P.G. Restaurant Ltd. v. Northern Interior Regional Health Board et al., [2004] B.C.T.C. 294 (SC)

• Judge: Goepel, J.
• Court: Supreme Court of British Columbia (Canada)
• Case Date: March 04, 2004
• Jurisdiction: British Columbia
• Citations: [2004] B.C.T.C. 294 (SC);2004 BCSC 294

PG Restaurant Ltd. v. Health Bd., [2004] B.C.T.C. 294 (SC)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2004] B.C.T.C. TBEd. MR.062

P.G. Restaurant Ltd. doing business as Mama Panda Restaurant (plaintiff) v. Northern Interior Regional Health Board, Her Majesty the Queen in Right of the Province of British Columbia, Bruce Gaunt, Michelle Lang, Lorne Doerkson, Cameron McAlpine, Cariboo Press (1969) Ltd., Cariboo Press (1969) Ltd. doing business as The Prince George Free Press, The Prince George Free Press and John Doe Corporation doing business as The Prince George Free Press (defendants)

(S013887; 2004 BCSC 294)

Indexed As: P.G. Restaurant Ltd. v. Northern Interior Regional Health Board et al.

British Columbia Supreme Court

Vancouver

Goepel, J.

March 4, 2004.

Summary:

This headnote contains no summary.

Damage Awards - Topic 632

Torts/Quebec responsibility - Injury to the person - Libel and slander - See paragraphs 208 to 258.

Libel and Slander - Topic 603

The statement - General - Defamatory defined - See paragraphs 111 to 141.

Libel and Slander - Topic 2864

Defences - Justification or truth - Evidence and proof - See paragraphs 142 to 155.

Libel and Slander - Topic 2988.1

Defences - Qualified privilege - Loss of - Where limits of privilege exceeded - See paragraphs 162 to 181.

Libel and Slander - Topic 2995

Defences - Qualified privilege - Public duty - General - See paragraphs 162 to 181.

Libel and Slander - Topic 3114

Defences - Fair comment - What constitutes fair comment - See paragraphs 156 to 161.

Libel and Slander - Topic 4405

Damages - General - Special damages - See paragraphs 208 to 258.

Libel and Slander - Topic 4423

Damages - General damages - Measure of - Elements and considerations - See paragraphs 208 to 258.

Torts - Topic 9157.2

Duty of care - Particular relationships - Claims against public officials, authorities or boards - Public health authorities - See paragraphs 182 to 207.

Cases Noticed:

Hodgson v. Canadian Newspapers Co. et al. (1998), 68 O.T.C. 81; 39 O.R.(3d) 235 (Gen. Div.), varied (2000), 133 O.A.C. 174; 49 O.R.(3d) 161 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 111].

Kerr v. Conlogue (1992), 65 B.C.L.R.(2d) 70 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 113].

Dale's Trad'n Post Ltd. et al. v. Rhodes and Southam Inc. (1987), 19 B.C.L.R.(2d) 73 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 125].

Knupffer v. London Express Newspaper Ltd., [1944] 1 All E.R. 495 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 126].

Charleston v. News Group Newspapers Ltd. et al., [1995] 2 All E.R. 313; 184 N.R. 321 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 137].

Bennett v. Sun Publishing Co. (1972), 29 D.L.R.(3d) 423 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 140].

Taylor-Wright et al. v. CHBC-TV et al. (1999), 4 B.C.T.C. 1 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 143].

Vander Zalm v. Times Publishers Ltd. (1980), 109 D.L.R.(3d) 531 (B.C.C.A.), refd to. [para. 157].

Hill v. Church of Scientology of Toronto and Manning, [1995] 2 S.C.R. 1130; 184 N.R. 1; 84 O.A.C. 1; 126 D.L.R.(4th) 129, refd to. [para. 162].

Camporese v. Parton (1983), 150 D.L.R.(3d) 208 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 165].

Jones v. Bennett, [1969] S.C.R. 277, refd to. [para. 170].

Moises v. Canadian Newspaper Co. (1996), 76 B.C.A.C. 263; 125 W.A.C. 263; 24 B.C.L.R.(3d) 211 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 171].

Reynolds v. Times Newspapers Ltd., [1999] 4 All E.R. 609; 250 N.R. 1 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 175].

