R. v. D.B. et al., [2005] O.T.C. 26 (SC)

• Judge: Dambrot, J.
• Court: Superior Court of Justice of Ontario (Canada)
• Case Date: January 14, 2005
• Jurisdiction: Ontario
• Citations: [2005] O.T.C. 26 (SC)

R. v. D.B., [2005] O.T.C. 26 (SC)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2005] O.T.C. TBEd. JA.081

Her Majesty the Queen (respondent) v. D.B., E.V., E.H., C.J.B., M.N., P.B., J.B., R.E., D.L., S.M., J.S., Da.B. and J.C. (appellants) and Canadian Civil Liberties Association (intervener)

(Court File No. SCA 162/01)

Indexed As: R. v. D.B. et al.

Court of Ontario

Superior Court of Justice

Dambrot, J.

January 14, 2005.

Summary:

This headnote contains no summary.

Editor's Note: Certain names in the following case have been initialized or the case otherwise edited to prevent the disclosure of identities where required by law, publication ban, Maritime Law Book's editorial policy or otherwise.

Civil Rights - Topic 660.8

Liberty - Limitations on - Panhandling legislation - See paragraphs 45 to 73.

Civil Rights - Topic 783

Liberty - Particular rights - Economic or property rights (incl. choice of work) - See paragraphs 45 to 53.

Civil Rights - Topic 1303

Security of the person - Employment - Right to carry on a business or earn a livelihood - See paragraphs 45 to 53.

Civil Rights - Topic 1801

Freedom of speech or expression - General principles - Expression or opinion - What constitutes - See paragraphs 84 to 101.

Civil Rights - Topic 1845.2

Freedom of speech or expression - Limitations on - Panhandling legislation - See paragraphs 84 to 132.

Civil Rights - Topic 3107

Trials - Due process, fundamental justice and fair hearings - General principles and definitions - Void for vagueness doctrine - See paragraphs 36 to 41.

Civil Rights - Topic 3107.2

Trials - Due process, fundamental justice and fair hearings - General principles and definitions - Overbreadth principle - See paragraphs 36 to 39 and 42 to 44.

Civil Rights - Topic 4908

Presumption of innocence - General principles - Circumstances infringing presumption - See paragraphs 61 to 73.

Civil Rights - Topic 5669.3

Equality and protection of the law - Particular cases - Regulation of panhandling - See paragraphs 54 to 70.

Civil Rights - Topic 8348

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Application - Exceptions - Reasonable limits prescribed by law (Charter, s. 1) - See paragraph 133.

Civil Rights - Topic 8380.1

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Denial of rights - Remedies - Reading in - See paragraphs 61 to 73.

Civil Rights - Topic 8666

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Equality rights (s. 15) - Meaning of "discrimination" - See paragraphs 54 to 61.

Civil Rights - Topic 8672

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Equality rights (s. 15) - Analogous categories - See paragraphs 62 to 70.

Constitutional Law - Topic 6444

Federal jurisdiction (s. 91) - Criminal law - General - Matters not criminal - See paragraphs 18 to 35.

Constitutional Law - Topic 7515

Provincial jurisdiction (s. 92) - Matters of local or private nature - Street or highway regulation - See paragraphs 18 to 35.

Highways - Topic 5889

Offences - Use of highways - Soliciting - See paragraphs 1 to 136.

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Westendorp, [1983] 1 S.C.R. 43; 46 N.R. 30; 41 A.R. 306, 144 D.L.R.(3d) 259, dist. [para. 31].

R. v. Morgentaler, [1993] 3 S.C.R. 463; 157 N.R. 97; 125 N.S.R.(2d) 81; 349 A.P.R. 81, dist. [para. 33].

Federated Anti-Poverty Groups of B.C. et al. v. Vancouver (City) et al., [2002] B.C.T.C. 105 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 35].

R. v. Budreo (W.) (2000), 128 O.A.C. 105; 46 O.R.(3d) 481; 142 C.C.C.(3d) 225 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 40].

A and L Investments Ltd. et al. v. Ontario (Minister of Housing) (1997), 104 O.A.C. 92; 36 O.R.(3d) 127; 152 D.L.R.(4th) 692 (C.A.), folld. [para. 52].

Siemens et al. v. Manitoba (Attorney General) et al., [2003] 1 S.C.R. 6; 299 N.R. 267; 173 Man.R.(2d) 1; 293 W.A.C. 1, folld. [para. 52].

Law v. Minister of Employment and Immigration, [1999] 1 S.C.R. 497; 236 N.R. 1; 170 D.L.R.(4th) 1, refd to. [para. 57].

