R. v. Catholique, (1979) 20 A.R. 126 (NWTSC)

• Judge: Tallis, J.
• Court: Supreme Court of Northwest Territories (Canada)
• Case Date: August 07, 1979
• Jurisdiction: Northwest Territories
• Citations: (1979), 20 A.R. 126 (NWTSC)

R. v. Catholique (1979), 20 A.R. 126 (NWTSC)

MLB headnote and full text

R. v. Catholique

Indexed As: R. v. Catholique

Northwest Territories Supreme Court

Tallis, J.

August 7, 1979.

Summary:

This headnote contains no summary.

Criminal Law - Topic 228

Statutory defences or exceptions - Mistake of law - Ignorance of law - The accused was convicted of possession of liquor in a prohibited zone contrary to s. 4 of the Snowdrift Liquor Prohibition Regulations - The accused appealed on the ground that the regulations were invalid because they were not publicized in a gazette - The Northwest Territories Supreme Court allowed the appeal and quashed the conviction - The Supreme Court held that the Regulations were not invalid for non-publication, but held that the conviction could not be sustained unless the prosecution proved that the accused had actual knowledge of the existence of the Regulations - See paragraph 20.

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Boucher, [1955] S.C.R. 16, refd to. [para. 4].

R. v. Thibodeau, [1955] S.C.R. 646, refd to. [para. 6].

R. v. Markin, 68 W.W.R.(N.S.) 611, refd to. [para. 12].

R. v. Villeneuve, [1968] 1 C.C.C. 267, refd to. [para. 21]; consd. [para. 24].

R. v. MacLean, 46 D.L.R.(3d) 564, refd to. [para. 21].

R. v. Prue; R. v. Baril (1979), 26 N.R. 470; 8 C.R.(3d) 68, refd to. [para. 21].

Lim Chin Aik v. Reginam, [1963] 1 All E.R. 223, consd. [para. 21].

R. v. Cohen (1979), 3 W.C.B. 214, refd to. [para. 22].

Re Michelin Tires Manufacturing (Canada) Ltd. (1976), 15 N.S.R.(2d) 150; 14 A.P.R. 150, consd. [para. 24].

R. v. Ross (1944), 84 C.C.C. 197; [1945] 3 D.L.R. 574 (B.C. Cty. Ct.), consd. [para. 24].

Johnson v. Sargant & Sons, [1918] 1 K.B. 101, consd. [para. 24].

R. v. Maclean (1974), 46 D.L.R.(3d) 565 (N.S. Cty. Ct.), consd. [para. 24].

Jones v. Robson, [1901] 1 Q.B. 673, consd. [para. 24].

R. v. Ross, [1945] 3 D.L.R. 574, consd. [para. 24].

Simmons Motor Units v. Minister of Labour, [1946] 2 All E.R. 201, consd. [para. 24].

Simmonds v. Newell, [1953] 1 W.L.R. 836, consd. [para. 24].

R. v. Sheer Metalcraft Ltd., [1954] 1 Q.B. 586, consd. [para. 24].

Blackpool Corporation v. Locker, [1948] 1 K.B. 349 (C.A.), consd. [para. 24].

Evans v. Donaldson, [1977] Tasmanian Law Reports 104, consd. [para. 24].

R. v. Drybones, [1970] S.C.R. 282, refd to. [para. 26].

Statutes Noticed:

Snowdrift Liquor Prohibition Regulations (N.W.T.), sect. 3, sect. 4, sect. 5, sect. 6 [para. 3].

Regulations Ordinance, R.O.N.W.T. 1974, c. R-4, sect. 9, sect. 10 [para. 14]; sect. 14 [para. 13].

Statutory Instruments Act, S.C. 1970-71-72, c. 38 [para. 13].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Williams, Prof. D. Colwyn, Law and Institutions in the N.W.T. (18691905), 29 Sask. Bar Rev. 84 [para. 17].

"What Is Law" (Commentary)(1977), 55 Can. Bar Rev. 576 [para. 24].

Wigmore on Evidence (3rd Ed.), vol. 9, p. 551 [para. 24].

McCormick on Evidence (2nd Ed.), p. 757 [para. 24].

Recent Law Developments in Nova Scotia Administrative Law (1978), 4 Dal. L.J. 467 [para. 24].

Janisch, Prof. H.N., Secret Law Condemned (1976), 2 N.S.L.N. 19 [para. 25].

Counsel:

Clayton Sissons, for the appellant;

G. Lang, for the respondent;

S.K. Lal, for the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories.

This case was heard on April 30, 1979, by TALLIS, J., of the Northwest Territories Supreme Court

On August 7, 1979, TALLIS, J., delivered the following judgment: