R. v. Corbiere (G.), (1996) 16 O.T.C. 101 (GD)

• Judge: Trainor, J.
• Court: Ontario Court of Justice General Division (Canada)
• Case Date: September 06, 1996
• Jurisdiction: Ontario
• Citations: (1996), 16 O.T.C. 101 (GD)

R. v. Corbiere (G.) (1996), 16 O.T.C. 101 (GD)

MLB headnote and full text

Her Majesty the Queen (respondent) v. Gerald Corbiere (appellant)

(525; 554/95)

Indexed As: R. v. Corbiere (G.)

Ontario Court of Justice

General Division

Gore Bay

Trainor, J.

September 6, 1996.

Summary:

Corbiere was a member of the West Bay First Nation and a status Indian. He was convicted of unlawfully hunting at night and unlawfully hunting using a device capable of throwing or casting a light (Game and Fish Act, ss. 22(2) and 22(3)). Corbiere was hunting on private property in close proximity to buildings. His defence was that he was not hunting. Corbiere was later convicted of possession of a rainbow trout taken with a dip net and angling during a closed season (Ontario Fishery Regulations, ss. 13.1 and 25). Corbiere appealed, alleging an infringement of his aboriginal and treaty rights to hunt and fish for food.

The Ontario Court (General Division), holding that Corbiere did not establish a prima facie case of infringement of his aboriginal rights, sustained the convictions for possession of a rainbow trout out of season and hunting at night. The court dismissed the charge for angling out of season where the accused was using a dip net, not a hook and bait. The court quashed the conviction for hunting with a light and stayed the charge because it was subsumed in the conviction for hunting at night.

Civil Rights - Topic 8584

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Practice - Time for raising Charter issues - See paragraph 15.

Civil Rights - Topic 8590

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Practice - Evidence - See paragraph 15.

Fish and Game - Topic 804

Indian, Inuit and Métis rights - General principles - Scope of rights - General - See paragraphs 41 to 129.

Fish and Game - Topic 809

Indian, Inuit and Métis rights - General principles - Treaty rights - Proof of - See paragraphs 41 to 129.

Fish and Game - Topic 967

Indian, Inuit and Métis rights - Right to fish and regulation of Indian fishery - Treaty Indians - See paragraphs 41 to 130.

Fish and Game - Topic 2175

Fishing offences - Particular offences - Possession outside season - See paragraphs 1 to 130.

Fish and Game - Topic 2176

Fishing offences - Particular offences - Fishing or angling in closed season - See paragraphs 6, 30 to 32.

Fish and Game - Topic 2391

Hunting offences - Hunting at night - General - See paragraphs 1 to 130.

Fish and Game - Topic 2392

Hunting offences - Hunting at night - What constitutes hunting - See paragraphs 8 to 24.

Fish and Game - Topic 2401

Hunting offences - With a light - General - See paragraphs 25 to 26.

Indians, Inuit and Métis - Topic 4410

Treaties and proclamations - General - Interpretation - See paragraphs 41 to 129.

Indians, Inuit and Métis - Topic 6015

Aboriginal rights - General - Claim for - See paragraphs 41 to 129.

Indians, Inuit and Métis - Topic 6017

Aboriginal rights - General - Infringement - Proof of - See paragraph 115.

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Hagenlocher (1981), 65 C.C.C.(2d) 101 (Man. C.A.), refd to. [para. 25].

R. v. Sparrow, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 1075; 111 N.R. 241; 70 D.L.R.(4th) 385, appld. [para. 36 et seq.].

R. v. Nikal (J.B.) (1996), 196 N.R. 1; 74 B.C.A.C. 161; 121 W.A.C. 161 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 45 et seq.].

R. v. Badger (W.C.) et al. (1996), 195 N.R. 1; 181 A.R. 321; 116 W.A.C. 321 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 45 et seq.].

R. v. Fox (J.T.), [1994] 3 C.N.L.R. 132; 71 O.A.C. 50 (C.A.), refd to. [paras. 50, 111, 113].

R. v. Moosehunter, [1981] 1 S.C.R. 282; 36 N.R. 437; 9 Sask.R. 149, refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Bombay (M.) et al., [1993] 1 C.N.L.R. 92; 61 O.A.C. 312 (C.A.), refd to. [paras. 53, 83].

R. v. Pamagewon (H.) et al. (1994), 77 O.A.C. 161; 95 C.C.C.(3d) 97; 21 O.R.(3d) 385 (C.A.), leave to appeal granted (1995), 191 N.R. 235; 87 O.A.C. 320 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 55, 89].

R. v. Gardner - see R. v. Pamagewon (H.) et al.

R. v. Jones - see R. v. Pamagewon (H.) et al.

R. v. Mousseau, [1980] 2 S.C.R. 89; 31 N.R. 620; 3 Man.R.(2d) 338, refd to. [paras. 56, 117, 118].

R. v. Taylor and Williams (1979), 55 C.C.C.(2d) 172 (Ont. Div. Ct.), affd. (1981), 62 C.C.C.(2d) 227 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [para. 66].

R. v. Taylor and Williams (1981), 62 C.C.C.(2d) 227 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [paras. 67, 69].

Guerin v. Canada, [1984] 2 S.C.R. 335; 55 N.R. 161, refd to. [para. 69].

Nowegijick v. Minister of National Revenue et al., [1983] 1 S.C.R. 29; 46 N.R. 41, refd to. [para. 69].

R. v. Myran, [1976] 2 S.C.R. 137; 5 N.R. 551, refd to. [paras. 75, 98, 113].

R. v. Napoleon (1985), 21 C.C.C.(3d) 515 (B.C.C.A.), refd to. [paras. 100, 113].

R. v. Hare and Debassige (1985), 9 O.A.C. 161; 20 C.C.C.(3d) 1 (C.A.), refd to. [paras. 101, 106].

R. v. McCoy (L.), [1994] 2 C.N.L.R. 129; 141 N.B.R.(2d) 185; 361 A.P.R. 185 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 107].

R. v. Simon, [1985] 2 S.C.R. 387; 62 N.R. 366; 71 N.S.R.(2d) 15; 171 A.P.R. 15, refd to. [paras. 108, 113].

Statutes Noticed:

Game and Fish Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. G-1, sect. 90(b) [para. 18].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Henry, Alexander, Travels and Adventures in Canada and the Indian Territories (1761), generally [para. 60].

Shorter Oxford English Dictionary On Historical Principles [para. 6].

Tough, Frank, Ontario's Appropriation of Indian Hunting (1892-1930) (1991), generally [para. 60].

Counsel:

James E. Weppler, for the accused;

John W. Luczak, for the Crown.

This action was heard by Trainor, J., of the Ontario Court (General Division), who delivered the following decision on September 6, 1996.