R.H.M. v. S.S.H., (1994) 150 A.R. 67 (QB)

• Judge: Moore, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta (Canada)
• Case Date: February 02, 1994
• Citations: (1994), 150 A.R. 67 (QB)

R.H.M. v. S.S.H. (1994), 150 A.R. 67 (QB)

MLB headnote and full text

R.H.M. and K.N.M. by next friend (plaintiffs) v. S.S.H. (defendant) and Attorney General of Alberta (intervenor)

(Action No. 9301-15852)

Indexed As: R.H.M. v. S.S.H.

Alberta Court of Queen's Bench

Judicial District of Calgary

Moore, J.

February 2, 1994.

Summary:

A filiation proceeding for a declaration of parentage and a claim for support was pre­cluded by the two year limitation period in s. 14(1) of the Maintenance and Recovery Act. The Act had been replaced by the Parentage and Maintenance Act, which had no limitation period. Additionally, mothers of legitimate children faced no limitation period. The mother claimed s. 14(1) violated equality rights under s. 15(1) of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench held that s. 14(1) violated s. 15(1) of the Charter and was not saved as a reasonable limit prescribed by law under s. 1. The appropri­ate remedy under s. 24(1) of the Charter was to sever the limitation period from the Act.

Civil Rights - Topic 5660.6

Equality and protection of the law - Children of unmarried parents legislation - A filiation proceeding for a declaration of parentage and a claim for support was pre­cluded by the two year limitation period in s. 14(1) of the Maintenance and Recov­ery Act - The Act had been replaced by the Parentage and Maintenance Act, which had no limitation period - Additionally, mothers of legitimate children faced no limitation period - The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench held that s. 14(1) violated s. 15(1) of the Charter and was not saved as a reason­able limit prescribed by law under s. 1 - The section discriminated against illegitimate children - The appro­priate remedy under s. 24(1) of the Charter was to sever the limita­tion period from the Act.

Civil Rights - Topic 8348

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Application - Exceptions - Reasonable limits prescribed by law - [See Civil Rights - Topic 5660.6 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 8380.14

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Denial of right - Remedies - Severance of portion of statute or section - [See Civil Rights - Topic 5660.6 ].

Infants - Topic 2524

Illegitimate children - Filiation proceed­ings - Limitation of actions - [See Civil Rights - Topic 5660.6].

Cases Noticed:

D.D.S. v. R.H. (1993), 141 A.R. 44; 46 W.A.C. 44; 10 Alta. L.R.(3d) 225 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 8, Schedule A].

D.S.W. v. R.H., [1989] 2 W.W.R. 481; 71 Sask.R. 66 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 13, Schedule A].

L.M.S.M. and M.T.S.M. v. D.S. et al., [1990] 5 W.W.R. 650; 107 A.R. 152; 75 Alta. L.R.(2d) 155 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 17, Schedule A].

K.(L.) v. L.(T.W.) (1988), 31 B.C.L.R.(2d) 41 (P.C.), refd to. [para. 19, Schedule A].

R. v. Oakes, [1986] 1 S.C.R. 103; 65 N.R. 87; 14 O.A.C. 335; 26 D.L.R.(4th) 200; 50 C.R.(3d) 1; 24 C.C.C.(3d) 321; 19 C.R.R. 308, refd to. [para. 21].

R. v. Big M Drug Mart, [1985] 1 S.C.R. 295; [1985] 3 W.W.R. 481; 58 N.R. 81; 60 A.R. 161; 18 C.C.C.(3d) 385; 18 D.L.R.(4th) 321; 37 Alta. L.R.(2d) 97; 85 C.L.L.C. 14,203; 13 C.R.R. 64, refd to. [para. 22, Schedule A].

Schachter v. Canada et al. (1992), 139 N.R. 1; 93 D.L.R.(4th) 1 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 24, Schedule A].

C.E.P. v. G.V. (1993), 108 Sask.R. 183; 101 D.L.R.(4th) 726 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Christante v. Schmitz, [1990] 4 W.W.R. 744; 83 Sask.R. 60 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Andrews v. Law Society of British Col­umbia, [1989] 1 S.C.R. 143; 91 N.R. 255; [1989] 2 W.W.R. 289; 56 D.L.R.(4th) 1; 34 B.C.L.R.(2d) 273; 36 C.R.R. 193; 25 C.C.E.L. 255, refd to. [Schedule A].

R. v. Turpin, Siddiqui and Clauzel, [1989] 1 S.C.R. 1296; 96 N.R. 115; 34 O.A.C. 115; 48 C.C.C.(3d) 8; 69 C.R.(3d) 97; 39 C.R.R. 193, refd to. [Schedule A].

Shewchuk v. Ricard et al. (1986), 2 B.C.L.R.(2d) 324 (C.A.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Gomez v. Perez (1973), 409 U.S. 535; 35 L.Ed 2d 56; 93 S.Ct. 872 (S.C.), refd to. [Schedule A].

D.S.W. v. R.H., [1988] 2 W.W.R. 269; 65 Sask.R. 207 (Q.B.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Mills v. Habluetzel (1983), 456 U.S. 91; 71 L.Ed 2d 770; 102 S.Ct. 1549 (S.C.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Pickett v. Brown (1983), 462 U.S. 1; 76 L.Ed 2d 372; 103 S.Ct. 2199 (S.C.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Clark v. Jeter (1988), 486 U.S. 456; 100 L.Ed 2d 465; 108 S.Ct. 1910 (S.C.), refd to [Schedule A].

Surette et al. v. Harris Estate (1989), 91 N.S.R.(2d) 418; 233 A.P.R. 418 (T.D.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Gorzen v. Litz, [1988] 4 W.W.R. 763; 66 Sask.R. 211 (C.A.), refd to. [Schedule A].

L.M.B. v. T.H., [1987] 5 W.W.R. 55; 58 Sask.R. 212 (U.F.C.), refd to. [Schedule A].

Statutes Noticed:

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982, sect. 1 [para. 21]; sect. 15 [para. 1].

Child Status Act, S.P.E.I. 1987, c. 8, sect. 4 [Schedule A].

Children's Law Act, R.S.N. 1970, c. 203, sect. 3(1) [Schedule A].

Children's Law Reform Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C-12, sect. 1(1) [Schedule A].

Constitution Act, 1982, sect. 52(1) [para. 22].

Divorce Act, R.S.C. 1985 (2nd Supp.), c. 3 [Schedule A].

Family and Domestic Statutes Amendment Act, S.A. 1991, c. 11, generally [para. 16, Schedule A].

Family Maintenance Act, R.S.M. 1987, c. F-20, sect. 17 [Schedule A].

Family Relief Act, R.S.A. 1980, c. F-2, generally [para. 16, Schedule A].

Family Services Act, S.N.B. 1980, c. F-2.2, sect. 96(4) [Schedule A].

Intestate Succession Act, R.S.A. 1980, c. I-9, generally [para. 16, Schedule A].

Judicature Act, R.S.A. 1980, c. J-1, gen­erally [Schedule A].

Law and Equity Act, R.S.B.C. 1979, c. 224, sect. 56 [Schedule A].

Maintenance and Recovery Act, R.S.A. 1980, c. M-2, sect. 14(1) [para. 4].

Parentage and Maintenance Act, S.A. 1990, c. P-07, sect. 7(1)(a) [para. 2]; sect. 7(5) [para. 3].

Provincial Court Act, R.S.A. 1980, c. P-2 [Schedule A].

Quebec Civil Code, art. 594 [Schedule A].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Alberta Hansard (1990), vol. 111, pp. 1601, 1770, 1771, 2270 [Schedule A].

Alberta, Institute of Law Research and Reform, Status of Children Revised Report 1985, pp. 91, 92 [Schedule A].

Holland, W.H., and B.E. Stalbecker-Pountney, Cohabitation: The Law in Canada (1993), pp. 6-1, 6-2 [Schedule A].

National Council of Welfare, Women and Poverty (1990), pp. 8, 9, 13, 61, 81, [Schedule A].

National Council of Welfare, Poverty Profile 1980-1990 (1992), generally [Schedule A].

Counsel:

Brian A.F. Edy, for the plaintiffs;

Peter B. Michalyshyn, for the intervenor;

The defendant did not appear.

This application was heard before Moore, J., of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench, Judicial District of Calgary, who delivered the following judgment on February 2, 1994.