Leighton et al. v. Canada (No. 2), (1988) 21 F.T.R. 27 (TD)

• Judge: Muldoon, J.
• Court: Federal Court (Canada)
• Case Date: May 18, 1988
• Jurisdiction: Canada (Federal)
• Citations: (1988), 21 F.T.R. 27 (TD)

Leighton v. Can. (1988), 21 F.T.R. 27 (TD)

MLB headnote and full text

Donald Alexander Leighton et al. (plaintiffs) v. Her Majesty the Queen (defendant)

(T-165-85)

Indexed As: Leighton et al. v. Canada (No. 2)

Federal Court of Canada

Trial Division

Muldoon, J.

May 18, 1988.

Summary:

The plaintiffs commenced an action for a determination of the rent payable for occupation of waterfront lots on Little Shuswap Lake in British Columbia under their respective leases from the federal Crown. The land leased was Indian reserve land. The Federal Court of Canada, Trial Division, in a decision reported in 13 F.T.R. 198, determined the rent accordingly.

In the following decision, the Federal Court of Canada, Trial Division, determined that the successful plaintiffs were not entitled to prejudgment interest against the defendant Crown.

Crown - Topic 463

Statutes affecting the Crown - Interest as damages - The Federal Court of Canada, Trial Division, held that pursuant to ss. 35 and 40 of the Federal Court Act, prejudgment interest in a contract action is not allowed against the Crown unless there is a statute or contract specifically providing for it.

Interest - Topic 5119

Interest as damages (prejudgment interest) - Breach of contract - Crown, claims against - [See Crown - Topic 463 above].

Cases Noticed:

Guerin v. The Queen, [1982] 2 F.C. 445, refd to. [para. 4].

Guerin v. Canada, [1984] 2 S.C.R. 335; 55 N.R. 161, refd to. [para. 5].

Dywidag Systems International, Canada Ltd. v. Zutphen Bros. Construction Ltd. (1987), 76 N.S.R.(2d) 398; 189 A.P.R. 398; 35 D.L.R.(4th) 433, refd to. [para. 7].

Reference Re Roman Catholic Separate High Schools Funding, [1987] 1 S.C.R. 1148; 77 N.R. 241; 22 O.A.C. 321 consd. [para. 9].

R. v. Stoddart (1987), 20 O.A.C. 365; 59 C.R.(3d) 134 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 12].

Ominayak et al. v. Norcen Energy Resources Limited et al. (1987), 83 A.R. 363 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 12].

Sheldrick v. Canada (1986), 1 F.T.R. 222; 25 D.L.R.(4th) 721, refd to. [para. 14].

Statutes Noticed:

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982, sect. 15(1) [paras. 6-8, 12].

Constitution Act, 1867, sect. 101 [paras. 8, 13].

Federal Court Act, R.S.C. 1970 (2nd Supp.), c. 10, sect. 35 [paras. 3, 13, 15]; sect. 40 [paras. 3, 13].

Counsel:

K.C. MacKenzie, for the plaintiffs;

Paul Partridge, for the defendant.

Solicitors of Record:

Guild, Yule & Company, Vancouver, B.C., for the plaintiffs;

F. Iacobucci, Q.C., Deputy Attorney General of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, for the defendant.

This case was heard before Muldoon, J., of the Federal Court of Canada, Trial Division, at Vancouver, B.C., on February 24-27, 1987. The decision of Muldoon, J., was delivered on May 18, 1988.