R. v. Motor Vessel M.T. Barbro, (1991) 121 N.B.R.(2d) 379 (PC)

• Judge: Brien, P.C.J.
• Court: Provincial Court of New Brunswick (Canada)
• Case Date: April 12, 1991
• Jurisdiction: New Brunswick
• Citations: (1991), 121 N.B.R.(2d) 379 (PC)

R. v. Motor Vessel MT Barbro (1991), 121 N.B.R.(2d) 379 (PC);

    121 R.N.-B.(2e) 379; 304 A.P.R. 379

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 v. M.V. M.T. Barbro

Indexed As: R. v. Motor Vessel M.T. Barbro

New Brunswick Provincial Court

Brien, P.C.J.

April 12, 1991.

Summary:

A motor vessel was charged with dis­charging oil into the Saint John harbour.

The New Brunswick Provincial Court convicted the accused.

Pollution Control - Topic 9125

Offences - Strict liability offences - Dis­charge of pollutant - A motor vessel was charged with an offence under the Canada Shipping Act for discharging oil into a harbour in contravention of s. 5 of the Oil Pollution Prevention Regulations - The New Brunswick Provincial Court held that the offence was a strict liability offence - See paragraphs 5 to 65 - The court con­victed the accused where it failed to estab­lish the defence of due diligence - See paragraphs 66 to 70.

Pollution Control - Topic 9125

Offences - Strict liability offences - Dis­charge of pollutant - The New Brunswick Provincial Court determined that discharg­ing a pollutant contrary to s. 5 of the Oil Pollution Prevention Regulations under the Canada Shipping Act was a strict liability offence and not an absolute liability offence - The court examined judicial authority, the regulatory pattern, the sub­ject matter of the legislation, the impor­tance of the penalty, and the precision of the language - See paragraphs 5 to 65.

Pollution Control - Topic 9127

Offences - Strict liability offences - Defence of due diligence - A vessel dis­charged about two barrels of oil into a harbour when a wash line pipe separated from overpressure - Control gauges had been checked the day before - Crew members were on deck and on the controls at the time of the spill - Crew were res­ponsible for detecting overpressure in time to throttle down - No valid explanation was given for the separation - The New Brunswick Provincial Court held that the vessel failed to establish due diligence - See paragraphs 66 to 69.

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Star Luzon, The, and The Burrard Yarrows, [1984] 1 W.W.R. 527 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 7].

R. v. City of Guilford, The Vessel (1975), 27 C.C.C.(2d) 212 (Ont. Co. Ct.), refd to. [para. 7].

R. v. Vancouver Forest, The, [1974] 4 W.W.R. 259 (B.C. Co. Ct.), refd to. [para. 7].

Reference re Section 94(2) of the Motor Vehicle Act (B.C.), [1985] 2 S.C.R. 486; [1986] 1 W.W.R. 481; 63 N.R. 266; 24 D.L.R.(4th) 536; 23 C.C.C.(3d) 289; 48 C.R.(3d) 289; 36 M.V.R. 240; 18 C.R.R. 30; 69 B.C.L.R. 145, refd to. [para. 8].

R. v. Sault Ste. Marie (City), [1978] 2 S.C.R. 1299; 21 N.R. 295; 40 C.C.C.(2d) 353; 85 D.L.R.(3d) 161; 3 C.R.(3d) 30, appld. [para. 9].

R. v. Vaillancourt, [1987] 2 S.C.R. 636; 81 N.R. 115; 10 Q.A.C. 161; 60 C.R.(3d) 289, refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. Wholesale Travel Group Inc. and Chedore (1989), 37 O.A.C. 331; 73 C.R.(3d) 320 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 18].

R. v. Chapin, [1979] 2 S.C.R. 121; 26 N.R. 289; 45 C.C.C.(2d) 333; 7 C.R.(3d) 225, refd to. [para. 35].

R. v. Boyde, [1988] B.C.J. No. 977, refd to. [para. 56].

R. v. Sutherland, [1990] N.S.J. No. 301 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 57].

Toronto v. Canada Cement Lafarge Ltd., [1988] O.J. No. 2408, refd to. [para. 62].

Statutes Noticed:

Canada Shipping Act - see Shipping Act.

Shipping Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. S-9, sect. 656(1), sect. 664 [para. 5].

Shipping Act, Oil Pollution Prevention Regulations, SOR/71-495, sect. 5(b) [para. 2].

Counsel:

Robert Shalala, for the Crown;

Patrick Ervin, for the defence.

This case was heard at Saint John, New Brunswick, before Brien, P.C.J., of the New Brunswick Provincial Court, who delivered the following judgment on April 12, 1991.