Leger v. Fredericton Exhibition Ltd. et al., (2015) 434 N.B.R.(2d) 186 (CA)

• Judge: Larlee, Quigg and Green, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (New Brunswick)
• Case Date: April 09, 2015
• Jurisdiction: New Brunswick
• Citations: (2015), 434 N.B.R.(2d) 186 (CA);2015 NBCA 20

Leger v. Fredericton Exhibition (2015), 434 N.B.R.(2d) 186 (CA);

    434 R.N.-B.(2e) 186; 1132 A.P.R. 186

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Sommaire et texte intégral

[French language version follows English language version]

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

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Temp. Cite: [2015] N.B.R.(2d) TBEd. AP.008

Renvoi temp.: [2015] N.B.R.(2d) TBEd. AP.008

Marc Leger (appellant) v. G & G Carnival Amusements Inc. (respondent)

Marc Leger (appellant) v. Fredericton Exhibition Limited and Maritime Midways Inc. (respondents)

(6-14-CA; 7-14-CA; 2015 NBCA 20)

Indexed As: Leger v. Fredericton Exhibition Ltd. et al.

Répertorié: Leger v. Fredericton Exhibition Ltd. et al.

New Brunswick Court of Appeal

Larlee, Quigg and Green, JJ.A.

April 9, 2015.

Summary:

Résumé:

The plaintiff commenced consolidated negligence claims for damages against the defendants for a fractured ankle suffered while exiting the "Firehouse" amusement at the Fredericton Exhibition. Both claims were made under rule 80, which limited damages to $30,000. Rule 80 provided for a simplified proceeding (expedited trial dates, no pre-trial discovery or independent medical examinations, no affidavit of documents or pretrial briefs, right of layman to bring his claim without a lawyer). Several days before the scheduled trial, the plaintiff applied to convert his rule 80 simplified claims into an ordinary action or a rule 79 action, because he now believed his damages exceeded $30,000. The defendants opposed the conversion.

The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, in a judgment reported (2013), 414 N.B.R.(2d) 89; 1075 A.P.R. 89, refused to convert the actions. The plaintiff appealed that discretionary decision.

The New Brunswick Court of Appeal allowed the appeal and ordered that the consolidated small claims action proceed as an ordinary action.

Courts - Topic 583

Judges - Duties - Re reasons for decisions - [See Practice - Topic 5274.14 ].

Practice - Topic 5274.14

Trials - General - Simplified procedure actions, fast track litigation, etc. - Transfer out of simplified procedure or fast track litigation - The plaintiff commenced consolidated negligence claims for damages against the defendants for a fractured ankle suffered while exiting the "Firehouse" amusement at the Fredericton Exhibition - Both claims were made under rule 80, which limited damages to $30,000 - Rule 80 provided for a simplified proceeding (expedited trial dates, no pre-trial discovery or independent medical examinations, no affidavit of documents or pretrial briefs, right of layman to bring his claim without a lawyer) - Several days before the scheduled trial, the plaintiff applied under rule 80.03 to convert his rule 80 simplified claims into an ordinary action or a rule 79 action, because he now believed his damages exceeded $30,000 - The defendants opposed the conversion - The trial judge refused to convert the actions - The plaintiff knew or should have known, prior to commencing his rule 80 claims, that his damages might exceed $30,000 - He chose the advantages of a simplified trial and rule 80.02(8) gave him notice that he abandoned or forfeited any right to damages exceeding $30,000 - The New Brunswick Court of Appeal allowed the plaintiff's appeal and converted the matter to an ordinary action - The trial judge "did not provide sufficient reasons for her decision to refuse the motion in accordance with Rule 80.03. She should have explained why justice would not be done by applying that rule, and examined any potential prejudice suffered by the respondents to flesh out that explanation" - The undisputed evidence was that the plaintiff believed his claim to be $42,000 (which he knew was limited to $30,000 under rule 80), but later realized (based on income loss and his current medical condition) that his claim increased to $85,000 - The defendants led no evidence as to prejudice - The trial judge misapplied the law in making her discretionary decision.

Practice - Topic 8804

Appeals - General principles - Duty of appellate court regarding discretionary orders - [See Practice - Topic 5274.14 ].

Procédure - Cote 5274.14

Procès - Généralités - Procédure simplifiée ou accélérée - Transfer hors de la procédure simplifiée ou accélérée - [Voir Practice - Topic 5274.14 ].

Procédure - Cote 8804

Appels - Principes généraux - Devoir d'une Cour d'appel relativement à des ordonnances discrétionnaires - [Voir Practice - Topic 8804 ].

Tribunaux - Cote 583

Juges - Devoirs - Motifs de décision - [Voir Courts - Topic 583 ].

Cases Noticed:

Beaverbrook Canadian Foundation v. Beaverbrook Art Gallery (2006), 302 N.B.R.(2d) 161; 784 A.P.R. 161; 2006 NBCA 75, refd to. [para. 7].

Williamson et al. v. Gillis et al. (2011), 374 N.B.R.(2d) 311; 965 A.P.R. 311; 2011 NBCA 53, refd to. [para. 7].

Shanks v. Shay et al. (2015), 429 N.B.R.(2d) 290; 1119 A.P.R. 290; 2015 NBCA 2, refd to. [para. 7].

Higgins Estate v. Arseneau (2014), 425 N.B.R.(2d) 109; 1107 A.P.R. 109; 2014 NBCA 65, refd to. [para. 7].

Milemore Holdings Ltd. v. Grew et al. (2014), 421 N.B.R.(2d) 316; 1094 A.P.R. 316; 2014 NBCA 33, refd to. [para. 7].

Wade v. New Brunswick (Minister of Health) (2013), 411 N.B.R.(2d) 207; 1069 A.P.R. 207; 2013 NBCA 55, refd to. [para. 7].

Sangster v. Sangster (2014), 416 N.B.R.(2d) 397; 1079 A.P.R. 397; 2014 NBCA 14, refd to. [para. 7].

British Columbia (Minister of Forests) v. Okanagan Indian Band et al., [2003] 3 S.C.R. 371; 313 N.R. 84; 189 B.C.A.C. 161; 309 W.A.C. 161; 2003 SCC 71, refd to. [para. 8].

New Brunswick Liquor Corp. v. Small (2012), 390 N.B.R.(2d) 203; 1011 A.P.R. 203; 2012 NBCA 53, refd to. [para. 10].

Raymond v. Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Co. of Canada (2014), 340 N.S.R.(2d) 290; 1077 A.P.R. 290; 2014 NSCA 13, refd to. [para. 10].

Rizzo & Rizzo Shoes Ltd. (Bankrupt), Re, [1998] 1 S.C.R. 27; 221 N.R. 241; 106 O.A.C. 1, refd to. [para. 10].

Keizer v. Slauenwhite (2012), 313 N.S.R.(2d) 344; 990 A.P.R. 344; 2012 NSCA 20, refd to. [para. 10].

Williams v. Kameka et al. (2009), 282 N.S.R.(2d) 376; 895 A.P.R. 376; 2009 NSCA 107, refd to. [para. 12].

Blanchard v. Acadie-Presse ltée (2013), 409 N.B.R.(2d) 152; 1062 A.P.R. 152; 2013 NBCA 58, refd to. [para. 14].

LeBlanc v. Doucet et al. (2012), 394 N.B.R.(2d) 228; 1020 A.P.R. 228; 2012 NBCA 88, refd to. [para. 15].

Johnson v. State Farm Fire and Casualty Co. (2015), 429 N.B.R.(2d) 251; 1119 A.P.R. 251; 2015 NBCA 4, refd to. [para. 19].

J.H. v. T.H. (2014), 422 N.B.R.(2d) 388; 1096 A.P.R. 388; 2014 NBCA 52, refd to. [para. 19].

Syndicat canadien de la Fonction publique, section locale 1773 v. Shediac (Ville) (2005), 280 N.B.R.(2d) 324; 734 A.P.R. 324 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 19].

Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 821 v. Vitalité Health Network (Zone 1B) (2015), 429 N.B.R.(2d) 158; 1119 A.P.R. 158; 2015 NBCA 3, refd to. [para. 19].

Statutes Noticed:

Interpretation Act, R.S.N.B. 1973, c. I-13, sect. 17 [para. 9].

Rules of Court (N.B.), rule 80.03 [para. 6].

Counsel:

Avocats:

George A. McAllister, Q.C., for the appellant;

Sheila N. Lanctôt, for the respondent, G & G Amusements Inc.;

Shivani Chopra, for the respondent, Fredericton Exhibition Ltd.;

Steven R. Barnett, for the respondent, Maritime Midways Inc.

This appeal was heard on February 19, 2015, before Larlee, Quigg and Green, JJ.A., of the New Brunswick Court of Appeal.

On April 9, 2015, Larlee, J.A., delivered the following judgment of the Court in both official languages.