R. v. McCoy, (1992) 127 N.B.R.(2d) 328 (TD)

• Judge: Turnbull, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of New Brunswick (Canada)
• Case Date: June 06, 1991
• Jurisdiction: New Brunswick
• Citations: (1992), 127 N.B.R.(2d) 328 (TD)

R. v. McCoy (1992), 127 N.B.R.(2d) 328 (TD);

    127 R.N.-B.(2e) 328; 319 A.P.R. 328

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[French language version follows English language version]

[La version française vient à la suite de la version anglaise]

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R. (appellant) v. Leslie McCoy (respondent)

(F/CR/7/91)

Indexed As: R. v. McCoy

New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench

Trial Division

Judicial District of Fredericton

Turnbull, J.

May 7, 1992.

Summary:

The accused Maliseet was charged with hunting at night with a light contrary to s. 33(1)(b) of the Fish and Wildlife Act, S.N.B. 1980, c. F-14.1. The offence occurred on non-reserve rural land.

The New Brunswick Provincial Court in a judgment reported 113 N.B.R.(2d) 36; 285 A.P.R. 36, acquitted the accused and held that in New Brunswick Maliseets were entitled to hunt without a licence requirement or restriction on season or hour of the day anywhere that it would be lawful for any non-treaty licensed hunter to hunt. The Crown appealed.

The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, dismissed the appeal.

Fish and Game - Topic 801

Indian and Inuit rights - General principles - Right to hunt off reserves - The New Brunswick Provincial Court held that a Maliseet in New Brunswick is at liberty to hunt anywhere without requirement as to licence or restriction as to season or hour of the day that it would be lawful for any non-treaty licensed hunter to hunt - Therefore, the court acquitted a Maliseet of hunting at night with a light on non-reserve rural land - The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, dismissed the Crown's appeal.

Fish and Game - Topic 806

Indian and Inuit rights - General principles - Scope of rights - Limitations - Hunting or fishing seasons or times - [See Fish and Game - Topic 801 ].

Fish and Game - Topic 2401

Hunting offences - With a light - General - [See Fish and Game - Topic 801 ].

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Sparrow, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 1075; 111 N.R. 241; 56 C.C.C.(3d) 263, refd to. [paras. 3, 40].

R. v. Francis, [1970] 3 C.C.C. 165; 10 D.L.R.(3d) 189 (N.B.C.A.), not folld. [para. 3].

R. v. Paul (1980), 30 N.B.R.(2d) 545; 70 A.P.R. 545, not folld. [para. 3].

R. v. Syliboy, [1929] 1 D.L.R. 307; 50 C.C.C. 389, not folld. [para. 3].

R. v. Simon, [1985] 2 S.C.R. 404; 62 N.R. 366; 71 N.S.R.(2d) 15; 171 A.P.R. 15; 23 C.C.C.(3d) 238; [1986] C.N.L.R. 153, refd to. [para. 3].

R. v. Horseman, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 901; 108 N.R. 1; 108 A.R. 1; [1990] 4 W.W.R. 97, appld. [para. 40].

Calvin's Case, 77 E.R. 377, refd to. [paras. 22, 39].

Statutes Noticed:

Belcher's Proclamation - see Proclamation of 1763.

Dummer's Treaty [para. 13].

Fish and Wildlife Act, S.N.B. 1980, c. F-14.1, sect. 33(1)(b).

Proclamation of 1763 (Belcher's Proclamation) [para. 5].

Royal Proclamation of 1763 [para. 5].

Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, 1748 [para. 8].

Treaty of Ashburton, 1842 [para. 11].

Treaty of Breda, 1667 [para. 24].

Treaty of Utrecht, 1713 [paras. 6, 27].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Douglas, David C. (Ed.), English Historical Documents (1968) [para. 27].

Knollenberg, Origin of the American Revolution [para. 10].

MacNutt, W.S., The Atlantic Provinces [para. 12].

Our Land: The Maritimes [para. 10].

Raymond, W.O., The Saint John River (2nd Ed. 1950) [para. 34].

Counsel:

J.T. Keith McCormick, for the appellant Crown;

Ronald Gaffney, for the respondent accused.

This case was heard on June 6, 1991, at Fredericton, N.B., before Turnbull, J., of the New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, who delivered the following judgment on May 7, 1992: