Jensen v. Alberta et al., 2002 ABQB 788

• Judge: Lefsrud, J.
• Court: Court of Queen''s Bench of Alberta (Canada)
• Case Date: Wednesday July 10, 2002
• Citations: 2002 ABQB 788;(2002), 323 A.R. 164 (QB)

Jensen v. Alta. (2002), 323 A.R. 164 (QB)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2002] A.R. TBEd. SE.051

Peter Jensen and Edith Jensen (plaintiffs) v. The Queen in Right of the Province of Alberta, A.P. (Al) Palmer, Tim Jackson, M.L. (Mel) Bertsch, Roger Hagen, Denis Blouin, Robert Valk, Mike Grahame, Fred Rolland, and Tyler Roddick-Ament (defendants)

(No. 0103 24025; 2002 ABQB 788)

Indexed As: Jensen v. Alberta et al.

Alberta Court of Queen's Bench

Judicial District of Edmonton

Lefsrud, J.

September 3, 2002.

Summary:

The plaintiff was employed with the Government of Alberta as a Court and Prisoner Security Constable (CAPS officer). The plaintiff's employment was governed by the Public Service Employee Relations Act and a master collective agreement. The plaintiff sued the Province of Alberta for damages, claiming, inter alia, breach of fundamental implied terms of the employment contract, malicious prosecution, defamation, and unfair treatment. The plaintiff alleged that the employer's acts resulted in him taking a stress leave and eventually being unable to work due to stress. The Province of Alberta applied to strike out the statement of claim, arguing that the plaintiff's situation was governed by the collective agreement, or that the pleadings were inadequate.

The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench held that the pleadings respecting the defamation and malicious prosecution claim were deficient, but gave the plaintiff time to amend the pleadings respecting these two claims. Otherwise, the court struck the remainder of the allegations, holding that they were essentially a claim for wrongful constructive dismissal, a matter covered by the collective agreement.

Labour Law - Topic 6906

Industrial relations - Collective agreement -Civil action - Jurisdiction - The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench reviewed the law on when a person may maintain a civil action against an employer in the face of a collective agreement - See paragraphs 15 to 47.

Labour Law - Topic 6906

Industrial relations - Collective agreement -Enforcement - Civil action - The plaintiff was a unionized Alberta Court and Prisoner Security Constable - The plaintiff claimed he could not work because of stress and sued the Province of Alberta alleging breach of the employment contract, malicious prosecution, defamation, unfair treatment, etc. - The Province of Alberta applied to strike out the statement of claim - The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench held that the pleadings respecting the defamation and malicious prosecution claim were deficient, but gave the plaintiff time to amend the pleadings respecting these two claims - The court struck the remainder of the plaintiff's allegations, holding that they were essentially a claim for wrongful constructive dismissal, a matter covered by the collective agreement.

Labour Law - Topic 9076

Public service labour relations - Remedies - Civil action - When available - [See second Labour Law - Topic 6906 ].

Cases Noticed:

Weber v. Ontario Hydro, [1995] 2 S.C.R. 929; 183 N.R. 241; 82 O.A.C. 321; 125 D.L.R.(4th) 583, refd to. [para. 2].

Young Estate et al. v. TransAlta Utilities Corp. et al. (1997), 209 A.R. 89; 160 W.A.C. 89 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 2].

St. Anne Nackawic Pulp & Paper Co. v. Canadian Paper Workers Union, Local 219, [1986] 1 S.C.R. 704; 68 N.R. 112; 73 N.B.R.(2d) 236; 184 A.P.R. 236, refd to. [para. 15].

New Brunswick v. O'Leary, [1995] 2 S.C.R. 967; 183 N.R. 229; 163 N.B.R.(2d) 97; 419 A.P.R. 97; 125 D.L.R.(4th) 609, refd to. [para. 20].

Pratt v. University of Lethbridge et al. (2001), 281 A.R. 393; 248 W.A.C. 393 (C.A.), leave to appeal dismissed (2001), 284 N.R. 197 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 23].

Québec (Ministre de la Justice) v. Therrien, J., [2001] 2 S.C.R. 3; 270 N.R. 1, refd to. [para. 24].

Regina Police Association Inc. v. Board of Police Commissioners of Regina, [2000] 1 S.C.R. 360; 251 N.R. 16; 189 Sask.R. 23; 216 W.A.C. 23, refd to. [para. 26].

Pleau v. Canada (Attorney General) et al. (1999), 181 N.S.R.(2d) 356; 560 A.P.R. 356; 182 D.L.R.(4th) 373 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 27].

Phillips v. Harrison (2000), 153 Man.R.(2d) 1; 238 W.A.C. 1; 196 D.L.R.(4th) 69 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 31].

Piko v. Hudson's Bay Co. (1998), 116 O.A.C. 92; 41 O.R.(3d) 729 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 35].

Haight-Smith v. Neden et al. (2002), 164 B.C.A.C. 236; 268 W.A.C. 236 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 38].

Hall v. Yukon, [1997] Y.J. No. 109 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 44].

Kavanagh v. Newfoundland (Minister of Education) et al., [2000] Nfld. & P.E.I.R. Uned. 61 (Nfld. T.D.), refd to. [para. 45].

Webber v. Kelowna (City), [2001] B.C.T.C. 189 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 46].

Sorochan v. Board of Education of St. Albert Protestant Separate School District No. 6 (2002), 311 A.R. 1 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 47].

CVC Services v. I.W.A. - Canada, Local 1-71 (1997), 65 L.A.C.(4th) 54 (B.C. Arb. Bd.), refd to. [para. 51].

Telus Corp. v. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 348, [2000] C.L.A.D. No. 421, refd to. [para. 51].

Tyee Village Hotel and Hotel, Restaurant & Culinary Employees & Bartenders Union, Local 40, Re (1999), 81 L.A.C.(4th) 365 (B.C. Arb. Bd.), refd to. [para. 51].

Pacific Press v. Communications, Energy & Paperworkers Union, Local 115-M, Re (1998), 73 L.A.C.(4th) 35 (B.C. Arb. Bd.), refd to. [para. 51].

Nelles v. Ontario et al., [1989] 2 S.C.R. 170; 98 N.R. 321; 35 O.A.C. 161; 60 D.L.R.(4th) 609; 49 C.C.L.T. 217, refd to. [para. 62].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Brown, R.E., The Law of Defamation in Canada (2nd Ed. 1999), p. 1-25 [para. 55].

Counsel:

Dennis G. Groh, Q.C., and Rosanna M. Saccomani, for the plaintiffs;

Susan L. Bercov, for the defendants.

This application was heard on July 10, 2002, before Lefsrud, J., of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench, Judicial District of Edmonton, who delivered the following decision on September 3, 2002.