Dunmore et al. v. Ontario (Attorney General) et al., [2001] 3 S.C.R. 1016; 279 N.R. 201; 154 O.A.C. 201, refd to. [para. 64].

Falkiner et al. v. Director of Income Maintenance (Ont.) et al. (2002), 159 O.A.C. 135; 59 O.R.(3d) 481 (C.A.), leave to appeal granted (2003), 312 N.R. 200; 181 O.A.C. 197 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 66].

Polewsky v. Home Hardware Stores Ltd. et al. (2003), 174 O.A.C. 358; 66 O.R.(3d) 600 (Div. Ct.), leave to appeal granted [2004] O.J. No. 954 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 69].

Southam Inc. v. Hunter, [1984] 2 S.C.R. 145; 55 N.R. 241; 55 A.R. 291, refd to. [para. 73].

R. v. Shisler (1990), 37 O.A.C. 183; 53 C.C.C.(3d) 531 (C.A.), leave to appeal refused (1990), 117 N.R. 283; 42 O.A.C. 240; 58 C.C.C.(3d) vii, refd to. [para. 75].

Schachter v. Canada et al., [1992] 2 S.C.R. 679; 139 N.R. 1, refd to. [para. 79].

R. v. Sharpe (J.R.), [2001] 1 S.C.R. 45; 264 N.R. 201; 146 B.C.A.C. 161; 239 W.A.C. 161, refd to. [para. 82].

R. v. B.E. (1999), 126 O.A.C. 173; 139 C.C.C.(3d) 100 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 96].

R. v. Keegstra, [1990] 3 S.C.R. 697; 117 N.R. 1; 114 A.R. 81; 61 C.C.C.(3d) 1; 3 C.R.R.(2d) 193, refd to. [para. 96].

Rosen et al. v. Ontario (Attorney General) et al. (1996), 87 O.A.C. 280; 131 D.L.R.(4th) 708; 34 C.R.R.(2d) 84 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 99].

Irwin Toy Ltd. v. Québec (Procureur général), [1989] 1 S.C.R. 927; 94 N.R. 167; 24 Q.A.C. 2; 58 D.L.R.(4th) 577, refd to. [para. 102].

R. v. Big M Drug Mart Ltd., [1985] 1 S.C.R. 295; 58 N.R. 81; 60 A.R. 161, refd to. [para. 102].

Reference Re Sections 193 and 195.1(1)(c) of the Criminal Code, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 1123; 109 N.R. 81; 68 Man.R.(2d) 1; 56 C.C.C.(3d) 65; 77 C.R.(3d) 1, refd to. [para. 110].

Committee for the Commonwealth of Canada et al. v. Canada, [1991] 1 S.C.R. 139; 120 N.R. 241; 77 D.L.R.(4th) 385, refd to. [para. 120].

R. v. Jones, [1986] 2 S.C.R. 284; 69 N.R. 241; 73 A.R. 133; 28 C.C.C.(3d) 513, refd to. [para. 130].

R. v. Videoflicks Ltd. et al., [1986] 2 S.C.R. 713; 71 N.R. 161; 19 O.A.C. 239; 30 C.C.C.(3d) 385, refd to. [para. 131].

R. v. Edwards Books and Art Ltd. - see R. v. Videoflicks Ltd. et al.

Coles Book Stores Ltd. v. Ontario (1991), 6 O.R.(3d) 673 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 131].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Hansard (Ont.) - see Ontario, Hansard, Legislative Assembly, Official Report of Debates.

Ontario, Hansard, Legislative Assembly, Official Report of Debates, 1st sess., 37th Parliament (November 2, 1999), pp. 1 [para. 3, footnotes 1, 3, 4]; 13 [para. 1, footnote 2].

Ontario, Hansard, Legislative Assembly, Official Report of Debates, 1st sess., 37th Parliament (December 7, 1999), p. 44 [para. 3, footnote 5].

Counsel:

Philip Downes and Grace Choi, for the respondent;

Mary M. Birdsell, for the appellants, D.L. and J.C.;

Peter Rosenthal, for the appellants, E.H., R.E. and J.B.;

No one appeared for D.B., E.V., C.J.B., M.N., P.B., S.M., J.S. and Da.B.;

Frank Addario and Vanora Simpson, for the intervener.

This case was heard on March 20 and 21, 2002, before Dambrot, J., of the Ontario Superior Court, who released the following decision on January 14, 2005.

Please note: The following judgment has not been edited.