Molineaux v. Workers' Compensation Board (Alta.), (2001) 304 A.R. 342 (QB)

• Judge: Watson, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta (Canada)
• Case Date: Thursday November 08, 2001
• Citations: (2001), 304 A.R. 342 (QB);2001 ABQB 932

Molineaux v. WCB (2001), 304 A.R. 342 (QB)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2001] A.R. TBEd. DE.018

Richard Molineaux (applicant) v. Appeals Commission of the Workers' Compensation Board of Alberta (respondent)

(Action No. 0103 10747; 2001 ABQB 932)

Indexed As: Molineaux v. Workers' Compensation Board (Alta.)

Alberta Court of Queen's Bench

Judicial District of Edmonton

Watson, J.

November 16, 2001.

Summary:

The Workers' Compensation Board Claims Service Review Committee rejected Molineaux's injury claim. The Appeals Commission rejected Molineaux's appeal on June 26, 2000. Molineaux requested that the Appeals Commission review its decision. The Appeals Commission declined to review its decision on November 30, 2000. Molineaux sought judicial review of both the June and November decisions.

The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench quashed the judicial review application respecting the June decision as out of time and dismissed the judicial review application respecting the November decision.

Administrative Law - Topic 3342

Judicial review - General - Practice - Limitation period - [See Workers' Compensation - Topic 7128].

Workers' Compensation - Topic 7121

Practice - Judicial review - General (incl. when available) - On June 26, 2000, the Workers Compensation Appeals Commission made a decision respecting Molineaux - Molineaux requested a reconsideration of the decision - On November 30, 2000, the application for a rehearing was denied - Molineaux filed judicial review applications respecting both decisions - The Appeals Commission argued that the November rehearing decision was not subject to judicial review - The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench rejected the argument - Whether the November decision was subject to review had regard to the Workers Compensation Act and Part 56.1 of the Rules of Court - The Rules were not limiting as to the nature of the "decision, act or omission" of a tribunal that might be the subject of judicial review - The decision involved rights, liberties, privileges or property - See paragraphs 62 to 73.

Workers' Compensation - Topic 7128

Practice - Judicial review - Time for - On June 26, 2000, the Workers Compensation Appeals Commission made a decision respecting Molineaux - Molineaux requested a review of the decision - On November 30, 2000, the application for a rehearing was denied - Molineaux filed judicial review applications respecting both decisions on May 9, 2001 - Rule 753.11 of the Rules of Court required that a judicial review application be filed within six months after the decision or act to which it related - The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench held that the judicial review application respecting the June decision was out of time - The fact that Molineaux had sought judicial review of the November decision refusing a rehearing, howsoever the latter was characterized, did not change that situation - See paragraphs 43 to 61.

Cases Noticed:

Athey v. Leonati et al., [1996] 3 S.C.R. 458; 203 N.R. 36; 81 B.C.A.C. 243; 132 W.A.C. 243; [1997] 1 W.W.R. 97, reving. [1995] B.C.J. No. 666; 54 A.C.W.S.(3d) 503 (C.A.), affing. (1994), 44 A.C.W.S.(3d) 908 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 37, footnote 1].

Thimer v. Workers' Compensation Board Appeals Commission (Alta.) (2001), 276 A.R. 236; 89 Alta. L.R.(3d) 353 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 43, footnote 2].

Becker v. Director of Employment Standards (Alta.) et al. (2000), 277 A.R. 131; 242 W.A.C. 131; 7 C.P.C.(5th) 41 (C.A.), leave to appeal denied (2001), 275 N.R. 396 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 43, footnote 3].

Nicholson v. Workers' Compensation Board Appeals Commission (Alta.) (1998), 225 A.R. 105 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 44, footnote 4].

Krawec v. Workers' Compensation Board (Alta.) (1998), 233 A.R. 110 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 45, footnote 5].

Telus Communications Inc. et al. v. Opportunity No. 17 (Municipal District) (1998), 235 A.R. 258 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 45, footnote 6].

Johannesson v. Workers' Compensation Board Appeals Commission (Alta.) (1995), 175 A.R. 34 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 46, footnote 7].

Dhillon v. Faculties Council Academic Appeals Committee of the University of Alberta et al. (2000), 259 A.R. 63 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 46, footnote 8].

Skyline Roofing Ltd. et al. v. Workers' Compensation Board (Alta.) (1996), 186 A.R. 69 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 47, footnote 9].

Spanach et al. v. Workers' Compensation Board (Alta.) (1987), 75 A.R. 212 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 48, footnote 10].