Dhami et al. v. Canadian Broadcasting Corp. et al., [2001] B.C.T.C. 1811 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 176].

Littleton v. Hamilton et al. (1974), 47 D.L.R.(3d) 663 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [para. 177].

Leenen v. Canadian Broadcasting Corp. et al. (2000), 105 O.T.C. 91; 48 O.R.(3d) 656 (Sup. Ct.), refd to. [para. 178].

Pressler v. Lethbridge et al. (2000), 144 B.C.A.C. 1; 236 W.A.C. 1; 86 B.C.L.R.(3d) 257 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 180].

Horrocks v. Lowe, [1974] 1 All E.R. 662 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 180].

Spring v. Guardian Assurance plc et al., [1995] 2 A.C. 296; 174 N.R. 164 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 182].

Anns v. Merton London Borough Council, [1978] A.C. 728 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 184].

Cooper v. Registrar of Mortgage Brokers (B.C.) et al., [2001] 3 S.C.R. 537; 277 N.R. 113; 160 B.C.A.C. 268; 261 W.A.C. 268, refd to. [para. 184].

Cooper v. Hobart - see Cooper v. Registrar of Mortgage Brokers (B.C.) et al.

Foaminol Laboratories Ltd. v. British Artid Plastics Ltd., [1941] 2 All E.R. 393 (K.B.), refd to. [para. 189].

Bell-Booth Group Ltd. v. Attorney General, [1989] 3 N.Z.L.R. 148 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 190].

Balfour v. Attorney General, [1991] 1 N.Z.L.R. 519 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 191].

Fulton v. Globe and Mail et al. (1996), 194 A.R. 254; 3 C.P.C.(4th) 240 (Q.B. Master), affd. (1997), 207 A.R. 374; 152 D.L.R.(4th) 377 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 197].

Haskett v. Trans Union of Canada Inc. (2003), 169 O.A.C. 201; 63 O.R.(3d) 577 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 200].

Haskett v. Equifax Canada Inc. - see Haskett v. Trans Union of Canada Inc.

Sattin v. Nationwide News Pty. Ltd. (1996), 39 N.S.W.L.R. 32, refd to. [para. 202].

Wade v. Victoria (State), [1999] 1 V.R. 121, refd to. [para. 203].

Botiuk v. Bardyn et al., [1995] 3 S.C.R. 3; 186 N.R. 1; 85 O.A.C. 81; 126 D.L.R.(4th) 609; 26 C.C.L.T.(2d) 109, refd to. [para. 209].

Botiuk v. Toronto Free Press Publications Ltd. - see Botiuk v. Bardyn et al.

Lapointe v. Summach, [2001] B.C.T.C. 805 (S.C.), dist. [para. 210].

Burstein v. Times Newspapers Ltd., [2001] 1 W.L.R. 579 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 214].

Brown v. Cole et al., [1996] B.C.J. No. 2046 (S.C.), varied [1999] 7 W.W.R. 703; 114 B.C.A.C. 73; 186 W.A.C. 73 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 215].

Electronic Superstore Ltd. v. Geransky Brothers Construction Ltd. et al. (1990), 87 Sask.R. 194 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 249].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Brown, Raymond E., The Law of Defamation in Canada (2nd Ed.) (1999 Looseleaf Supp.), vol. 1, pp. 4-3 [para. 112]; 5-108, 5-109 [para. 130]; vol. 2, pp. 10-2 to 10-4 [para. 142]; 15-14 [para. 156].

Gatley on Libel and Slander (8th Ed. 1981), p. 94-100 [para. 209]; para. 281 [para. 124].

Waddams, Stephen M., The Law of Damages (2003 Looseleaf Ed.), para. 15.290 [para. 247].

Counsel:

H.A. Mickelson and S.R. Miller, for the plaintiff;

D.T. McKnight and K.R. Zimmer, for the defendant, Northern Interior Regional Health Board;

D.W. Burnett and J.L. Williams, for the defendants, Michelle Lang, Lorne Doerkson, Cameron McAlpine, Cariboo Press (1969) Ltd. doing business as The Prince George Free Press and The Prince George Free Press.

This case was heard on August 11-15, 18-22 and 25-27 and September 15-19, 2003, before Goepel, J., of the British Columbia Supreme Court, who delivered the following decision on March 4, 2004.

Please note: The following judgment has not been edited.