Masters v. Masters, (1991) 93 Sask.R. 241 (CA)

• Judge: Vancise, Wakeling and Gerwing, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (Saskatchewan)
• Case Date: October 18, 1990
• Jurisdiction: Saskatchewan
• Citations: (1991), 93 Sask.R. 241 (CA)

Masters v. Masters (1991), 93 Sask.R. 241 (CA);

    4 W.A.C. 241

MLB headnote and full text

Andre Barclay Masters (appellant/petitioner) v. Georgia Annette Masters (respondent/respondent)

(No. 487)

Indexed As: Masters v. Masters

Saskatchewan Court of Appeal

Vancise, Wakeling and Gerwing, JJ.A.

August 27, 1991.

Summary:

The parties divorced in 1977. The decree nisi incorporated the terms of their 1976 separation agreement whereby the husband agreed to pay the wife maintenance of $700 per month. Years later the husband applied under s. 17 of the Divorce Act to vary (can­cel) his maintenance obligation.

The Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench, in a decision reported in 82 Sask.R. 190, dismissed the application and declined to vary the level of maintenance. The hus­band appealed.

The Saskatchewan Court of Appeal, Van­cise, J.A., dissenting, dismissed the appeal.

Family Law - Topic 3356

Separation agreements - Effect of agree­ment - Maintenance - A couple married 19 years separated in 1976 and divorced in 1977 - A separation agreement incor­porated into the decree nisi obligated the husband to pay the wife $700 monthly - The husband faithfully complied, even providing additional financial help to enable the wife to obtain training and establish a business - The wife became allegedly self-sufficient - The Saskatchewan Court of Appeal affirmed that the parties should be held to their agreement and declined to cancel the husband's support obligation, as the changed circumstances did not have a causal connection with the marriage - The agreement was intended to be final and the fact that the agreement was stated to be "until further order" was irrelevant - See paragraphs 1 to 18.

Family Law - Topic 4006

Divorce - Corollary relief - Maintenance awards - Effect of agreements - [See Family Law - Topic 3356 ].

Family Law - Topic 4017

Divorce - Corollary relief - Maintenance awards - Variation of periodic payments - [See Family Law - Topic 3356 ].

Cases Notice d:

Pelech v. Pelech, [1987] 1 S.C.R. 801; [1987] 4 W.W.R. 481; 76 N.R. 81; 7 R.F.L.(3d) 225; 14 B.C.L.R. 145; 38 D.L.R.(4th) 641, appld. [para. 6 et seq.].

Caron v. Caron, [1987] 1 S.C.R. 892; 75 N.R. 36; 2 Y.R. 246; [1987] 4 W.W.R. 522; 7 R.F.L.(3d) 274; 38 D.L.R.(4th) 735, refd to. [para. 6].

Richardson v. Richardson, [1987] 1 S.C.R. 857; 77 N.R. 1; 22 O.A.C. 1; 7 R.F.L.(3d) 304; 38 D.L.R.(4th) 699, refd to. [para. 6].

Publicover v. Publicover (1987), 81 N.S.R.(2d) 91; 203 A.P.R. 91; 9 R.F.L.(3d) 308, refd to. [para. 13].

Thomson v. Thomson (1988), 69 Sask.R. 62; 14 R.F.L.(3d) 347; 52 D.L.R.(4th) 221, refd to. [para. 27].

Talbot v. Henry (1990), 84 Sask.R. 170; 25 R.F.L.(3d) 415 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 27].

Harrington v. Harrington (1981), 33 O.R.(2d) 150 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 28].

Hyman v. Hyman, [1929] A.C. 601, refd to. [para. 36].

Messier v. Delage, [1983] 2 S.C.R. 401; 50 N.R. 16; 35 R.F.L.(2d) 337, refd to. [para. 36].

Farquar v. Farquar (1983), 35 R.F.L.(2d) 287; 1 D.L.R.(4th) 244 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [para. 42].

Ross v. Ross (1984), 26 Man.R.(2d) 122; 39 R.F.L.(2d) 51 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 42].

Webb v. Webb (1984), 39 R.F.L.(2d) 113, refd to. [para. 43].

Pigeon v. Pigeon (1985), 15 R.F.L.(3d) 373 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 55].

Leman v. Leman (1985), 14 R.F.L.(3d) 122 (Ont. H.C.), refd to. [para. 55].

Tomlin v. Christie (1987), 10 R.F.L.(3d) 292 (Sask. Q.B.), refd to. [para. 55].

Ritchie v. Ritchie (1988), 16 R.F.L.(3d) 163, consd. [para. 57].

Wark v. Wark, 18 R.F.L.(3d) 75 (Ont. D.C.), refd to. [para. 58].

Doncaster v. Doncaster (1989), 76 Sask.R. 81; 21 R.F.L.(3d) 357, refd to. [para. 60].

Horn v. Horn (1987), 49 Man.R.(2d) 301; 11 R.F.L.(3d) 23 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 61].

Weir v. Weir (1986), 12 R.F.L.(3d) 160, refd to. [para. 61].

Statutes Noticed:

Court of Appeal Act, R.S.S. 1978, c. C-42, sect. 8 [paras. 27-28].

Divorce Act, R.S.C. 1970, c. D-8, sect. 11(2) [paras. 36, 52].

Divorce Act, R.S.C. 1985 (2nd Supp.), c. 3, sect. 17 [paras. 5, 17, 21, 69]; sect. 17(1) [paras. 30, 52]; sect. 17(4) [paras. 30, 51, 53, 71]; sect. 17(7) [para. 30]; sect. 17(7)(d) [paras. 52-53, 66]; sect. 17(10) [paras. 30, 53]; sect. 21(5) [para. 27].

Authors and Works Noticed:

McLeod, Annotation to Ritchie v. Ritchie (1988), 16 R.F.L.(3d) 164 [para. 64].

Counsel:

R.B. Hunter, for the appellant;

E.F.A. Merchant, for the respondent.

This appeal was heard before Vancise, Wakeling and Gerwing, JJ.A., of the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal on October 18, 1990. The decision of the Court of Appeal was delivered on August 27, 1991, when the following opinions were filed:

Wakeling, J.A. (Gerwing, J.A., concur­ring) - see paragraphs 1 to 19;

Vancise, J.A., dissenting - see para­graphs 20 to 74.