R. v. Y.D., (1985) 67 N.B.R.(2d) 269 (FD)

• Judge: Boisvert, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of New Brunswick (Canada)
• Case Date: September 09, 1985
• Jurisdiction: New Brunswick
• Citations: (1985), 67 N.B.R.(2d) 269 (FD)

R. v. Y.D. (1985), 67 N.B.R.(2d) 269 (FD);

    67 R.N.-B.(2e) 269; 172 A.P.R. 269

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[French language version follows English language version]

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R. v. Y.D.

(J-57-85)

Indexed As: R. v. Y.D.

Répertorié: R. v. Y.D.

New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench

Family Division

Judicial District of Bathurst

Boisvert, J.

November 1, 1985.

Summary:

Résumé:

A young offender was charged with mischief, contrary to s. 387(4) of the Criminal Code of Canada. The young person argued against the designation, by the Province of New Brunswick, of the New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Family Division, as a "Youth Court" for purposes of the Young Offenders Act. New Brunswick was the only province to delegate the functions under the Young Offenders Act to a superior court. New Brunswick had also "appointed" all judges of the Queen's Bench, both Trial and Family Divisions, as "youth court judges". Amendments to the Judicature Act and the Summary Convictions Act purported to allow Youth Court judges to act as a summary conviction court for offences against young offenders under provincial statutes and municipal by-laws. A number of questions concerning the constitutionality of this scheme were raised.

The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Family Division, held that the province's actions were ultra vires. The court held that the provisions of the Young Offenders Act purporting to appoint, designate or authorize a superior court as a youth court or a youth court judge (ss. 8(6), 16(11) and 27(3)) denied the rights of young persons guaranteed under ss. 15(1) and 24(1) of the Charter of Rights. The court declared that these provisions were therefore of no force and effect by reason of s. 52(1) of the Constitution Act, 1982.

Civil Rights - Topic 5643

Equality and protection of the law - Particular cases - Young offenders - The Young Offenders Act provided that each province could designate a Youth Court for purposes of the Act - New Brunswick designated the Queen's Bench, Family Division, as the Youth Court and "appointed" all Queen's Bench judges, both Trial and Family Division, as "Youth Court judges" - Amendments to the Judicature Act (N.B.) authorized Youth Court judges to hear offences against young offenders under provincial statutes and municipal by-laws - The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Family Division, held that the legislative provisions of the Young Offenders Act, limiting the powers of a s. 96 court to those of a summary conviction court, limited the equality rights of young persons in New Brunswick by treating them differently than their peers in other provinces - The court also held that the Judicature Act amendments, purporting to transform a s. 96 judge into a judge of the Provincial Court, also contravened s. 15 of the Charter - See paragraphs 88 to 95.

Civil Rights - Topic 8348

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Application - Exceptions - Reasonable limits prescribed by law - The Young Offenders Act provided that each province could designate a Youth Court for purposes of the Act - New Brunswick designated the Queen's Bench, Family Division, as a Youth Court and "appointed" all superior court judges of the Queen's Bench, Trial and Family Divisions, as "Youth Court judges" - Amendments to the Judicature Act (N.B.) authorized Youth Court judges to hear offences against young offenders under provincial statutes and municipal by-laws - The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Family Division, held that all the legislation violated the Charter (ss. 15(1) and 24(1)), and was not reasonably justified in a free and democratic society under s. 1 - See paragraphs 100 to 104.

Civil Rights - Topic 8363

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Denial of rights - Jurisdiction - The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Family Division, held that when the Charter rights of young persons are infringed, the "court of competent jurisdiction" to grant relief depends on the nature of the remedy being sought - See paragraph 96.

Civil Rights - Topic 8370

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Denial of rights - Remedies - Denial of - Denial of right to remedy - The Young Offenders Act provided that each province could designate a Youth Court for purposes of the Act - New Brunswick designated the Queen's Bench, Family Division - 1985 amendments to the Judicature Act (N.B.) allowed Youth Court judges to act as a summary conviction court for offences against young offenders under provincial statutes and municipal by-laws - The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Family Division, held that this breached, inter alia, the right of young persons under s. 24(1) of the Charter to be granted remedies to enforce Charter rights - See paragraphs 96 to 99.

Constitutional Law - Topic 8623

Judicial power - Appointment of judges, s. 96 - Provincial youth courts - The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Family Division, held that a court established for the purposes of the Young Offenders Act is not a s. 96 court - See paragraphs 34 to 35.

Constitutional Law - Topic 8623

Judicial power - Appointment of judges, s. 96 - Provincial youth courts - The Young Offenders Act provided that each province could designate a Youth Court for purposes of the Act - The Act contemplated the appointment of superior court judges - New Brunswick, by order-in-council, designated a superior court (Queen's Bench, Family Division) as Youth Court - The province also "appointed" all superior court judges of the Queen's Bench, Trial and Family Divisions, as "Youth Court judges" - 1985 amendments to the Judicature Act (N.B.) authorized Youth Court judges to act as a summary conviction court for offences against young offenders under provincial statutes and municipal by-laws - The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Family Division, held that this was ultra vires the provincial legislature - The court held that the combined scheme of the federal and provincial governments threatened the jurisdiction of the superior courts by, in effect, transforming them into inferior tribunals.

Courts - Topic 5668

Provincial courts - Superior courts - As youth courts - The Province of New Brunswick, by order-in-council, designated the Queen's Bench, Family Division, as a Youth Court for purposes of the Young Offenders Act - It was the only province to do so - The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Family Division, held that it was ultra vires for the province to designate a superior court (whose judges were already appointed by the Governor General under s. 96 of the Constitution Act) to be a Youth Court.

Courts - Topic 5868

Provincial courts - New Brunswick - Family court - Jurisdiction re young offenders - The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Family Division, held that the Family Division, being a superior court, had no jurisdiction to hear offences against young persons under the Young Offenders Act or act as a summary conviction court for offences against young offenders under provincial statutes and municipal by-laws.

Words and Phrases

Court of competent jurisdiction - The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Family Division, discussed the meaning of the phrase "court of competent jurisdiction", as found in s. 24(1) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982 - See paragraphs 96 to 99.

Cases Noticed:

Jabour v. Law Society of B.C. et al., [1982] 2 S.C.R. 307; 43 N.R. 451, refd to. [para. 29].

Re B.C. Family Relations Act, [1982] 1 S.C.R. 62; 40 N.R. 206, refd to. [para. 30].

Adoption Reference, [1938] S.C.R. 398, refd to. [para. 30].

R. v. Skogman, [1984] 2 S.C.R. 2; 54 N.R. 34, refd to. [para. 43].

R. v. Cowle (1759), 2 Burr. 855; 97 E.R. 587, refd to. [para. 44].

Re Storgoff, [1945] S.C.R. 526, refd to. [para. 45].

Tremblay v. R. and Att. Gen. of B.C. (1981), 25 C.R.(3d) 320 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 45].

Bronlow v. Cox and Michil (1615), 3 Buls. 32; 81 E.R. 27, refd to. [para. 47].

R. v. Neville (1830-34), 2B. & Ad. 299; 109 E.R. 1154, refd to. [para. 47].

Wilson v. Atkinson (1847), 5 N.B.R. 343, refd to. [para. 47].

Morisset v. Carrier (1851), 2 L.C.R. 302, refd to. [para. 47].

R. v. Grimmer (1886), 25 N.B.R. 480, refd to. [para. 47].

Frankel v. R. (1969), 68 W.W.R.(N.S.) 201, refd to. [para. 47].

Bacon v. Rose (1972), 2 N.S.W.L.R. 793, refd to. [para. 47].

Kennedy v. McGeechan (1974), A.C.L.D. 128, refd to. [para. 47].

Udeco Inc. v. Quebec, [1984] 2 S.C.R. 502; 55 N.R. 360, refd to. [para. 51].

Hebert v. School Commissioners of St-Felicien (1921), 62 S.C.R. 174, refd to. [para. 51].

R. v. E.L. (1985), 62 N.B.R.(2d) 271; 161 A.P.R. 271, refd to. [para. 54].

R. v. Perry (1984), 56 N.B.R.(2d) 361; 146 A.P.R. 361, refd to. [para. 54].

Goodman v. Rompkey, [1982] 1 S.C.R. 589; 43 N.R. 214, refd to. [para. 54].

Court of Unified Criminal Jurisdiction, Re; McEvoy v. Attorney General of N.B. et al., [1983] 1 S.C.R. 704; 48 N.R. 228; 46 N.B.R.(2d) 219; 121 A.P.R. 219, refd to. [para. 56].

Labour Relations Board of Saskatchewan v. John East Iron Works Limited, [1949] A.C. 134, refd to. [para. 60].

Toronto Corporation v. York Corporation, [1938] A.C. 415, refd to. [para. 60].