OH Ranch Ltd. v. Surface Rights Board (Alta.) (1994), 148 A.R. 315 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 48, footnote 11].

Emery v. Workers' Compensation Board Appeals Commission (Alta.) (2000), 274 A.R. 331 (Q.B.), dist. [para. 50, footnote 12].

Sharma v. University of Calgary (1990), 107 A.R. 50; 71 D.L.R.(4th) 344 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 51, footnote 13].

Canadian Broadcasting Corp. v. Canadian Media Guild et al. (1998), 224 A.R. 172 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 52, footnote 14].

Soimu v. Canada (Secretary of State) (1994), 83 F.T.R. 285 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 53, footnote 15].

Independent Contractors and Business Association et al. v. Canada (Minister of Labour) et al. (1998), 225 N.R. 19 (F.C.A.), refd to. [para. 53, footnote 16].

Pelican Spruce Mills Ltd. v. Pelican Spruce Mills Employees Association and Davis (1988), 86 A.R. 179; 58 Alta. L.R.(2d) 169 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 17].

United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, Local 1325 v. Permasteel Construction Ltd. et al. (2000), 278 A.R. 1 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 57, footnote 18].

Skyline Roofing Ltd. v. Workers' Compensation Board (Alta.) et al. (2001), 292 A.R. 86 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 64, footnote 19].

Director of Investigation and Research, Competition Act v. Southam Inc. et al., [1997] 1 S.C.R. 748; 209 N.R. 20; 144 D.L.R.(4th) 1, refd to. [para. 67, footnote 21].

Baker v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), [1999] 2 S.C.R. 817; 243 N.R. 22; 174 D.L.R.(4th) 193, refd to. [para. 72, footnote 22].

Friends of the Oldman River Society et al. v. Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists (Alta.) et al. (2001), 277 A.R. 378; 242 W.A.C. 378 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 72, footnote 23].

Adrien v. Ontario (Ministry of Labour) - see Rizzo and Rizzo Shoes Ltd. (Bankrupt), Re.

Rizzo and Rizzo Shoes Ltd. (Bankrupt), Re, [1998] 1 S.C.R. 27; 221 N.R. 241; 106 O.A.C. 1; 154 D.L.R.(4th) 193; 50 C.B.R.(3d) 163; 33 C.C.E.L.(2d) 173; 98 C.L.L.C. 210-006, refd to. [para. 73, footnote 24].

Pushpanathan v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), [1998] 1 S.C.R. 982, addendum [1998] 1 S.C.R. 1222; 226 N.R. 201; 160 D.L.R.(4th) 193, refd to. [para. 77, footnote 26].

Syncrude Canada Ltd. v. Michetti et al. (1994), 162 A.R. 16; 83 W.A.C. 16 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 79, footnote 27].

Innisfil (Township) v. Vespra (Township), South Simcoe Estates et al., [1981] 2 S.C.R. 145; 37 N.R. 43, refd to. [para. 79, footnote 28].

Strathcona (County) No. 20 v. Maclab Enterprises Ltd. et al., [1971] 3 W.W.R. 461; 20 D.L.R.(3d) 200 (Alta. C.A.), leave to appeal denied, [1971] S.C.R. xii, refd to. [para. 79, footnote 29].

R. v. G.D.B., [2000] 1 S.C.R. 520; 253 N.R. 201; 261 A.R. 1; 225 W.A.C. 1; 143 C.C.C.(3d) 289; 32 C.R.(5th) 207; [2000] 8 W.W.R. 193; 81 Alta. L.R.(3d) 1, affing. (1999), 232 A.R. 307; 195 W.A.C. 307; 133 C.C.C.(3d) 309; 42 W.C.B.(2d) 1 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 82, footnote 30].

Penny v. Workers' Compensation Board (Alta.) (1993), 145 A.R. 20; 55 W.A.C. 20; 12 Alta. L.R.(3d) 238; 106 D.L.R.(4th) 707 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 84, footnote 31].

Minister of National Revenue (Customs and Excise) v. Mattel Canada Inc. (2001), 270 N.R. 153 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 88, footnote 33].

Statutes Noticed:

Rules of Court (Alta.), rule 753(11) [para. 38].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Driedger, E.A., Construction of Statutes (2nd Ed. 1983), p. 87 [para. 73, footnote 24].

Counsel:

Robert A. Philp, Q.C. (Philp Law Office), for the applicant;

Sandra Hermiston, for the respondent.

This matter was heard on November 8, 2001, at Edmonton, Alberta, before Watson, J., of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench, who delivered the following decision on November 16, 2001.