Kostuch v. Alberta (Attorney General), (1993) 143 A.R. 161 (QB)

• Judge: Power, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta (Canada)
• Case Date: August 26, 1993
• Citations: (1993), 143 A.R. 161 (QB)

Kostuch v. Alta. (A.G.) (1993), 143 A.R. 161 (QB)

MLB headnote and full text

In The Matter of Regina ex rel Kostuch v. The Queen in right of Alberta et al. being information number 21075833P1 ("the information") sworn by Martha Kostuch in the Provincial Court of Alberta in the Judicial District of Calgary ("the Court") on the 28th day of July, 1992, alleging inter alia that The Queen in right of Alberta, UMA Engineering Ltd., W.A. Stephenson Construction (Western) Limited, and SCI Engineering & Construction Inc. ("the accused") did contravene section 35(1) and 40(1)(b) of the Fisheries Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-14, and upon which summonses have been issued to the Accused by the Court to appear in Courtroom number GR-1 in the Court of Queen's Bench Courthouse in the City of Calgary on Monday, March 22, 1993 to answer to the information.

Between:

Martha Kostuch (applicant) v. The Attorney General of Alberta (respondent)

(Action No. 9301-0351-C1)

Indexed As: Kostuch v. Alberta (Attorney General)

Alberta Court of Queen's Bench

Judicial District of Calgary

Power, J.

August 26, 1993.

Summary:

Kostuch swore a private information under the Federal Fisheries Act against the Province of Alberta et al., alleging a disruption or destruction of fish habitat at the Oldman River dam site. The Attorney General of Alberta intervened and entered a stay of proceedings. Kostuch applied to set aside the intervention and stay and to prohibit the Attorney General from intervening or direct­ing a stay, arguing that her rights under the ss. 2(a), 2(b) and 7 of the Charter were infringed.

The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench dis­missed the application.

Crown - Topic 612

Attorney General - Private prosecutions - Power to intervene - [See both Crown - Topic 613 ].

Crown - Topic 613

Attorney General - Private prosecutions - Power to stay - Kostuch swore a private information under the Federal Fisheries Act against the Province of Alberta et al., alleging a disruption or destruction of fish habitat at the Oldman River dam site - The Attorney General of Alberta inter­vened and entered a stay of proceedings - Kostuch applied to set aside the interven­tion and stay, arguing that her rights under the ss. 2(a), 2(b) and 7 of the Charter were infringed - The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench dismissed the application, holding that absent any flagrant impropriety by the Attorney General, the actions in interven­ing and entering a stay did not violate Kostuch's rights under ss. 2 or 7 of the Charter - See paragraphs 39 to 59.

Crown - Topic 613

Attorney General - Private prosecutions - Power to stay - The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench stated that "[o]nce the Attorney General intervenes in a prosecu­tion, he assumes control of the prosecution and has the right to stay those proceedings despite the wishes of the informant" and that "[t]he exercise by the Attorney Gen­eral of his prosecutorial discretion to stay proceedings is not subject to review by a court except where there is a flagrant impropriety on the part of the Attorney General" - See paragraphs 40 and 51.

Cases Noticed:

Kostuch v. Kowalski et al. (1990), 107 A.R. 60; 57 C.C.C.(3d) 168 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 2].

Kostuch v. Alberta et al. (1991), 112 A.R. 283; 78 Alta. L.R.(2d) 131 (Prov. Ct.), affd. 121 A.R. 219; 66 C.C.C.(3d) 201 (Q.B.), affd. 125 A.R. 214; 14 W.A.C. 214; 71 C.C.C.(3d) 266 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 2].

Friends of the Oldman River Society v. Canada (Minister of Transport and Min­ister of Fisheries and Oceans) (1992), 132 N.R. 321; 88 D.L.R.(4th) 1 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 2].

R. v. Sacobie and Paul (1979), 28 N.B.R.(2d) 288; 63 A.P.R. 288; 51 C.C.C.(2d) 430 (C.A.), consd. [para. 36].

Balderstone v. R. et al. (1983), 23 Man.R.(2d) 125; 8 C.C.C.(3d) 532 (C.A.), consd. [para. 41].

R. v. Moore (1986), 39 Man.R.(2d) 315; 26 C.C.C.(3d) 474 (C.A.), consd. [para. 42].

Hamilton v. R. (1986), 30 C.C.C.(3d) 65 (B.C.S.C.), consd. [para. 46].

Osiowy v. Linn, P.C.J. (1989), 77 Sask.R. 1; 50 C.C.C.(3d) 189 (C.A.), consd. [para. 47].

R. v. Mills, [1986] 1 S.C.R. 863; 67 N.R. 241; 16 O.A.C. 81; 52 C.R.(3d) 1; 26 C.C.C.(3d) 481; 29 D.L.R.(4th) 161; 21 C.R.R. 76, consd. [para. 53].

R. v. Lyons, [1987] 2 S.C.R. 309; 80 N.R. 161; 82 N.S.R.(2d) 271; 207 A.P.R. 271; 37 C.C.C.(3d) 1, consd. [para. 55].

R. v. Beare; R. v. Higgins, [1988] 2 S.C.R. 387; 88 N.R. 205; 71 Sask.R. 1; 45 C.C.C.(3d) 57; [1989] 1 W.W.R. 97; 66 C.R.(3d) 97, revsing. [1987] 4 W.W.R. 309; 56 Sask.R. 173 (C.A.), consd. [para. 56].

Statutes Noticed:

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982, sect. 2 [para. 58]; sect. 7 [para. 52].

Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46, sect. 579(1) [para. 4].

Fisheries Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. F-14, sect. 35(1) [para. 11]; sect. 35(2) [para. 13].

Rules of Court (Alta.), rule 827 [para. 34].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Gunther, Gerald, Individual Rights in Constitutional Law (3rd Ed. 1981), p. 574 [para. 45].

McDonald, David C., Legal Rights in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Free­doms (2nd. Ed.), p. 137 [para. 54].

Tarnopolsky, Walter S., and Gerald A. Beaudoin, Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (1982), generally [para. 45].

Counsel:

R. Ian Cartwright, for the applicant;

T.A.H. Beattie, for the respondent;

Ingrid C. Hutton, for the Department of Justice.

This case was heard before Power, J., of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench, Judicial District of Calgary, who delivered the fol­lowing judgment on August 26, 1993.