Muscillo Transport Ltd. et al. v. Licence Suspension Appeal Board (Ont.) et al., (1997) 37 O.T.C. 300 (GD)

• Judge: Chapnik, J.
• Court: Ontario Court of Justice General Division (Canada)
• Case Date: July 23, 1997
• Jurisdiction: Ontario
• Citations: (1997), 37 O.T.C. 300 (GD)

Muscillo Transport Ltd. v. LSAB (1997), 37 O.T.C. 300 (GD)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [1997] O.T.C. TBEd. JL.120

In The Matter Of the Highway Traffic Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H-8;

And In The Matter Of the Commercial Vehicles Operator's Registration Certificates and the plate portions of permits: #002-454-423 issued to Muscillo Transport Limited; #104-426-908 issued to Bolton Equipment Sales & Leasing Ltd.; #013-746-600 issued to Frank S. Coyle Limited; and #108-682-329 issued to Carmar Enterprises Inc.;

And In The Matter Of the Commercial Vehicle Operating Records of Muscillo Transport Limited, Bolton Equipment Sales & Leasing Ltd., Frank S. Coyle Limited and Carmar Enterprises Inc.;

And In The Matter Of an appeal from the Registrar's Cancellation Order dated September 24, 1997, pursuant to section 47(1) of the Highway Traffic Act;

And In The Matter Of the Decision of the Licence Suspension Appeal Board dated March 4, 1997;

And In The Matter Of an Application under the Judicial Review Procedures Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. J-1.

Muscillo Transport Limited, Bolton Equipment Sales & Leasing Ltd., Frank S. Coyle Limited, Carmar Enterprises Inc. (applicants) v. The Licence Suspension Appeal Board and the Registrar of Motor Vehicles (respondents)

(Court File No. 294/97)

Indexed As: Muscillo Transport Ltd. et al. v. Licence Suspension Appeal Board (Ont.) et al.

Ontario Court of Justice

General Division

Chapnik, J.

July 23, 1997.

Summary:

Muscillo Transport Ltd., Bolton Equipment Sales & Leasing Ltd., Frank S. Coyle Ltd. and Carmar Enterprises Inc., all owned by the Muscillo family, were involved in the transportation of gravel and aggregate products in the Toronto area. The Registrar of Motor Vehicles cancelled the companies' Commercial Vehicle Operator's Registration certificates because of safety concerns. The Licence Suspension Appeal Board affirmed the decision of the Registrar. The companies appealed and applied for judicial review.

The Ontario Court (General Division) refused to disturb the decision of the Registrar.

Administrative Law - Topic 554

The hearing and decision - Decisions of the tribunal - Finality (functus officio) - Power of tribunal to amend or reopen decision - See paragraphs 7 to 26.

Administrative Law - Topic 2088

Natural justice - Constitution of board or tribunal (considerations incl. bias) - Bias - Apprehension of - See paragraphs 27 to 94.

Administrative Law - Topic 9006

Boards and tribunals - Jurisdiction - Termination of (functus officio) - See paragraphs 7 to 26.

Cases Noticed:

Nelson Laundries Ltd. v. Laundry, Dry Cleaning and Dye House Workers' International Union (1964), 47 W.W.R.(N.S.) 484 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 15].

Montreal Fast Print (1975) Ltd. v. Polylok Corp. (1983), 52 N.R. 219 (F.C.A.), refd to. [para. 15].

Milson v. Carter, [1893] A.C. 638 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 15].

V.G.M. Holdings, Re, [1941] 3 All E.R. 417, refd to. [para. 16].

Chandler v. Alberta Association of Architects, [1989] 2 S.C.R. 848; 99 N.R. 277; 101 A.R. 321; 62 D.L.R.(4th) 577, refd to. [para. 17].

Employment Standards Officer v. Metropolitan International Trucks Ltd. et al. (1996), 89 O.A.C. 36; 28 O.R.(3d) 67 (Div. Ct.), refd to. [para. 17].

Grier v. Metropolitan International Trucks Ltd. - see Employment Standards Officer v. Metropolitan International Trucks Ltd. et al.

Spring v. Law Society of Upper Canada (1988), 28 O.A.C. 375; 64 O.R.(2d) 719 (Div. Ct.), refd to. [para. 20].

Tremblay v. Commission des affaires sociales et autres, [1992] 1 S.C.R. 952; 136 N.R. 5; 47 Q.A.C. 169; 3 Admin. L.R.(2d) 173, refd to. [para. 22].

Glengarry Memorial Hospital v. Pay Equity Hearings Tribunal (Ont.) et al. (1993), 60 O.A.C. 161; 99 D.L.R.(4th) 682 (Div. Ct.), refd to. [para. 25].

R. v. Sussex Justices; Ex parte McCarthy, [1924] 1 K.B. 256, refd to. [para. 32].

Metropolitan Properties Co. (F.G.C.) Ltd. v. Lannon, [1969] 1 Q.B. 577 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 33].

