 W.A.C. 241, refd to. [para. 22].

Board of Education of Toronto v. Ontario Secondary Teachers' Federation District No. 15 et al., [1997] 1 S.C.R. 487; 208 N.R. 245; 98 O.A.C. 241, refd to. [para. 22].

Mr. Shredding Waste Management Ltd. v. New Brunswick (Minister of Environ­ment and Local Government) (2004), 274 N.B.R.(2d) 340; 718 A.P.R. 340 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 22].

Grand Lake Timber v. Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Can­ada, Local 104 (2001), 237 N.B.R.(2d) 339; 612 A.P.R. 339 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 22].

Auton et al. v. British Columbia (Minister of Health) et al. (2004), 327 N.R. 1; 206 B.C.A.C. 1; 338 W.A.C. 1 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 22].

Counsel:

Kelly VanBuskirk and Matthew Letson, for the applicant;

C. Clyde Spinney, Q.C., for the respon­dents, Province of New Brunswick De­partment of Education and School Dis­trict 2.

This application was heard on January 6, 2005, at Moncton, New Brunswick, before Landry, J., of the New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, Judicial District of Moncton, who delivered the following decision on February 25, 2005.