Pictou Landing Band Council et al. v. Canada (Attorney General), (2014) 456 N.R. 365 (FCA)

• Judge: Stratas, J.A.
• Court: Federal Court of Appeal (Canada)
• Case Date: January 29, 2014
• Jurisdiction: Canada (Federal)
• Citations: (2014), 456 N.R. 365 (FCA);2014 FCA 21

Pictou Landing Band v. Can. (A.G.) (2014), 456 N.R. 365 (FCA)

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Temp. Cite: [2014] N.R. TBEd. FE.005

Attorney General of Canada (appellant) v. Pictou Landing Band Council and Maurina Beadle (respondents)

(A-158-13; 2014 FCA 21; 2014 CAF 21)

Indexed As: Pictou Landing Band Council et al. v. Canada (Attorney General)

Federal Court of Appeal

Stratas, J.A.

January 29, 2014.

Summary:

The First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, and Amnesty International, each brought a motion to intervene in this appeal. The appeal arose from the Federal Court's decision to quash Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada's refusal to grant a funding request made by the respondent Band Council to cover expenses for services rendered to a disabled teenager and his mother, the respondent Beadle (see 430 F.T.R. 141; 2013 FC 342). The appellant Attorney General opposed the motions, arguing that the moving parties had not satisfied the test for intervention under Rule 109 of the Federal Courts Rules. The respondents consented to the motions.

The Federal Court of Appeal, per Stratas, J.A., granted the motions.

Practice - Topic 680

Parties - Adding or substituting parties - Intervenors - General - [See Practice - Topic 685 ].

Practice - Topic 685

Parties - Adding or substituting parties - Intervenors - On appeal - The First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, and Amnesty International, each brought a motion to intervene in this appeal - The appeal arose from the Federal Court's decision to quash Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada's refusal to grant a funding request made by the respondent Band Council to cover expenses for services rendered to a disabled teenager and his mother - The Attorney General opposed the motions - The Federal Court of Appeal, per Stratas, J.A., in deciding the motions, "tweaked" the Rothmans, Benson & Hedges list of factors developed over two decades ago - The factors required "modification in light of today's litigation environment", particularly public law litigation - The single motions judge set out his observations concerning each of the factors, and summarized the considerations which should guide whether intervener status should be granted - Applying those considerations, the court granted the moving parties' motions to intervene - See paragraphs 5 to 33.

Cases Noticed:

Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Inc. v. Canada (Attorney General), [1990] 1 F.C. 74; 29 F.T.R. 272 (T.D.), affd. [1990] 1 F.C. 90; 103 N.R. 391 (F.C.A.), refd to. [para. 5].

CCH Canadian Ltd. v. Law Society of Upper Canada (2000), 258 N.R. 241; 189 D.L.R.(4th) 125 (F.C.A.), refd to. [para. 5].

R. v. Salituro, [1991] 3 S.C.R. 654; 131 N.R. 161; 50 O.A.C. 125, refd to. [para. 6].

Forest Ethics Advocacy Association et al. v. National Energy Board et al. (2013), 450 N.R. 166; 2013 FCA 236, refd to. [para. 9].

JP Morgan Asset Management (Canada) Inc. v. Minister of National Revenue et al. (2013), 450 N.R. 91; 2013 FCA 250, refd to. [para. 9].

Alberta Teachers' Association v. Information and Privacy Commissioner (Alta.) et al., [2011] 3 S.C.R. 654; 424 N.R. 70; 519 A.R. 1; 539 W.A.C. 1; 2011 SCC 61, refd to. [para. 9].

Hryniak v. Mauldin (2014), 453 N.R. 51; 314 O.A.C. 1; 2014 SCC 7, refd to. [para. 10].

McLean v. British Columbia Securities Commission (2013), 452 N.R. 340; 347 B.C.A.C. 1; 593 W.A.C. 1; 2013 SCC 67, refd to. [para. 26].

Mills v. Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal (Ont.) (2008), 237 O.A.C. 71; 2008 ONCA 436, refd to. [para. 26].

Abraham et al. v. Canada (Attorney General) (2012), 440 N.R. 201; 2012 FCA 266, refd to. [para. 26].

Canadian Human Rights Commission v. Canada (Attorney General) et al. (2013), 444 N.R. 120; 2013 FCA 75, refd to. [para. 26].

Statutes Noticed:

Federal Courts Rules, SOR/98-106, rule 109 [para. 3].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Bryden, Philip L., Public Intervention in the Courts (1987), 66 Can. Bar Rev. 490, generally [para. 6].

Koch, John, Making Room: New Directions in Third Party Intervention (1990), 48 U.T. Fac. L. Rev. 151, generally [para. 6].

Counsel:

Jonathan D.N. Tarlton and Melissa Chan, for the appellant;

Justin Safayeni and Kathrin Furniss, for the proposed intervener, Amnesty International;

Katherine Hensel and Sarah Clarke, for the proposed intervener, First Nations Child and Family Caring Society.

Solicitors of Record:

William F. Pentney, Deputy Attorney General of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, for the appellant;

Champ & Associates, Ottawa, Ontario, for the respondents;

Stockwoods LLP, Toronto, Ontario, for the proposed intervener, Amnesty International;

Hensel Barristers, Toronto, Ontario, for the proposed intervener, First Nations Child and Family Caring Society.

These two motions to intervene in this appeal were dealt with in writing, without appearance of parties, by Stratas, J.A., of the Federal Court of Appeal. The following order of the Court was delivered at Ottawa, Ontrio, on January 29, 2014.