Newfoundland Telephone Co. v. Board of Commissioners of Public Utilities (Nfld.), [1992] 1 S.C.R. 623; 134 N.R. 241; 95 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 271; 301 A.P.R. 271, refd to. [para. 34].

Committee for Justice and Liberty Foundation et al. v. National Energy Board et al., [1978] 1 S.C.R. 369; 9 N.R. 115; 68 D.L.R.(3d) 716, refd to. [para. 35].

Beer v. Fort Garry (Rural Municipality) (1958), 16 D.L.R.(2d) 316 (Man. C.A.), refd to. [para. 37].

Ladies of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Convent of Sacred Heard) v. Armstrong's Points Association (1961), 29 D.L.R.(2d) 373 (Man. C.A.), refd to. [para. 37].

Manitoba Teachers' Society, Association 46 v. Flin Flon School Division 46 (1964), 47 D.L.R.(2d) 87 (Man. Q.B.), refd to. [para. 38].

R. v. Smith & Whiteway Fisheries Ltd. (1994), 133 N.S.R.(2d) 50; 380 A.P.R. 50 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 39].

Lippé et autres v. Québec (Procureur général) et autres, [1991] 2 S.C.R. 114; 128 N.R. 1; 39 Q.A.C. 241, refd to. [para. 40].

R. v. Lippé - see Lippé et autres v. Québec (Procureur général) et autres.

Old St. Boniface Residents Association Inc. v. Winnipeg (City) et al., [1990] 3 S.C.R. 1170; 116 N.R. 46; 69 Man.R.(2d) 134; 75 D.L.R.(4th) 385, refd to. [para. 41].

McGavin Toastmaster Ltd. v. Powlowski, [1973] 5 W.W.R. 388 (Man. C.A.), refd to. [para. 42].

Bakery and Confectionary Workers' International Union of America, Local 389 v. Human Rights Commission (Man.) - see McGavin Toastmaster Ltd. v. Powlowski.

Adams v. Workers' Compensation Board (B.C.) (1989), 42 B.C.L.R.(2d) 228 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 43].

Dulmage and Sommer v. Police Complaints Commission (1994), 75 O.A.C. 305; 30 Admin. L.R.(2d) 203 (Div. Ct.), refd to. [para. 44].

Sethi v. Minister of Employment and Immigration (1988), 87 N.R. 389; 52 D.L.R.(4th) 681 (F.C.A.), refd to. [para. 81].

Winnipeg Free Press Ltd. v. Newspapers Guild (1973), 44 D.L.R.(3d) 274 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 82].

Mohammad (M.M.I.) v. Minister of Employment and Immigration (1988), 91 N.R. 121; 55 D.L.R.(4th) 321 (F.C.A.), refd to. [para. 82].

Cross v. Law Enforcement Review Board (Man.) et al. (1991), 77 Man.R.(2d) 206; 6 Admin. L.R.(2d) 116 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 82].

R. v. Valente, [1985] 2 S.C.R. 673; 64 N.R. 1; 14 O.A.C. 79; 49 C.R.(3d) 97; 23 C.C.C.(3d) 193, refd to. [para. 85].

Nova Corp. v. King et al. (1997), 198 A.R. 191; 68 A.C.W.S.(3d) 990 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 94].

Statutes Noticed:

Public Service Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P-47, sect. 1, sect. 8.1(3) [para. 92]; sect. 28.4(3)(e) [para. 69].

Statutory Powers and Procedures Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. S-22, sect. 21.1 [para. 13]; sect. 21.2(1) [para. 14].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Black's Law Dictionary (5th Ed. 1979) [para. 16].

Canadian Bar Association, Ontario Branch, submission to Premier of Ontario (1988), generally [para. 88].

Canadian Bar Association, Task Force Report, The Independence of Federal Administrative Tribunals and Agencies in Canada (1990), pp. 60, 61 [para. 89].

Craig, P.P., Administrative Law (3rd Ed. 1994), p. 326 [para. 36].

Griffith and Street, Principles of Administrative Law (4th Ed. 1967), p. 156 [para. 42].

Jowitt, The Dictionary of English Law (2nd Ed. 1997) [para. 16].

McRuer Report - see Ontario, Royal Commission Inquiry into Civil Rights in Ontario.

Ontario, Royal Commission Inquiry into Civil Rights in Ontario (1968), vol. I, p. 123 [para. 87].

Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, vol. II, p. 2045 [para. 69].

Counsel:

J. Thomas Curry and Norma M. Priday, for the applicants;

Dennis W. Brown, Q.C., and Donald Chiasson, for the respondent the License Suspension Appeal Board;

Murray G. Forbes and Patrick Moore, for the Registrar of Motor Vehicles.

This case was heard on June 25 to 27, 1997, before Chapnik, J., of the Ontario Court (General Division), who delivered the following judgment on July 23, 1997.