Conseil des Innus de Pessamit v. Association des policiers et policières de Pessamit, (2010) 414 N.R. 84 (FCA)

• Judge: Blais, C.J., Noël and Pelletier, JJ.A.
• Court: Federal Court of Appeal (Canada)
• Case Date: November 02, 2010
• Jurisdiction: Canada (Federal)
• Citations: (2010), 414 N.R. 84 (FCA);2010 FCA 306

Conseil des Innus v. Police Assoc. (2010), 414 N.R. 84 (FCA)

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: [2010] N.R. TBEd. NO.039

Conseil des Innus de Pessamit (demandeur) v. L'Association des policiers et policières de Pessamit (défenderesse) et Procureur général du Québec (intervenant)

(A-146-10; 2010 FCA 306; 2010 CAF 306)

Indexed As: Conseil des Innus de Pessamit v. Association des policiers et policières de Pessamit

Federal Court of Appeal

Blais, C.J., Noël and Pelletier, JJ.A.

November 12, 2010.

Summary:

The Association des policiers et policières de Pessamit sought certification as the bargaining unit comprising public safety police officers in Pessamit. The Conseil des Innus de Pessamit made a preliminary objection to the admissibility of the application for certification, claiming that Part I of the Canada Labour Code did not apply to it because of a right to self-government in relation to public safety (Constitution Act, 1982, s. 35). The Canada Industrial Relations Board dismissed the objection and granted the Association's application for certification. The Conseil applied for judicial review.

The Federal Court of Appeal dismissed the application.

Constitutional Law - Topic 22

General - Raising constitutional issues - Standard of review re constitutional questions - [See Indians, Inuit and Métis - Topic 6032 ].

Indians, Inuit and Métis - Topic 6032

Particular aboriginal or treaty rights - Respecting labour relations - The Association des policiers et policières de Pessamit sought certification as the bargaining unit comprising public safety police officers in Pessamit - The Conseil des Innus de Pessamit made a preliminary objection to the admissibility of the application for certification, claiming that Part I of the Canada Labour Code did not apply to it because it had a right to self-government in relation to public safety (Constitution Act, 1982, s. 35) - The Canada Industrial Relations Board dismissed the objection and granted the Association's application for certification - The Board characterized the right asserted by the Conseil as being the right to regulate collective labour relations with its police force - The Board rejected the Conseil's characterization of the right claimed as being the right to ensure public safety on the reserve - The Conseil applied for judicial review and a constitutional question was submitted - The Federal Court of Appeal dismissed the application - The court noted that the standard of correctness applied to constitutional questions - The court discussed the test to be applied in identifying Aboriginal rights and held that the Board correctly characterized the right asserted by the Conseil - See paragraphs 1 to 30.

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Van der Peet (D.M.), [1996] 2 S.C.R. 507; 200 N.R. 1; 80 B.C.A.C. 81; 130 W.A.C. 81, refd to. [para. 8].

R. v. Pamajewon (H.) et al., [1996] 2 S.C.R. 821; 199 N.R. 321; 92 O.A.C. 241, refd to. [para. 8].

Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation v. National Automobile Aerospace Transportation and General Workers Union of Canada (CAW-Canada), Local 444 et al. (2007), 231 O.A.C. 113; 287 D.L.R.(4th) 452; 2007 ONCA 814, refd to. [para. 8].

R. v. Gray - see R. v. Sappier (D.M.) et al.

R. v. Sappier (D.M.) et al., [2006] 2 S.C.R. 686; 355 N.R. 1; 309 N.B.R.(2d) 199; 799 A.P.R. 199; 2006 SCC 54, refd to. [para. 12].

Haida Nation v. British Columbia (Minister of Forests) et al., [2004] 3 S.C.R. 511; 327 N.R. 53; 206 B.C.A.C. 52; 338 W.A.C. 52; 2004 SCC 73, refd to. [para. 12].

Campbell et al. v. British Columbia (Attorney General) et al., [2000] B.C.T.C. 528; 2000 BCSC 1123, refd to. [para. 12].

R. v. Sparrow, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 1075; 111 N.R. 241, refd to. [para. 13].

Mitchell v. Minister of National Revenue, [2001] 1 S.C.R. 911; 269 N.R. 207; 2001 SCC 33, refd to. [para. 16].

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. 18].

Counsel:

Jocelyn Dubé, for the applicant;

Francis Demers, for the intervenor.

Solicitors of Record:

J. Dubé & Associés, Montreal, Quebec, for the applicant;

Ken Rock, Avocat, Mani-Uténam, Québec, for the respondent;

Bernard, Roy (Justice-Québec), Montréal, Québec, for the intervenor.

This application was  heard  at Montreal, Quebec, on November 2, 2010, before Blais, C.J., Noël and Pelletier, JJ.A., of the Federal Court of Appeal. Noël, J.A., delivered the following judgment for the Court of Appeal at Ottawa, Ontario on November 12, 2010.