R. v. Panarctic Oils Ltd., (1983) 43 A.R. 199 (NWTTC)

• Judge: Bourassa, J.
• Court: Territorial Court of Northwest Territories (Canada)
• Case Date: January 14, 1983
• Jurisdiction: Northwest Territories
• Citations: (1983), 43 A.R. 199 (NWTTC)

R. v. Panarctic Oils Ltd. (1983), 43 A.R. 199 (NWTTC)

MLB headnote and full text

R. v. Panarctic Oils Ltd.

Indexed As: R. v. Panarctic Oils Ltd.

Northwest Territories Territorial Court

Bourassa, J.

January 14, 1983.

Summary:

Panarctic was charged with dumping oil residues and garbage, contrary to the Ocean Dumping Control Act. The dumping lasted 13 days and followed two prior convictions on the same charge. The Northwest Territories Territorial Court convicted Panarctic, fined it $150,000 and placed the corporation on probation for two years.

Pollution Control - Topic 9183

Offences - Sentencing - Considerations - The Northwest Territories Territorial Court held that in sentencing corporations for violations of environmental legislation the court should consider deterrence; environmental damage; size and wealth of the corporation; the corporate attitude; and the criminality of conduct - See paragraph 10.

Pollution Control - Topic 4085

Water - Dumping - Defences - An oil drilling corporation was charged with dumping oil residues and garbage, contrary to the Ocean Dumping Control Act - There was no environmental damage - The Northwest Territories Territorial Court held that a lack of environmental damage did not provide a defence to the charge, because the Act absolutely prohibited dumping - See paragraphs 21 to 23.

Criminal Law - Topic 5733

Punishments (Sentence) - Probation - Of corporations - The Northwest Territories Territorial Court held that a corporation could be placed on probation under s. 663 of the Criminal Code - See paragraphs 37 to 45.

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Morrissette (1970), 1 C.C.C.(2d) 307 (Sask. C.A.), refd to. [para. 9].

R. v. Lehrmann, 61 W.W.R.(N.S.) 625, refd to. [para. 11].

R. v. Willaert, [1953] O.R. 282, refd to. [para. 11].

R. v. Canada Metal Company Ltd. (1980), 11 C.E.L.R., refd to. [para. 11].

R. v. City of Sault Ste. Marie, [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, refd to. [paras. 11, 40].

R. v. Kenaston Drilling (Arctic) Ltd. (1973), 12 C.C.C.(2d) 383 (N.W.T.S.C.), refd to. [paras. 12, 21, 25].

R. v. Cyprus Anvil Mining Corporation Limited (1976), 2 R.P.R. 32 (Yukon S.C.), refd to. [para. 27].

R. v. United Keno Hill Mines Limited (1980), 10 C.E.L.R. 43, refd to. [paras. 27, 44].

R. v. Bocskei (1970), 54 Cr. App. R. 519, refd to. [para. 32].

R. v. Canada Metal Company Limited (1980), 11 C.E.L.R., refd to. [para. 43].

Statutes Noticed:

Criminal Code of Canada, R.S.C. 1970, c. C-34, sect. 662(1), sect. 663(1)(a), sect. 647, sect. 648 [para. 37].

Interpretation Act, R.S.C. 1970, c. I-23, sect. 11 [para. 41].

Ocean Dumping Control Act, S.C. 197475-76, c. 55, sect. 4(1) [para. 2]; sect. 13 [para. 2]; sect. 14(1), sect. 14(2), sect. 16(2) [para. 29].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Criminal Responsibility for Group Action, 1976, Law Reform Commission of Canada, Working Paper 16, [para. 33].

Goff and Reasons, Corporate Crime in Canada, [para. 13].

Maxwell, Interpretation of Statutes (llth Ed.), [paras. 41, 42].

Oil Under Ice, Canadian Arctic Resources Committee, [para. 36].

Searle, The Environment and the Law in Canada's North (1977), 15 A.L.R. [para. 14].

Stuart, Canadian Criminal Law a Treatise (Faculty of Law, Queen's University, 1982), [para. 33].

Webster's New International Dictionary, [para. 39].

Counsel:

G. Bickert, for the Crown;

G. Lang, for the defendant.

This case was heard at Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, before BOURASSA, J., of the Northwest Territories Territorial Court, who delivered the following judgment orally on January 14, 1983: