R. v. Morgentaler, (1991) 104 N.S.R.(2d) 361 (CA)

• Judge: Clarke, C.J.N.S., Jones, Hart, Chipman and Freeman, JJ.A.
• Court: Supreme Court of Nova Scotia (Canada)
• Case Date: July 05, 1991
• Jurisdiction: Nova Scotia
• Citations: (1991), 104 N.S.R.(2d) 361 (CA)

R. v. Morgentaler (1991), 104 N.S.R.(2d) 361 (CA);

  283 A.P.R. 361

MLB headnote and full text

Her Majesty The Queen (appellant) v. Henry Morgentaler (respondent)

(S.C.C. No. 02392)

Indexed As: R. v. Morgentaler

Nova Scotia Supreme Court

Appeal Division

Clarke, C.J.N.S., Jones, Hart, Chipman and Freeman, JJ.A.

July 5, 1991.

Summary:

The Medical Services Act, S.N.S. 1989, c. 9, prohibited certain medical services outside a hospital, including abortions. Morgentaler was charged under the Act with performing therapeutic abortions in Nova Scotia. Mor­gentaler claimed the Act was unconstitu­tional.

The Nova Scotia Provincial Court, in a judgment reported 99 N.S.R.(2d) 293; 270 A.P.R. 293, acquitted Morgentaler on the ground that the Act was an invalid invasion of the federal criminal law power, because it was directed at the prevention of Morgenta­ler's clinic. The Crown appealed.

The Nova Scotia Supreme Court, Appeal Division, Jones, J.A., dissenting, dismissed the appeal.

Constitutional Law - Topic 6493

Federal jurisdiction - Criminal law - Abortion - The Medical Services Act, S.N.S. 1989, c. 9, prohibited certain medi­cal services, including abortions - The Nova Scotia Court of Appeal affirmed that the Act was invalid as an invasion of the federal criminal law power - The true subject matter of the Act was not the regulation of hospitals to prevent the spread of privatization, but a direct attempt to prevent private abortion clinics - The impact and effect of the Act was to penal­ize performance of abortions in private clinics and to restrict them to recognized hospitals.

Criminal Law - Topic 1456

Offences against person and reputation - Abortion - General - [See Constitu­tional Law - Topic 6493 ].

Statutes - Topic 1644

Interpretation - Extrinsic aids - Legis­lat­ive history - Legislative debates - The Nova Scotia Court of Appeal, in deter­min­ing whether the Medical Services Act, S.N.S. 1989, c. 9, was an invalid invasion of the federal criminal law power, con­sidered the legislative debates surrounding the legislation - The court stated that the debates "have weight not only as to the background for the Medi­cal Services Act but its purpose".

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Morgentaler, Smoling and Scott, [1988] 1 S.C.R. 30; 82 N.R. 1; 26 O.A.C. 1; 44 D.L.R.(4th) 385, refd to. [para. 6].

Carruthers and Whelton v. Lions Gate Hospitals Therapeutic Abortion Com­mit­tees (1983), 50 N.R. 373; 6 D.L.R.(4th) 57 (F.C.A.), refd to. [para. 8].

Bonanza Creek Goldmining Co. Ltd. v. Rex, [1916] A.C. 566, refd to. [para. 15].

R. v. Big M Drug Mart, [1985] 1 S.C.R. 295; [1985] 3 W.W.R. 481; 58 N.R. 81; 60 A.R. 161; 18 C.C.C.(3d) 385; 18 D.L.R.(4th) 321; 37 Alta. L.R.(2d) 97; 85 C.L.L.C. 14,023; 13 C.R.R. 64, refd to. [para. 26].

R. v. Morgentaler, [1976] 1 S.C.R. 616; 4 N.R. 277, refd to. [para. 38].

Schneider v. British Columbia et al., [1982] 2 S.C.R. 112; 43 N.R. 91, refd to. [para. 41].

Saumur v. City of Quebec, [1953] 2 S.C.R. 299, refd to. [para. 49].

R. v. Westendorp, [1983] 1 S.C.R. 43; 46 N.R. 30; 41 A.R. 306, refd to. [para. 51].

Upper Churchill Water Rights Reversion Act, 1980, Re, [1981] 1 S.C.R. 297; 53 N.R. 268; 47 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 125; 139 A.P.R. 125, refd to. [para. 57].

Anti-Inflation Act, Re, [1976] 2 S.C.R. 373; 9 N.R. 541, refd to. [para. 58].

R. v. Videoflicks Ltd., [1986] 2 S.C.R. 713; 71 N.R. 161; 19 O.A.C. 239; 30 C.C.C.(3d) 385; 55 C.R.(3d) 193; 14 D.L.R.(4th) 10, refd to. [para. 59].

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

Irwin Toy Ltd. v. Québec (Procureur gén­éral), [1989] 1 S.C.R. 927; 94 N.R. 167; 24 Q.A.C. 2, refd to. [para. 59].

R. v. Whyte, [1988] 2 S.C.R. 3; 86 N.R. 328, refd to. [para. 59].

Lord's Day Alliance of Canada v. Attor­ney General of British Columbia, [1959] S.C.R. 497, refd to. [para. 80].

Statutes Noticed:

Constitution Act, 1867, sect. 92(7), sect. 92(13), sect. 92(16) [para. 12].

Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1970, c. C-34, sect. 251.

Department of National Health and Wel­fare Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. N-10, sect. 11 [para. 85].

Health Services and Insurance Act, R.S.N.S. 1989, c. 197, sect. 35 [para. 71].

Hospitals Act, R.S.N.S. 1989, c. 208, sect. 17 [para. 8]; sect. 60(1) [para. 87].

Medical Services Act, S.N.S. 1989, c. 9, sect. 1, sect. 2, sect. 3 sect. ,4, sect. 5, sect. 6, sect. 7, sect. 8, sect. 9 [para. 10].

Medical Services Act Regulations, Reg. 152/89 [para. 11].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Hogg, Peter W., Constitutional Law of Canada (2nd Ed.), generally [para. 16]; pp. 322 [para. 17]; 324 [para. 14].

Laskin, B., Canadian Constitutional Law (Finkelstein ed.), vol. 1, p. 309 [para. 92].

Sharpe, The Law of Medicine in Canada (2nd Ed.), p. 353 [para. 89].

Counsel:

Marian F.H. Tyson and Alison W. Scott, for the appellant;

Anne S. Derrick and Jacqueline L. Mull­enger, for the respondent.

This appeal was heard on May 16, 1991, before Clarke, C.J.N.S., Jones, Hart, Chip­man and Freeman, JJ.A., of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court, Appeal Division.

On July 5, 1991, the judgment of the Court of Appeal was delivered and the following opinions were filed:

Freeman, J.A. (Clarke, C.J.N.S., Hart and Chipman, JJ.A., concurring) - see paragraphs 1 to 78;

Jones, J.A., dissenting - see paragraphs 79 to 94.