City of Mississauga v. Regional Municipality of Peel et al., [1979] 2 S.C.R. 244; 26 N.R. 200, refd to. [para. 60].

Dupont et al. v. Inglis et al., [1958] S.C.R. 535, refd to. [para. 60].

Tomko v. Labour Relations Board (N.S.) et al., [1977] 1 S.C.R. 112; 10 N.R. 35, refd to. [para. 60].

Farrah v. Att. Gen. of Quebec, [1978] 2 S.C.R. 638; 21 N.R. 595, refd to. [para. 60].

Reference Re The Residential Tenancies Act, [1981] 1 S.C.R. 714; 37 N.R. 158, refd to. [para. 60].

Seminary of Chicoutimi v. Att. Gen. of Quebec, [1973] S.C.R. 681, refd to. [para. 60].

Crevier v. Att. Gen. Que., [1981] 2 S.C.R. 220; 38 N.R. 541, refd to. [para. 60].

Schneider v. British Columbia, Province of et al., [1982] 2 S.C.R. 112; 43 N.R. 91, refd to. [para. 61].

Attorney General for Ontario v. Attorney General for Canada, [1925] 2 D.L.R. 753, refd to. [para. 61].

Martineau & Sons v. Montreal, [1932] A.C. 120, refd to. [para. 64].

Kazakewich v. Kazakewich, [1937] 1 D.L.R. 548, refd to. [para. 65].

Re Vancini (1904), 34 S.C.R. 621, not appld. [para. 69].

Valin v. Langlois (1879), 3 S.C.R. 1, refd to. [para. 69].

Attorney General of Canada v. Attorney General of British Columbia et al., [1984] 1 S.C.R. 388; 52 N.R. 355, refd to. [para. 70].

Rimmer v. Hannon (1921), 60 D.L.R. 637, refd to. [para. 70].

Attorney General of British Columbia v. McKenzie, [1965] S.C.R. 490, dist. [para. 72].

Re County Courts of British Columbia (1892), 21 S.C.R. 446, consd. [para. 74].

R. v. Brown (1907), 41 N.S.R. 293, consd. [para. 74].

Re Judges Act, [1923] 2 D.L.R. 604; 52 O.L.R. 105 (C.A.) refd to. [para. 75].

Winnipeg v. Cross et al., [1927] 3 D.L.R. 1072 (Man. C.A.), refd to. [para. 76].

Re Judicature Act 1924, [1924] 4 D.L.R. 529 (Ont. C.A.), consd. [para. 77].

Roskiwich v. Roskiwich, [1932] 1 D.L.R. 135, leave to appeal to S.C.C. refused, [1932] S.C.R. 570, refd to. [para. 77].

Ottawa Valley Power Co. v. A.G. Ont. et al., [1936] 4 D.L.R. 594, refd to. [para. 83].

R. v. Drybones, [1970] S.C.R. 282, refd to. [para. 88].

R. v. Burnshine, [1975] 1 S.C.R. 693; 2 N.R. 53, refd to. [para. 88].

Prata v. Min. of Manpower and Immigration, [1976] 1 S.C.R. 376; 3 N.R. 484, refd to. [para. 88].

R. v. Mackay (1980), 39 N.R. 1; 114 D.L.R.(3d) 393 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 88].

Attorney General of Canada v. Lavell, [1972] 2 O.R. 391; 11 R.F.L. 333, refd to. [para. 92].

Re Regina and Brooks et al. (1982), 1 C.C.C.(3d) 506 (Ont. H.C.J.), refd to. [para. 96].

R. v. Primeau (1982), 21 Sask.R. 51 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 96].

R. v. Burns (1982), 2 C.C.C.(3d) 283 (Ont. H.C.J.), refd to. [para. 98].

R. v. Century Helicopters Inc. et al. (1983), 51 A.R. 395 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 98].

Re R. and Hengu (1984), 11 C.C.C.(3d) 404, refd to. [para. 98].

Southam Inc. v. Hunter, [1984] 2 S.C.R. 145; 55 N.R. 241; 55 A.R. 291, refd to. [para. 100].

Re Soenen and Thomas et al. (1983), 8 C.C.C.(3d) 224, refd to. [para. 102].

Re: Canadian Human Rights Commission and Taylor et al. (1984), 29 A.C.W.S.(2d) 430 (F.C.T.D.), refd to. [para. 102].

