R. v. Felawka (K.J.), (1991) 3 B.C.A.C. 241 (CA)

• Judge: McEachern, C.J.B.C., Wallace, Toy, Proudfoot and Gibbs, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (British Columbia)
• Case Date: January 14, 1991
• Jurisdiction: British Columbia
• Citations: (1991), 3 B.C.A.C. 241 (CA)

R. v. Felawka (K.J.) (1991), 3 B.C.A.C. 241 (CA);

    7 W.A.C. 241

MLB headnote and full text

Regina (respondent) v. Kenneth Jay Felawka (appellant)

(CA009868)

Indexed As: R. v. Felawka (K.J.)

British Columbia Court of Appeal

McEachern, C.J.B.C., Wallace, Toy, Proudfoot and Gibbs, JJ.A.

December 3, 1991.

Summary:

The accused was charged with possession of a weapon, a rifle, for a purpose dangerous to the public peace, contrary to s. 87 of the Criminal Code and with unlawfully carrying a concealed weapon, contrary to s. 89 of the Code. At trial he was acquitted on the first count, but convicted of concealing a weapon. The accused appealed his conviction.

The British Columbia Court of Appeal, Gibbs, J.A., dissenting, dismissed the appeal.

Criminal Law - Topic 1166

Offensive weapons - Carrying concealed weapon - Mens rea - The accused was on his way home from target shooting - He boarded a train, and because he did not want the public to see the gun, he wrapped it in his jacket - He was convicted of carrying a concealed weapon, contrary to s. 89 of the Criminal Code - The British Columbia Court of Appeal affirmed the conviction - The court held that the offence created by s. 89 required mens rea, and discussed the requisite intent to sustain a conviction under s. 89.

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Lemire (1980), 57 C.C.C.(2d) 561 (B.C.C.A.), consd. [para. 4 et seq.].

R. v. Lemire (1980), 18 C.R.(3d) 167 (B.C. Co. Ct.), refd to. [para. 13].

R. v. Coughlan (1974), 17 C.C.C.(2d) 430 (Alta. T.D.), refd to. [para. 14 et seq.].

Attorney General v. Bradlaugh (1885), 14 Q.B.D. 667, refd to. [para. 19].

R. v. Hanabury (1970), 1 C.C.C.(2d) 438 (P.E.I.S.C.), refd to. [paras. 22-30, 80].

R. v. Blondell (1972), 8 C.C.C.(2d) 130, not appld. [paras. 49-54, 81].

R. v. Kilpatrick (1986), 31 C.C.C.(3d) 334 (Ont. Dist. Ct.), not appld. [paras. 55, 81].

R. v. Coleman (1987), 81 A.R. 208; 37 C.C.C.(3d) 568 (Q.B.), not appld. [para. 55].

R. v. Sault Ste. Marie (City), [1978] 2 S.C.R. 1299; 21 N.R. 295; 85 D.L.R.(3d) 161; 40 C.C.C.(2d) 353; 3 C.R.(3d) 30, refd to. [para. 58].

R. v. City of Sault Ste. Marie - see R. v. Sault Ste. Marie (City).

R. v. Vaillancourt, [1987] 2 S.C.R. 636; 81 N.R. 115; 10 Q.A.C. 161; 68 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 281; 209 A.P.R. 281; 60 C.R.(3d) 289; 39 C.C.C.(3d) 118, refd to. [para. 76].

Reference Re s. 94(2) of the Motor Vehicle Act (B.C.), [1985] 2 S.C.R. 486; 63 N.R. 266; [1986] 1 W.W.R. 481; 23 C.C.C.(3d) 289; 48 C.R.(3d) 289, refd to. [para. 77].

Statutes Noticed:

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982, sect. 7 [para. 21].

Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46, sect. 2 [paras. 10, 54, 55, 70, 79-82]; sect. 84 [paras. 10, 54, 69, 72, 81]; sect. 87 [para. 1]; sect. 89 [para. 1 et seq.].

Criminal Code Amendment Act, S.C. 1951, c. 47, sect. 7 [para. 24].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Williams, Glanville, Criminal Law: The General Part (2nd Ed. 1961), pp. 50, 216 [para. 19].

Counsel:

R.C.C. Peck, Q.C., for the appellant;

   W.R. Ehrcke, for the respondent.

This appeal was heard on January 14, 1991, in Vancouver, British Columbia, before McEachern, C.J.B.C., Wallace, Toy, Proudfoot and Gibbs, JJ.A., of the British Columbia Court of Appeal. The decision of the court was delivered on December 3, 1991, including the following opinions:

Toy, (McEachern, C.J.B.C., Wallace and Proudfoot, JJ.A., concurring) - see paragraphs 1 to 64;

Gibbs, J.A. - see paragraphs 65 to 85.