Board of Education of School District No. 91 (Nechako Lakes) v. Patrick et al., [2002] B.C.T.C. 19 (SC)

• Judge: Garson, J.
• Court: Supreme Court of British Columbia (Canada)
• Case Date: January 14, 2002
• Jurisdiction: British Columbia
• Citations: [2002] B.C.T.C. 19 (SC);2002 BCSC 19

Nechako Lakes School Bd. v. Patrick, [2002] B.C.T.C. 19 (SC)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2002] B.C.T.C. TBEd. FE.061

The Board of School Trustees of School District No. 91 (Nechako Lakes) (plaintiff) v. Betty Patrick, Lake Babine Band Council, on its own behalf and on behalf of the members of the Lake Babine Band Council, Lake Babine Indian Band and Lake Babine Nation and Maureen Luggi, Broman Lake Band Council on its own behalf and on behalf of the members of the Broman Lake Band Council, Broman Lake Band, Wet'Suwet'En First Nation (defendants)

Betty Patrick, Lake Babine Band Council on its own behalf and on behalf of the members of the Lake Babine Band Council, Lake Babine Indian Band and Lake Babine Nation (plaintiffs) v. Maureen Luggi, Broman Lake Band Council on its own behalf and on behalf of the members of the Broman Lake Band Council, Broman Lake Band, Wet'Suwet'En First Nation (defendants/plaintiffs by counterclaim) and The Board of School Trustees of School District No. 91 (Nechako Lakes) (plaintiff/defendant by counterclaim) and Her Majesty The Queen in right of the Province of British Columbia, Ministry of Education (third party at instance of the defendant by counterclaim) and Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada (third party at instance of the third party to the counterclaim)

(07640; 2002 BCSC 19)

Indexed As: Board of Education of School District No. 91 (Nechako Lakes)  v. Patrick et al.

British Columbia Supreme Court

Prince George

Garson, J.

January 14, 2002.

Summary:

This headnote contains no summary.

Civil Rights - Topic 5669.5

Equality and protection of the law - Particular cases - Schools - Funding and services - See paragraphs 112 to 117.

Civil Rights - Topic 8305

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - General - Application of - Persons protected - See paragraphs 93 to 111.

Civil Rights - Topic 8583

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Practice - Who may raise Charter issues - See paragraphs 93 to 111.

Constitutional Law - Topic 9623

Education - Particular matters - Funding - See paragraphs 112 to 117.

Contracts - Topic 1104

Formation of contract - General principles - Oral contracts - See paragraphs 1 to 57.

Damages - Topic 7401

Contracts - Quantum meruit - General - See paragraphs 58 to 63, 76 to 79.

Indians, Inuit and Métis - Topic 6283

Government - Education - Funding - See paragraphs 112 to 117.

Restitution - Topic 62

Unjust enrichment - General - What constitutes - See paragraphs 80 to 92.

Restitution - Topic 123

Unjust enrichment - Remedies - Constructive trust - See paragraphs 80 to 92.

Restitution - Topic 784

Benefit acquired from the plaintiff - Recovery based on quantum meruit - Work performed or goods provided - See paragraphs 58 to 63, 76 to 79.

Trusts - Topic 2346

Constructive trusts - Basis for imposition - Unjust enrichment - See paragraphs 80 to 92.

Cases Noticed:

Glasbrook Brothers Ltd. v. Glamorgan County Council, [1925] A.C. 270 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 49].

St. John Tugboat Co. v. Irving Refinery Ltd., [1964] S.C.R. 614, refd to. [para. 53].

Mitchell Energy Corp. v. Canterra Energy Ltd. et al., [1987] 2 W.W.R. 636 (Alta. Q.B.), refd to. [para. 53].

Deglman v. Brunet Estate, [1954] S.C.R. 725, refd to. [para. 60].

Deglman v. Guarantee Trust Co. of Canada - see Deglman v. Brunet Estate.