R. v. Big M Drug Mart Ltd. (1985), 58 N.R. 81; 60 A.R. 161 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 103].

Statutes Noticed:

Young Offenders Act, S.C. 1980-81-82-83, c. 110, sect. 2(1) [paras. 4, 6]; sect. 5 [para. 35]; sect. 5(1), sect. 5(4) [para. 8]; sect. 8(6) [paras. 7, 105]; sect. 16(11) [paras. 7, 105]; sect. 27(1) [para. 54]; sect. 27(3) [paras. 7, 105].

Juvenile Delinquents Act, S.C. 1908, sect. 2(1) [para. 2].

Constitution Act 1867, sect. 91(27) [paras. 24, 66, 68-69]; sect. 92(14) [paras. 3, 24, 61, 66-67, 70-71]; sect. 96 [paras. 3, 15, 19, 27, 34-35, 55, 58, 61-65, 68, 73, 75, 78, 80, 83, 94, 101, 107]; sect. 97 [para. 61]; sect. 99 [paras. 73, 80].

Juvenile Courts Act, R.S.N.B. 1973, c. J-4, generally [para. 3].

Criminal Code of Canada, R.S.C. 1970, c. C-34, sect. 2, sect. 720 [para. 9]; sect. 719 [para. 52].

Order-in-Council (N.B.), 84-241 [para. 12].

Order-in-Council (N.B.), 85-228 [para. 13].

Judicature Act, An Act to Amend The, S.N.B. 1985, c. 53, sect. 11(6) [paras. 7, 16]; sect. 11(6)(a.1) [para. 19]; sect. 11(6)(c) [para. 107].

Judicature Act, S.N.B. 1978, c. 32, generally [para. 15]; sect. 9 [para. 16]; Schedule A, para. (q) [para. 19].

Supreme Court Act, S.N.B. 1879, c. 7, generally [para. 15].

Judicature Act, S.N.B. 1909, c. V, generally [para. 15].

Judges Act, R.S.C. 1970, c. J-1, sect. 41, sect. 42, sect. 43 [para. 73].

Constitution Act 1982, sect. 52(1) [paras. 85, 105, 108].

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982, sect. 1 [paras. 87, 100, 103, 105]; sect. 15(1) [paras. 87, 89, 92-93, 105]; sect. 24(1) [paras. 87, 89, 96, 99, 105]; sect. 32(1) [para. 86].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Black's Law Dictionary (4th Ed. Rev.) [para. 5].

Halsbury's Laws of England (3rd Ed. 1955), vol. 9, pp. 348-350 [para. 28]; vol. 11, pp. 53, 99, 134 [para. 53].

Bala and Lilles, The Young Offenders Act Annotated, pp. 155, 223 [para. 39].

Hogg, Peter W., Constitutional Law of Canada (2nd Ed. 1985), pp. 164 [para. 40]; 707 [para. 92]; 678 [para. 101].

deSmith, Judicial Review of Administrative Action (2nd Ed. 1968), p. 384 [para. 44].

deSmith, The Prerogative Writs, [1951] Camb.L.J. 40, 49 [para. 44].

Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (7th Ed. 1775), vol. 3, p. 110 [para. 45].

Byrne, W., A Dictionary of English Law (1923) [para. 46].

Letourneau, Gilles, The Prerogative Writs in Canadian Criminal Law and Procedure (1976), pp. 95 [para. 48]; 310 [para. 49].

Belliveau, Pierre, Le Controle Judiciaire en Droit Penal Canadien (1983), 61 Can. Bar Rev. 735 [para. 55].

Report of the C.B.A. Committee on the Independence of the Judiciary in Canada (Can. Bar Foundation 1985) [para. 59].

Dickson, The Rule of Law: Judicial Independence and the Separation of Powers (1985) [para. 81].

Hogg, Peter W., Supremacy of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (1983), 61 Can. Bar Rev. 69 [para. 86].

LaForest, Gerard V., The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms: An Overview (1983), 61 Can. Bar Rev 19 [paras. 19, 97].

Dickson, Address to B.C. Bar re Equality Before the Law (1985) [para. 92].

Hovius and Martin, The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in the Supreme Court of Canada (1983), 61 Can. Bar Rev. 354 [para. 101].

Counsel:

John Evans, Bruce Judah and George Chiasson, for the intervener, the Attorney General for New Brunswick;

Rene Dumaresq, for Y.D., a young person.

This matter was heard before Boisvert, J., of the New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Family Division, Judicial District of Bathurst, on June 17 and September 9, 1985. The decision of Boisvert, J., was delivered on November 1, 1985.