R. v. Keeping (E.L.), (1992) 116 N.S.R.(2d) 294 (ProvCt)

• Court: Provincial Court of Nova Scotia (Canada)
• Case Date: September 11, 1992
• Jurisdiction: Nova Scotia
• Citations: (1992), 116 N.S.R.(2d) 294 (ProvCt)

R. v. Keeping (E.L.) (1992), 116 N.S.R.(2d) 294 (ProvCt);

  320 A.P.R. 294

MLB headnote and full text

Her Majesty The Queen (informant) v. Edward Lewis Keeping (defendant)

(No. 293417)

Indexed As: R. v. Keeping (E.L.)

Nova Scotia Provincial Court

Gibson, J.P.C.

September 22, 1992.

Summary:

The accused was charged with careless use of a firearm contrary to s. 86(2) of the Criminal Code. The accused applied for a stay of proceedings under s. 24 of the Char­ter, arguing that s. 86(2) violated s. 7 of the Charter and could not be saved by s. 1.

The Nova Scotia Provincial Court granted the stay of proceedings.

Civil Rights - Topic 4943

Presumption of innocence - Evidence and proof - Burden of proof in criminal cases - The accused was charged with careless use of a firearm contrary to s. 86(2) of the Criminal Code - The accused applied for a stay of proceedings under s. 24(1) of the Charter, arguing that s. 86(2) was contrary to s. 7 of the Charter and not saved by s. 1, because s. 86(2) imposed a civil stan­dard of negligence rather than a criminal standard - The Nova Scotia Provincial Court agreed with the accused's argument and granted the stay of proceedings - The court refused to read the word "careless" as requiring a standard of care beyond that of civil negligence.

Courts - Topic 87

Stare decisis - Authority of judicial deci­sions - Prior decisions of same court - Provincial courts - The accused was charged with careless use of a firearm contrary to s. 86(2) of the Criminal Code - The accused applied for a stay of pro­ceedings under s. 24(1) of the Charter, arguing that s. 86(2) was contrary to s. 7 of the Charter and not saved by s. 1 - The Crown acknowledged that another Provin­cial Court judge ruled that s. 86(2) was unconstitutional and that the Crown had not appealed that decision - The Nova Scotia Provincial Court held that it agreed with the other judge's decision, and even if it disagreed, would have difficulty in find­ing some strong reason to not follow the decision - See paragraphs 1 to 16.

Criminal Law - Topic 1437

Firearms - Careless use - [See Civil Rights - Topic 4943 ].

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Anderson (1990), 105 N.R. 143; 64 Man.R.(2d) 161; 75 C.R.(3d) 50 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 18].

R. v. Cote, [1978] 1 S.C.R. 8; 13 N.R. 271; 40 C.R.N.S. 308; [1977] 2 W.W.R. 174; 73 D.L.R.(3d) 752; 33 C.C.C.(2d) 353, refd to. [para. 20].

R. v. Hess; R. v. Nguyen, [1990] 2 S.C.R. 906; 119 N.R. 353; 46 O.A.C. 13; 73 Man.R.(2d) 1; 3 W.A.C. 1; [1990] 6 W.W.R. 289; 79 C.R.(3d) 332; 59 C.C.C.(3d) 161, refd to. [para. 25].

R. v. Nguyen - see R. v. Hess; R. v. Nguyen.

Statutes Noticed:

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982, sect. 1, sect. 7, sect. 24(1) [para. 2].

Constitution Act, 1982, sect. 52(1) [para. 24].

Courts of the Province, An Act to Reform the, S.N.S. 1992, c. 16, sect. 19, sect. 20 [para. 9].

Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46, sect. 86(2) [para. 1]; sect. 219, sect. 249 [para. 18].

Judges of the Provincial Court Act, R.S.N.S. 1989, c. 238, sect. 2 [para. 9].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Black's Law Dictionary (5th Ed.) [para. 17].

Wilson, J.O., A Book for Judges, p. 105 [para. 10].

Counsel:

R. Fetterly, for the Crown;

P. Hutt, for the defendant.

This case was heard on July 21 and Sep­tember 11, 1992, before Gibson, J.P.C., of the Nova Scotia Provincial Court, who delivered the following decision on Septem­ber 22, 1992.