R. v. Butler (S.), 2002 NBQB 325

• Judge: Young, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of New Brunswick (Canada)
• Case Date: September 19, 1997
• Jurisdiction: New Brunswick
• Citations: 2002 NBQB 325;(1997), 255 N.B.R.(2d) 289 (TD)

R. v. Butler (S.) (1997), 255 N.B.R.(2d) 289 (TD);

    255 R.N.-B.(2e) 289; 668 A.P.R. 289

MLB headnote and full text

[French language version follows English language version]

[La version française vient à la suite de la version anglaise]

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Temp. Cite: [2003] N.B.R.(2d) TBEd. JA.003

Her Majesty the Queen v. Stephen Butler

(C/CI/20/96; 2002 NBQB 325)

Indexed As: R. v. Butler (S.)

New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench

Trial Division

Judicial District of Campbellton

Young, J.

October 10, 1997.

Summary:

The accused was charged with ut­tering a threat to cause bodily harm and two counts of assault. The accused applied for a stay of proceedings pursuant to s. 24(1) of the Charter on the grounds that ss. 20(2), 7 and 11(d) of the Charter had been violated as a result of the Crown's refusal to translate the information disclosed in his case from French to English. The accused was an anglophone who did not read, speak or understand French.

The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, dismissed the applica­tion.

Civil Rights - Topic 2706

Language - General principles - Institution of the legislature and government of New Brunswick - [See Civil Rights - Topic 2721 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 2721

Language - Court proceedings and pro­cesses - General - Section 20(2) of the Charter provided that "[a]ny member of the public in New Brunswick has the right to communicate with and to receive avail­able services from, any office of an institu­tion of the legislature or government of New Brunswick in English or French" - The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, held that s. 20(2) did not apply to the judicial process - See paragraph 22.

Civil Rights - Topic 2950

Language - Criminal proceedings - Docu­mentary evidence - An accused argued that ss. 7 and 11(d) of the Charter had been violated as a result of the Crown's refusal to translate the information disclosed in his case from French to English - The accused was an anglophone who did not read, speak or understand French - The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, held that while denying a request for translated disclosure could, in some cases, amount to a breach of Charter rights, the accused had not established a breach of ss. 7 or 11(d) where he had not established that the refusal to provide translated disclosure had resulted in actual prejudice to his ability to make full answer and defence - The onus was on the accused to show at the very least that the nature of the disclosure in this case realistically denied him the opportunity to assess the evidence and make informed decisions about his defence.

Civil Rights - Topic 3133

Trials - Due process, fundamental justice and fair hearings - Criminal and quasi-criminal proceedings - Right of accused to make full answer and defence - [See Civil Rights - Topic 2950 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 8364

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Denial of rights - Burden of proof - [See Civil Rights - Topic 2950 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 8591

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Practice - Onus or burden of proof - [See Civil Rights - Topic 2950 ].

Criminal Law - Topic 4505

Procedure - Trial - Special duties of Crown - Duty to disclose evidence prior to trial - [See Civil Rights - Topic 2950 ].

Cases Noticed:

Southam Inc. v. Hunter, [1984] 2 S.C.R. 145; 55 N.R. 241; 55 A.R. 291; 9 C.R.R. 355; 14 C.C.C.(3d) 97; 41 C.R.(3d) 97; [1984] 6 W.W.R. 577; 33 Alta. L.R.(2d) 193; 27 B.L.R. 297; 84 D.T.C. 6467; 2 C.P.R.(3d) 1; 11 D.L.R.(4th) 641, refd to. [para. 14].

R. v. Big M Drug Mart Ltd., [1985] 1 S.C.R. 295; 58 N.R. 81; 60 A.R. 161; [1985] 3 W.W.R. 481; 18 C.C.C.(3d) 385; 18 D.L.R.(4th) 321; 37 Alta. L.R.(2d) 97; 85 C.L.L.C. 14,023; 13 C.R.R. 64, refd to. [para. 14].

Société des Acadiens du Nouveau-Bruns­wick Inc. and Association de conseillers scolaires francophones du Nouveau-Brunswick v. Minority Language School Board No. 50 and Association of Parents for Fairness in Education, Grand Falls District 50 Branch, [1986] 1.S.C.R. 549; 66 N.R. 173; 69 N.B.R.(2d) 271; 177 A.P.R. 271, refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. Rodrigue (J.J.) (1994), 91 C.C.C.(3d) 455 (Y.T.S.C.), affd. (1994), 53 B.C.A.C. 275; 87 W.A.C. 275; 95 C.C.C.(3d) 129 (Y.T.C.A.), leave to appeal refused (1995), 183 N.R. 318; 68 B.C.A.C. 240; 112 W.A.C. 240 (S.C.C.), dist. [para. 16].

R. v. Simard (H.) (1995), 87 O.A.C. 114; 105 C.C.C.(3d) 461 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 16].

Chaussure Brown's Inc. et al. v. Québec (Procureur Général), [1988] 2 S.C.R. 712; 54 D.L.R.(4th) 577; 90 N.R. 84, refd to. [para. 20].

Ford v. Québec (Attorney General) - see Chaussure Brown's Inc. et al. v. Québec (Procureur Général).

R. v. Carosella (N.), [1997] 1 S.C.R. 80; 207 N.R. 321; 98 O.A.C. 81; 112 C.C.C.(3d) 289; 142 D.L.R.(4th) 595; 4 C.R.(5th) 139, consd. [para. 24].

Montreal (City) v. MacDonald, [1986] 1 S.C.R. 460; 67 N.R. 1; 25 C.C.C.(3d) 481, refd to. [para. 26].

R. v. Boudreau (J.D.) (1990), 107 N.B.R.(2d) 298; 267 A.P.R. 298; 59 C.C.C.(3d) 436 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 27].

R. v. Stinchcombe, [1991] 3 S.C.R. 326; 130 N.R. 277; 120 A.R. 161; 8 W.A.C. 161; 68 C.C.C.(3d) 1; [1992] 1 W.W.R. 97; 8 C.R.(4th) 277; 83 Alta. L.R.(2d) 193, refd to. [para. 36].

R. v. O'Connor (H.P.), [1995] 4 S.C.R. 411; 191 N.R. 1; 68 B.C.A.C. 1; 112 W.A.C. 1; [1996] 2 W.W.R. 153; 130 D.L.R.(4th) 235; 103 C.C.C.(3d) 1; 44 C.R.(4th) 1, refd to. [para. 45].

Statutes Noticed:

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982, sect. 7 [para. 12]; sect. 11(d) [para. 13]; sect. 20(2) [para. 11].

Counsel:

François Doucet, for the Crown;

Kenda Murphy, for the accused.

This application was heard on September 19, 1997, before Young, J., of the New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, Judicial District of Campbellton, who delivered the following oral decision on October 10, 1997.