Fibrosa Spolka Akcyjna v. Fairbairn Lawson Combe Barbour Ltd., [1943] A.C. 32 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 60].

Watson v. Veit (1996), 75 B.C.A.C. 72; 123 W.A.C. 72 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 61].

Brewer v. Chrysler Canada Ltd., [1977] 3 W.W.R. 69; 4 A.R. 497 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 62].

Becker v. Pettkus, [1980] 2 S.C.R. 834; 34 N.R. 384; 19 R.F.L.(2d) 165; 117 D.L.R.(3d) 257; 8 E.T.R. 143, refd to. [para. 86].

Atlas Cabinets & Furniture Ltd. v. National Trust Co. (1990), 45 B.C.L.R.(2d) 99 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 87].

Bancorp Mortgage Ltd. v. Sicon Group Inc. (1990), 2 B.L.R.(2d) 161 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 88].

Stinson Estate v. British Columbia et al. (1999), 133 B.C.A.C. 15; 217 W.A.C. 15; 70 B.C.L.R.(3d) 233 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 98].

Irwin Toy Ltd. v. Québec (Procureur général), [1989] 1 S.C.R. 927; 94 N.R. 167; 24 Q.A.C. 2; 58 D.L.R.(4th) 577; 25 C.P.R.(3d) 417, refd to. [para. 98].

Milk Board v. Clearview Dairy Farm Inc. (1987), 12 B.C.L.R.(2d) 116 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 100].

Homemade Winecrafts (Can.) Ltd. v. British Columbia (Attorney General) (1986), 26 D.L.R.(4th) 468 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 100].

William v. Lake Babine Indian Band et al. (1999), 9 B.C.T.C. 12; 30 C.P.C.(4th) 156 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 106].

Montana Indian Band v. Canada, [1998] 2 F.C. 3; 140 F.T.R. 30 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 107].

Clow Darling Ltd. v. Big Trout Lake Indian Band (1989), 70 O.R.(2d) 56 (Dist. Ct.), refd to. [para. 108].

Joe v. Findlay (1987), 12 B.C.L.R.(2d) 166 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 108].

Christian Labour Association of Canada et al. v. B.C. Transportation Financing Authority et al. (2001), 156 B.C.A.C. 18; 255 W.A.C. 18; 91 B.C.L.R.(3d) 197 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 109].

Foreman v. Foster (2001), 147 B.C.A.C. 254; 241 W.A.C. 254; 84 B.C.L.R.(3d) 184 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 119].

Statutes Noticed:

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982, sect. 15(1) [para. 97].

Indian Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. I-5, sect. 2(1) [para. 103].

School Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 412, sect. 2, sect. 3(1)(a), sect. 75(1), sect. 82(1)(a), sect. 86(2)(a), sect. 86(3)(a) [para. 71].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Cheshire, Geoffrey Chevalier, Fifoot, Cecil Herbert, and Furmston, M., The Law of Contract (13th Ed. 1996), pp. 93 [para. 49]; 686 [para. 59].

Chitty on Contracts (27th Ed. 1994), vol. 1, p. 18 [para. 52].

Williston, S., Contracts (3rd Ed. 1968), vol. 1, para. 91A [para. 53].

Woodward, Jack, Native Law (1994), p. 398 [para. 105].

Counsel:

G.J. Litherland and K.D. Hume, for the plaintiff;

G.W. Whittle, for the defendants;

J. de Villiers, Q.C., for the third party, Her Majesty The Queen in right of the Province of B.C. and Ministry of Education;

E.J. Luke, for Her Majesty The Queen in right of Canada.

This action was heard in Prince George, B.C., on August 13 to 17, and Vancouver, B.C., on October 1, 2 and 9, 2001, before Garson, J., of the British Columbia Supreme Court, who delivered the following judgment on January 14, 2002.

Please note: The following judgment has not been edited.