Maritime Electric Co. v. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1432, and Murnaghan, (1993) 112 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 119 (PEICA)

• Judge: Carruthers, C.J.P.E.I., Mitchell and Campbell, JJ.A.
• Case Date: September 08, 1993
• Jurisdiction: Prince Edward Island
• Citations: (1993), 112 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 119 (PEICA)

Maritime Electric v. IBEW (1993), 112 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 119 (PEICA);

    350 A.P.R. 119

MLB headnote and full text

Maritime Electric Company Limited (appellant) v. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1432, and Vince Murnaghan (respondents)

(AD-0420)

Indexed As: Maritime Electric Co. v. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1432, and Murnaghan

Prince Edward Island Supreme Court

Appeal Division

Carruthers, C.J.P.E.I., Mitchell and Campbell, JJ.A.

October 29, 1993.

Summary:

A collective agreement provided that "[t]emporary assignments are solely at the discretion of the company." From 1980 to 1990 Maritime Electric's practice was to fill temporary vacancies in the leading troubleman position with the senior lineman. In 1990 a vacancy, which arose while the senior lineman was on temporary assignment, was assigned to a less senior person. The senior lineman grieved, submitting that Maritime breached its past practice. An arbitration board ordered Maritime to compensate the senior lineman. Maritime applied for judicial review.

The Prince Edward Island Supreme Court, Trial Division, in a judgment reported 101 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 294; 321 A.P.R. 294, dismissed the application and upheld the board's decision. Maritime appealed.

The Prince Edward Island Supreme Court, Appeal Division, allowed the appeal and quashed the board's decision, ruling that the board patently erred in law in finding that the evidence established promissory estoppel, where Maritime over the years was merely exercising its discretion in making temporary assignments.

Estoppel - Topic 1163

Estoppel by conduct - Representation by conduct - Practice or course of conduct - [See Labour Law - Topic 6413 ].

Labour Law - Topic 6006

Industrial relations - Employer policy - Estoppel re changes in policy - [See Labour Law - Topic 6413 ].

Labour Law - Topic 6413

Industrial relations - Collective agreement - Interpretation - Application of doctrine estoppel - A collective agreement provided that "[t]emporary assignments are solely at the discretion of the company." - From 1980 to 1990 the employer's practice was to fill temporary vacancies in the leading troubleman position with the senior lineman - In 1990 a vacancy, which arose while the senior lineman was on temporary assignment, was assigned to a less senior person - The senior lineman grieved, submitting that the employer breached its past practice - An arbitration board agreed, finding that a promissory estoppel was proved - The Prince Edward Island Court of Appeal reversed, ruling that the board patently erred in law in finding that the evidence established promissory estoppel, where the employer over the years was merely exercising its discretion in making temporary assignments.

Labour Law - Topic 7011

Industrial relations - Collective agreement - Enforcement - Estoppel - [See Labour Law - Topic 6413 ].

Labour Law - Topic 7112

Industrial relations - Collective agreement - Enforcement - Arbitration - Judicial review - Scope of review - The Prince Edward Island Court of Appeal held that the patently unreasonable test applied to judicial review of a grievance arbitration award under a collective agreement - See paragraphs 19 to 30.

Cases Noticed:

McConnell, Hopkinson, Wilson and Benjamin v. Douglas Aircraft Co. of Canada Ltd. and O'Shea (1979), 29 N.R. 109; 99 D.L.R.(3d) 385 (S.C.C.), appld. [para. 23].

Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, Branch 63 v. Alberta Public Service Employee Relations Board and Board of Governors of Olds College, [1982] 1 S.C.R. 923; 42 N.R. 559; 37 A.R. 281; 21 Alta. L.R.(2d) 104; 136 D.L.R.(3d) 1, appld. [para. 24].

Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 963 v. New Brunswick Liquor Corp., [1979] 2 S.C.R. 227; 26 N.R. 341; 25 N.B.R.(2d) 237; 51 A.P.R. 237; 97 D.L.R.(3d) 417; 79 C.L.L.C. 14,209, appld. [para. 24].

Bell Canada v. Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission, [1989] 1 S.C.R. 1722; 97 N.R. 15, appld. [para. 25].

National Corn Growers' Association et al. v. Canadian Import Tribunal, [1990] 2 S.C.R. 1324; 114 N.R. 81; 74 D.L.R.(4th) 449, appld. [para. 26].

Paccar of Canada Ltd. v. Canadian Association of Industrial, Mechanical and Allied Workers', Local 14, [1989] 2 S.C.R. 983; 102 N.R. 1; 62 D.L.R.(4th) 437; 89 C.L.L.C. 14,050; [1989] 6 W.W.R. 673; 40 Admin. L.R. 181, appld. [para. 29].

Prince Edward Island Public Service Association Inc. v. Holland College, [1986] 2 P.E.I.R. B3; 60 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 82; 181 A.P.R. 82 (P.E.I.C.A.), appld. [para. 30].

Central London Property Trust Ltd. v. High Trees House Ltd., [1947] K.B. 130; [1956] 1 All E.R. 256, appld. [para. 34].

Combe v. Combe, [1951] 2 K.B. 215; [1946] 1 All E.R. 767 (C.A.), appld. [para. 34].

Burrows (John) Ltd. v. Subsurface Surveys Ltd. et al. (1968), 68 D.L.R.(2d) 354 (S.C.C.), appld. [para. 35].

Engineered Homes Ltd. v. Mason et al., [1983] 1 S.C.R. 641; 47 N.R. 379, appld. [para. 37].

Maracle v. Travellers Indemnity Co. of Canada (1991), 125 N.R. 294; 47 O.A.C. 333; 80 D.L.R.(4th) 652 (S.C.C.), appld. [para. 38].

Smoky River Coal Ltd. v. United Steelworkers of America, Local 7621 et al. (1985), 60 A.R. 36; 18 D.L.R.(4th) 742 (C.A.), appld. [para. 47].

Dayco (Canada) Ltd. v. National Automobile, Aerospace & Agricultural Implement Workers Union of Canada (CAW - Canada) (1993), 152 N.R. 1; 63 O.A.C. 1; 102 D.L.R.(4th) 609 (S.C.C.), dist. [para. 51].

United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, Local 579 v. Bradco Construction Ltd. (1993), 153 N.R. 81; 106 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 140; 334 A.P.R. 140; 102 D.L.R.(4th) 402 (S.C.C.), dist. [para. 51].

Lapointe v. Domtar Inc. - see Domtar Inc. v. Commission d'appel en matière de lésions professionnelles et autres.

Domtar Inc. v. Commission d'appel en matière de lésions professionnelles et autres (1993), 154 N.R. 104; 55 Q.A.C. 241 (S.C.C.), dist. [para. 51].

Statutes Noticed:

Labour Act, R.S.P.E.I. 1988, c. L-1, sect. 37(1), sect. 37(8) [para. 21].

Special Import Measures Act, S.C. 1984, c. 25, sect. 76(1) [para. 26].

Counsel:

William G. Lea, Q.C., for the appellant;

Rosemary Scott and Eugene P. Rossiter, Q.C., for the respondents.

This appeal was heard on September 8, 1993, before Carruthers, C.J.P.E.I., Mitchell and Campbell, JJ.A., of the Prince Edward Island Supreme Court, Appeal Division. The following decision was delivered by Carruthers, C.J.P.E.I., on October 29, 1993.