R. v. Cosh (K.W.), 2015 NSCA 76

• Judge: Beveridge, Farrar and Bryson, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal of Nova Scotia (Canada)
• Case Date: July 30, 2015
• Jurisdiction: Nova Scotia
• Citations: 2015 NSCA 76;(2015), 363 N.S.R.(2d) 316 (CA)

R. v. Cosh (K.W.) (2015), 363 N.S.R.(2d) 316 (CA);

    1143 A.P.R. 316

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2015] N.S.R.(2d) TBEd. JL.056

Her Majesty the Queen (appellant) v. Kenneth Wade Cosh (respondent)

(CAC 428299; 2015 NSCA 76)

Indexed As: R. v. Cosh (K.W.)

Nova Scotia Court of Appeal

Beveridge, Farrar and Bryson, JJ.A.

July 30, 2015.

Summary:

The accused paramedic stole drugs from his employer, a private company under contract with the province to manage the day to day operations of ambulance services. The accused falsified records to cover up his misdeeds. The accused pleaded guilty to theft, fraud and unlawful possession of morphine, but not guilty to breach of trust by a public officer. The trial judge acquitted the accused of criminal breach of trust, finding that the accused was not an "official" under ss. 118 and 122 of the Criminal Code. The Crown appealed.

The Nova Scotia Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal. A paramedic was not an "official" appointed or elected to discharge a public duty. The accused held no office and was not appointed by government.

Criminal Law - Topic 403

Offences against the administration of law and justice - Corruption of officials - Official - What constitutes - The accused paramedic stole drugs from his employer, a private company under contract with the province to manage the day to day operations of ambulance services - The accused falsified records to cover up his misdeeds - The Nova Scotia Court of Appeal affirmed the accused's acquittal on a charge of criminal breach of trust under ss. 118 and 122 of the Criminal Code - The accused was not an "official" under those sections - The court stated that "unaided by any extrinsic aids, the words found s. 118 and 122, read in their entire context and in their grammatical and ordinary sense, harmoniously with the scheme of the Criminal Code , and the objectives of that legislation, cannot be interpreted to capture a paramedic who is employed by a private corporation. He held no position in government. He was not appointed by any government agency. Furthermore, despite the importance of what a paramedic may be called to perform, he owed no duty to the public. ... Parliament has used these definitional techniques to ensure that the crimes set out in Part IV of the Code only apply to persons that are either appointed or hold office under government, or are elected or appointed to discharge a public duty." - See paragraphs 29 to 105.

Criminal Law - Topic 414

Offences against the administration of law and justice - Corruption of officials - Breach of trust - What constitutes - [See Criminal Law - Topic 403 ].

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Hicks (G.T.) (2013), 332 N.S.R.(2d) 284; 1052 A.P.R. 284; 2013 NSCA 89, refd to. [para. 30].

Rizzo & Rizzo Shoes Ltd. (Bankrupt), Re, [1998] 1 S.C.R. 27; 221 N.R. 241; 106 O.A.C. 1, refd to. [para. 32].

Bell ExpressVu Limited Partnership v. Rex et al., [2002] 2 S.C.R. 559; 287 N.R. 248; 166 B.C.A.C. 1; 271 W.A.C. 1; 2002 SCC 42, refd to. [para. 33].

R. v. A.D.H. (2013), 444 N.R. 293; 414 Sask.R. 210; 575 W.A.C. 210; 2013 SCC 28, refd to. [para. 45].

R. v. Boulanger (D.) (2006), 350 N.R. 326; 2006 SCC 32, refd to. [para. 54].

R. v. Greenwood and Tsinonis (1991), 51 O.A.C. 133; 67 C.C.C.(3d) 435 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 65].

R. v. McMorran, [1948] 3 D.L.R. 237 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [para. 68].

R. v. Sheets, [1971] S.C.R. 614, refd to. [para. 68].

R. v. Doré, [1975] 1 S.C.R. 756; 1 N.R. 489; 2 N.R. 488 (rehearing); 15 C.C.C.(2d) 542; 27 C.R.N.S. 237, refd to. [para. 68].

Doré v. Canada (Attorney General) - see R. v. Doré.

R. v. C.L. (2002), 3 C.R. (6th) 131 (Que. C.A.), refd to. [para. 68].

R. v. Cyr, [1984] J.Q. No. 148 (C.A.), leave to appeal denied [1984] S.C.C.A. No. 404, refd to. [para. 68].

R. v. Singh (J.), [2006] A.R. Uned. 738; 2006 ABPC 324, affd. [2008] A.R. Uned. 20; 2008 ABCA 79, refd to. [para. 68].

R. v. Sommers, [1959] S.C.R. 678, refd to. [para. 68].

R. v. Martineau, [1966] 4 C.C.C. 327 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 68].

R. v. Cogger (M.), [1997] 2 S.C.R. 845; 214 N.R. 64, refd to. [para. 68].

R. v. Despres, [1963] S.C.R. 440, refd to. [para. 68].

R. v. Blumer, [1993] Q.J. No. 214 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 68].

R. v. Perrault, [1992] R.J.Q. 1829 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 68].

R. v. Yellow Old Woman (D.) (2003), 339 A.R. 302; 312 W.A.C. 302; 2003 ABCA 342, refd to. [para. 68].

R. v. Thibault, 2014 QCCQ 6474, refd to. [para. 68].

R. v. Kay, [1998] O.J. No. 5603 (C.J.), refd to. [para. 69].

R. v. Lacombe, 2000 CarswellQue 364 (C.Q.), refd to. [para. 69].

R. v. Pruss, [1966] 3 C.C.C. 315 (Yuk. Terr. Mag. Ct.), refd to. [para. 69].

R. v. Cosford, [2013] EWCA Crim 466, refd to. [para. 85].

R. v. Mitchell, [2014] EWCA Crim 318, refd to. [para. 85].

Quinn v. Leathem, [1901] A.C. 495 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 94].

Davidson v. McRobb, [1918] A.C. 304 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 94].

Prudential Exchange v. Edwards, [1939] S.C.R. 135, refd to. [para. 94].

R. v. Henry (D.B.) et al. (2005), 342 N.R. 259; 376 A.R. 1; 360 W.A.C. 1; 219 B.C.A.C. 1; 361 W.A.C. 1; 2005 SCC 76, refd to. [para. 94].

Quebec (Procurer général), [1984] J.Q. No. 148 (C.A.), leave to appeal denied [1984] S.C.C.A. No. 404, refd to. [para. 102].

Statutes Noticed:

Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46, sect. 118 [para. 11]; sect. 122 [para. 9].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Sullivan, Ruth, Sullivan on the Construction of Statutes (6th Ed. 2014), §§ 4.33 [para. 42]; 4.34 [para. 43]; 4.38 [para. 44].

Counsel:

Jennifer MacLellan, for the appellant;

Alan Ferrier, Q.C., and Benjamin Carver, for the respondent.

This appeal was heard on February 18, 2015, at Halifax, N.S., before Beveridge, Farrar and Bryson, JJ.A., of the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal.

On July 30, 2015, Beveridge, J.A., delivered the following judgment for the Court of Appeal.