R. v. Abrametz (J.S.), (2000) 197 Sask.R. 284 (ProvCt)

• Judge: Bekolay, P.C.J.
• Court: Provincial Court of Saskatchewan (Canada)
• Case Date: August 04, 2000
• Jurisdiction: Saskatchewan
• Citations: (2000), 197 Sask.R. 284 (ProvCt)

R. v. Abrametz (J.S.) (2000), 197 Sask.R. 284 (ProvCt)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2000] Sask.R. TBEd. SE.026

Her Majesty the Queen v. Jonathon Stephen Abrametz

(Information No. 24039465)

Indexed As: R. v. Abrametz (J.S.)

Saskatchewan Provincial Court

Prince Albert

Bekolay, P.C.J.

August 4, 2000.

Summary:

An accused was charged with driving while impaired and driving while having an excessive blood-alcohol level.

The Saskatchewan Provincial Court con­victed the accused of driving while having an excessive blood-alcohol level and stayed the impaired driving charge.

Civil Rights - Topic 3603

Detention and imprisonment - Detention - What constitutes arbitrary detention - An R.C.M.P. officer suspected that the accused driver and his passengers were consuming alcohol - As he followed the accused's ve­hicle he noticed that the vehicle had an out-of-date sticker on its license plate - He engaged his police lights and continued to follow the vehicle - When the accused made a turn his vehicle struck the curb and pro­ceeded to stop - The officer noted in­dica of impairment and arrested the ac­cused - The officer made a breathalyzer demand and read the accused his Charter rights - The Saskatchewan Provincial Court held that the officer was within his duties and responsibilities under the High­way Traffic Act to make the random stop and had not violated the accused's s. 8 Charter rights - See paragraphs 22 to 28.

Police - Topic 3072

Powers - Arrest and detention - Arrest without warrant - Territorial jurisdiction - An R.C.M.P. officer in Prince Albert ar­rested the accused for impaired driving - The accused asserted that the R.C.M.P. were not responsible for policing a mu­nici­pality under s. 21(3) of the Police Act (the Act) unless there was an agreement under s. 22 or 23 respecting a particular munici­pal­ity and, in that situation, was not re­sponsible for policing in an urban mu­nici­pality such as Prince Albert - The Saskatche­wan Provincial Court rejected the assertion - The Police Act dealt with fund­ing and did not derogate from the rights given to the R.C.M.P. under the federal Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act - Al­though the Act provided that the R.C.M.P. were not responsible for policing a munici­pality unless there was an agree­ment, it did not prohibit policing without an agreement - See paragraphs 4 to 20.

Police - Topic 3208

Powers - Direction - Random stopping of persons - [See Civil Rights - Topic 3603 ].

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Soucy (1975), 11 N.B.R.(2d) 75; 7 A.P.R. 75; 23 C.C.C.(2d) 561 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 12].

R. v. Young (1981), 34 A.R. 214 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 13].

R. v. Harvey (1979), 18 A.R. 382 (C.A.), leave to appeal refused (1979), 30 N.R. 617; 20 A.R. 266 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. Rutherford, 1994 Carswell B.C. 1274, refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. Giancarlo (1992), 55 O.A.C. 226 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. Schroeder (1989), 22 M.V.R.(2d) 307 (Ont. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. Stephens (J.G.), [1996] 1 C.N.L.R. 200; 86 O.A.C. 155 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. Polchies (1981), 35 N.B.R.(2d) 185; 88 A.P.R. 185 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. White (1978), 9 B.C.L.R. 179 (Co. Ct.), refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. Burke (1992), 39 M.V.R.(2d) 121 (Ont. Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. Anderson (1986), 72 N.S.R.(2d) 264; 173 A.P.R. 264; 40 M.V.R. 164 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. Ladouceur, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 1257; 108 N.R. 171; 40 O.A.C. 1; 56 C.C.C.(3d) 22, refd to. [para. 23].

R. v. Duncanson, [1992] 1 S.C.R. 836; 135 N.R. 117; 97 Sask.R. 96; 12 W.A.C. 96; 12 C.R.(4th) 98, affing. (1991), 93 Sask.R. 193; 4 W.A.C. 193; 12 C.R.(4th) 86; 30 M.V.R.(2d) 17 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 23].

R. v. Lott (E.C.) (1998), 174 Sask.R. 133 (Q.B.), dist. [para. 26].

R. v. Emke (1989), 74 Sask.R. 276 (C.A.), not folld. [para. 26].

Statutes Noticed:

Police Act, S.S. 1990, c. P-15.01, sect. 21 [para. 7].

Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. R-10, sect. 20(1) [para. 8].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Driedger, Elmer A., Construction of Stat­utes, pp. 81, 82, 167 [para. 9].

Counsel:

John Field, for the Crown.

This action was heard in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, by Bekolay, P.C.J., of the Saskatchewan Provincial Court, who de­livered the following judgment on August 4, 2000.