R. v. Montour (T.S.) and Longboat (S.B.), (1994) 150 N.B.R.(2d) 7 (CA)

• Judge: Hoyt, C.J.N.B., Angers and Turnbull, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (New Brunswick)
• Case Date: June 20, 1994
• Jurisdiction: New Brunswick
• Citations: (1994), 150 N.B.R.(2d) 7 (CA)

R. v. Montour (T.S.) (1994), 150 N.B.R.(2d) 7 (CA);

    150 R.N.-B.(2e) 7; 385 A.P.R. 7

MLB headnote and full text

[French language version follows English language version]

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

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Her Majesty the Queen (appellant) v. Troy Sherwin Montour and Steven B. Longboat (respondents)

(263/92/CA)

Indexed As: R. v. Montour (T.S.) and Longboat (S.B.)

New Brunswick Court of Appeal

Hoyt, C.J.N.B., Angers and Turnbull, JJ.A.

June 20, 1994.

Summary:

The accused were charged with unlawful possession of tobacco (Excise Act, s. 240(1)) after an R.C.M.P. officer stopped their vehicle and observed tobacco in the back. The accused claimed they were arbitrarily detained contrary to s. 9 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and that the evidence obtained should be excluded under s. 24(2).

The New Brunswick Provincial Court, in a judgment reported 129 N.B.R.(2d) 361; 325 A.P.R. 361, found the accused not guilty. The accused were arbitrarily detained and the evidence was to be excluded under s. 24(2) of the Charter. The Crown appealed.

The New Brunswick Court of Appeal allowed the appeal, set aside the acquittals and ordered a new trial. The accused were arbitrarily detained contrary to s. 9 of the Charter, but the trial judge erred in exclud­ing the evidence obtained under s. 24(2).

Civil Rights - Topic 3603

Detention and imprisonment - Arbitrary detention - What constitutes - An R.C.M.P. officer stopped the accuseds' vehicle solely on a hunch or suspicion that there was something unlawful in the vehicle - Tobacco products were in plain view in the back of the vehicle - The New Brunswick Court of Appeal affirmed that the accused were arbitrarily detained con­trary to s. 9 of the Charter - Random stopping on suspicion of unlawful activity was not authorized by the Motor Vehicle Act or the common law - However, the court held that the trial judge erred in excluding the evidence obtained in a sub­sequent search and seizure under warrant -The court stated that considering the fair­ness of the trial, the seriousness of the Charter breach and the effect of excluding the evidence on the administration of justice, the trial judge erred in excluding the evidence - Admission of the evidence would not bring the administration of justice into disrepute.

Civil Rights - Topic 8368

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Denial of rights - Remedies - Exclusion of evidence - [See Civil Rights - Topic 3603 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 8550

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Interpretation - Bring the administration of justice into disrepute - [See Civil Rights - Topic 3603 ].

Police - Topic 3208

Powers - Direction - Random or arbitrary stopping of persons - [See Civil Rights - Topic 3603 ].

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Hufsky, [1988] 1 S.C.R. 621; 84 N.R. 365; 27 O.A.C. 103; 40 C.C.C.(3d) 398; 63 C.R.(3d) 14; 4 M.V.R.(2d) 170; 32 C.R.R. 193, refd to. [para. 24].

R. v. Ladouceur, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 1257; 108 N.R. 171; 40 O.A.C. 1; 77 C.R.(3d) 110; 56 C.C.C.(3d) 22; 21 M.V.R.(2d) 165, refd to. [para. 24].

R. v. Mellenthin, [1992] 3 S.C.R. 615; 144 N.R. 50; 135 A.R. 1; 33 W.A.C. 1, refd to. [para. 24].

R. v. Dedman, [1985] 2 S.C.R. 2; 60 N.R. 34; 11 O.A.C. 241; 46 C.R.(3d) 193; 20 C.C.C.(3d) 97; 34 M.V.R. 1, refd to. [para. 27].

R. v. Cormier (1988), 94 N.B.R.(2d) 127; 239 A.P.R. 127 (T.D.), disagreed with [para. 42].

R. v. Simpson (R.) (1993), 60 O.A.C. 327 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 50].

R. v. Collins, [1987] 1 S.C.R. 265; 74 N.R. 276; 56 C.R.(3d) 193; [1987] 3 W.W.R. 699; 38 D.L.R.(4th) 508; 33 C.C.C.(3d) 1; 13 B.C.L.R.(2d) 1; 28 C.R.R. 122, refd to. [para. 54].

R. v. Belliveau and Losier (1986), 75 N.B.R.(2d) 18; 188 A.P.R. 18 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 57].

R. v. Sanchez-Ruiz (1991), 121 N.B.R.(2d) 106; 304 A.P.R. 106 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 58].

R. v. Therens, [1985] 1 S.C.R. 613; 59 N.R. 122; 40 Sask.R. 122; 18 D.L.R.(4th) 655; [1985] 4 W.W.R. 286; 32 M.V.R. 153; 45 C.R.(3d) 97; 18 C.C.C.(3d) 481, refd to. [para. 61].

Statutes Noticed:

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982, sect. 1 [para. 52]; sect. 9, sect. 24 [para. 22].

Excise Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. E-14, sect. 240, sect. 241 [para. 15].

Motor Vehicle Act, R.S.N.B. 1973, c. M-17, sect. 15(1)(d) [para. 23].

Counsel:

George T. Yeamans, for the appellant;

Donald J. Stevenson, for the respondents.

This appeal was heard on June 10, 1993, before Hoyt, C.J.N.B., Angers and Turnbull, JJ.A., of the New Brunswick Court of Appeal.

On June 20, 1994, the judgment of the Court of Appeal was delivered and the following opinions were filed:

Angers, J.A. - see paragraphs 1 to 2;

Turnbull, J.A. (Hoyt, C.J.N.B., concur­ring) - see paragraphs 3 to 86.