Malik v. Manitoba and Civil Service Commission (Man.), (1985) 35 Man.R.(2d) 48 (QB)

• Judge: Monnin, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba (Canada)
• Case Date: June 03, 1985
• Jurisdiction: Manitoba
• Citations: (1985), 35 Man.R.(2d) 48 (QB)

Malik v. Man. (1985), 35 Man.R.(2d) 48 (QB)

MLB headnote and full text

Malik v. Manitoba and Civil Service Commission (Man.)

No. 2224/83

Indexed As: Malik v. Manitoba and Civil Service Commission (Man.)

Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench

Monnin, J.

June 3, 1985.

Summary:

The plaintiff, who had been employed in a non-bargaining position with the Government of Manitoba, brought an action against Manitoba for a declaration that she was unjustly dismissed and for damages for wrongful dismissal. She also brought an action against the Civil Service Commission challenging the validity of its dismissal of her appeal from layoff.

The Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench dismissed the actions and held that where the plaintiff was employed at pleasure, she could be dismissed at any time and there was nothing improper in her layoff.

Administrative Law - Topic 2088

Natural justice - Constitution of board or tribunal - Bias - Apprehension of - The Civil Service Commission dismissed the appeal of a civil servant from her layoff and dismissal - The civil servant challenged the Commission's decision partly on the ground that the Commission was an improper adjudicator, because it played an administrative and quasi-judicial role respecting Manitoba civil servants - The Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench, stressing that the civil servant was an employee of Manitoba and not the Commission, held that the Commission's role was not objectionable - See paragraphs 15 to 21.

Crown - Topic 1087

Contracts with Crown - Employee contracts - Power to dismiss - General - The Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench held that in Manitoba a civil servant is hired at pleasure and may be dismissed at pleasure unless otherwise protected, such as by a collective agreement - See paragraphs 25 to 35.

Labour Law - Topic 9151

Public service labour relations - Discipline and dismissal of civil servants - Crown - Prerogative of - Respecting dismissal - An economist employed by the Province of Manitoba for nearly 14 years as a Senior Officer I was laid off because of budget restraints - She was the only one of her classification in her branch and she was not covered by a collective agreement - The Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench held that she was properly laid off and dismissed, because she was employed at pleasure - See paragraphs 25 to 35.

Cases Noticed:

Nicholson v. Haldiman-Norfolk Regional Board of Commissioners of Police, [1979] 1 S.C.R. 311; 23 N.R. 410, appld. [para. 14].

Inuit Tapirisat of Canada and National Anti-Poverty Organization v. Attorney General of Canada (1980), 33 N.R. 304; 115 D.L.R.(3d) 1, appld. [para. 14].

Crevier v. Attorney General of Quebec (1981), 38 N.R. 541; 127 D.L.R.(3d) 1, appld. [para. 14].

Purolator Courier Ltd. v. Motor Transport Board of Manitoba (1981), 3 Man.R.(2d) 107, revd. 38 N.R. 465; 12 Man.R.(2d) 61; 126 D.L.R.(3d) 185 (S.C.C.), consd. [para. 16, App.].

Wilson and Nova Scotia Government Employees Association v. Civil Service Commission of Nova Scotia, [1981] 1 S.C.R. 211; 43 N.S.R.(2d) 631; 81 A.P.R. 631; 35 N.R. 103, consd. [para. 26, App.].

McKeen v. Province of New Brunswick (1971), 3 N.B.R.(2d) 418, appld. [para. 34, App.].

Miller v. Alberta (1980), 25 A.R. 560, refd to. [App.].

Archorner v. R., [1979] 1 F.C. 572, refd to. [App.].

Emms v. Minister of Indian Affairs et al., [1979] 2 S.C.R. 1148; 29 N.R. 156, refd to. [App.].

Marshall v. Saskatchewan, [1983] 2 W.W.R. 92; 20 Sask.R. 309, refd to. [App.].

Vaneck v. University of Alberta, [1975] 5 W.W.R. 429, refd to. [App.].

Wright v. R., [1975] F.C. 506, refd to. [App.].

Kelso v. Government of Manitoba (1981), 35 N.R. 19, refd to. [App.].

Robinson v. R., [1980] 2 F.C. 669, refd to. [App.].

Zamilinski v. R. (1957), 10 D.L.R.(2d) 685, refd to. [App.].

Mallet v. Province of New Brunswick (1982), 43 N.B.R.(2d) 309; 113 A.P.R. 309; 142 D.L.R. 161, affd. 47 N.B.R.(2d) 234; 124 A.P.R. 234, refd to. [App.].

Campbell v. East-West Packers (1969) Ltd. (1982), 18 Man.R.(2d) 293; 142 D.L.R.(3d) 90 (Man. C.A.), leave to appeal denied 20 Man.R.(2d) 146 (C.A.), 21 Man.R.(2d) 156; 48 N.R. 79 (S.C.C.), refd to. [App.].

Phillips v. R., [1977] 1 F.C. 756, refd to. [App.].

Bhadauria v. Board of Governors of Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology (1981), 37 N.R. 455; 124 D.L.R.(3d) 193, refd to. [App.].

Bouten & Mynarski Park School District No. 5012, Re (1982), 139 D.L.R.(3d) 651, refd to. [App.].

Lamont v. Air Canada et al. (1982), 126 D.L.R.(3d) 266, refd to. [App.].

Holden v. Board of Governors of Bethbridge Community College (1983), 43 A.R. 171; 144 D.L.R.(3d) 454, refd to. [App.].

Malone v. Ontario (1983), 45 O.R.(2d) 106, refd to. [App.].

McRae v. R., 26 A.C.W.S.(2d) 219 (F.C.T.D.), refd to. [App.].

Brown and Minister of Social Services, Re, 27 A.C.W.S. 325 (Nfld. S.C.T.D.), refd to. [App.].

Mitchell v. R. (1979), 23 O.R.(2d) 65, refd to. [App.].

Clarke v. Attorney-General of Ontario, [1966] 1 O.R. 539; 54 D.L.R.(2d) 577, refd to. [App.].

Blais v. Public Service Commission Appeal Board, [1979] 2 F.C. 412, refd to. [App.].

Northwestern Utilities Ltd. et al. v. City of Edmonton (1978), 23 N.R. 576; 12 A.R. 449; 89 D.L.R.(3d) 161 (S.C.C.), refd to. [App.].

Canada Labour Relations Board and Transair Ltd., Re (1976), 9 N.R. 181; 67 D.L.R.(3d) 421 (S.C.C.), refd to. [App.].

Lucas v. Taxicab Board, [1985] 2 W.W.R. 681; 31 Man.R.(2d) 97, refd to. [App.].

B.G. Ranches v. Manitoba Agricultural Lands Protection Board, [1983] 4 W.W.R. 681; 21 Man.R.(2d) 285, refd to. [App.].

Bingo Enterprises v. Manitoba Lotteries and Gaming Licensing Board, [1983] 5 W.W.R. 710; 23 Man.R.(2d) 33, refd to. [App.].

Perehinec v. Northern Pipeline Agency, [1984] 2 W.W.R. 385, 50 N.R. 248; 51 A.R. 10, refd to. [App.].

R. v. Ont. Lab. Rel. Bd; Ex parte Ont. Food Terminal Board [1963] 2 O.R. 91, refd to. [App.].

Westeel-Rosco Ltd. v. Board of Governors of South Saskatchewan Hospital Centre, [1976] 5 W.W.R. 688; 11 N.R. 514, refd to. [App.].

Purolator Courier Ltd. v. Motor Transport Board of Manitoba (1981), 38 N.R. 465; 12 Man.R.(2d) 61; 126 D.L.R.(3d) 185, refd to. [App.].

Howarth v. National Parole Board (1974), 3 N.R. 391; 50 D.L.R.(3d) 349, refd to. [App.].

Statutes Noticed:

Civil Service Act, R.S.M. 1970, c. C-110; C.C.S.M., c. C-110, sect. 19(1) [para. 11]; sect. 28(2) [para. 37]; sect. 31(1) [para. 12]; sect. 31(2) [para. 40]; sect. 31(3) [para. 39].

Civil Service Regulations, sect. 10(1) [para. 22].

Interpretation Act, R.S.M. 1970, c. I-80, C.C.S.M. c. I-80, sect. 2(1)(b) [para. 30]; sect. 18 [para. 29]; sect. 19 [para. 31].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Halsbury's Laws of England (4th Ed.), vol. 8, p. 679, para. 1106 [App.].

Hogg, Liability of the Crown, c. 6 [App.].

Counsel:

Sidney Green, for the plaintiff;

Grant Mitchell, for the Government of Manitoba;

W.G. McFetridge, for the Civil Service Commission.

This case was heard at Winnipeg, Manitoba, before Monnin, J., of the Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench, who delivered the following judgment on June 3, 1985: