R. v. Steinhauer, (1985) 63 A.R. 381 (QB)

• Judge: Veit, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta (Canada)
• Case Date: March 01, 1985
• Citations: (1985), 63 A.R. 381 (QB)

R. v. Steinhauer (1985), 63 A.R. 381 (QB)

MLB headnote and full text

R. v. Steinhauer

(8403-0124-S5)

Indexed As: R. v. Steinhauer

Alberta Court of Queen's Bench

Judicial District of Edmonton

Veit, J.

March 1, 1985.

Summary:

An Indian was convicted of fishing with a gill net without a licence, contrary to s. 33(1) of the Alberta Fisheries Regulations. (See paragraphs 24-63 below.) The Indian appealed, submitting that the licence requirement violated his right to fish under the Royal Proclamation of 1763 and Treaty No. 6, that he was entitled by custom and tradition to fish without a licence and that s. 25 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and s. 35 of the Constitution Act preserved his right to fish without a licence.

The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench dismissed the appeal.

Fish and Game - Topic 964

Indian and Inuit rights - Right to fish - Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Effect of - An Indian submitted that s. 25 of the Charter, dealing with the protection of aboriginal rights, preserved his right to fish without a licence - The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench held that s. 25 did not have that effect, because s. 25 "is a shield and does not add to aboriginal rights" - See paragraph 19.

Fish and Game - Topic 968

Indian and Inuit rights - Right to fish - Fisheries Act - Application to treaty rights - Treaty No. 6 protected Indian fishing rights subject to regulation by Parliament - The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench held that federal regulations requiring fishing licences were valid and binding on treaty Indians - See paragraphs 14 to 16.

Indians, Inuits and Métis - Topic 505

Rights - Constitution Act - Effect of - The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench held that s. 25 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, dealing with the protection of aboriginal rights, "is a shield and does not add to aboriginal rights" - See paragraph 19.

Indians, Inuits and Métis - Topic 4408

Treaties and proclamations - Where applicable - An Indian was charged with fishing with a gill net without a licence - The Indian submitted that the Royal Proclamation of 1763 gave him the right to fish without a licence - The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench held that the Indian could not rely on the Proclamation where he failed to prove that it applied to the geographical location where the alleged offence was committed - See paragraphs 4 to 6.

Cases Noticed:

R. v. White and Bob (1964), 52 W.W.R.(N.S.) 193, dist. [para. 4].

Sigeareak E1-53 v. R. (1966), 56 W.W.R.(N.S.) 478 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 5].

R. v. Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs ex parte Indian Association of Alberta et al., [1982] 2 All E.R. 122, refd to. [para. 5].

R. v. Sikyea (1964), 46 W.W.R.(N.S.) 65; 2 C.C.C.(2d) 325 (N.W.T.C.A.), refd to. [para. 7].

R. v. Taylor and Williams (1981), 55 C.C.C.(2d) 172 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [para. 7].

R. v. Tennisco, [1983] 1 C.N.L.R. 112 (Ont. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 7].

R. v. Nicholas et al. (1979), 22 N.B.R.(2d) 285; 39 A.P.R. 285 (N.B. Prov. Ct.), 26 N.B.R.(2d) 54; 55 A.P.R. 54 (N.B.C.A.), refd to. [para. 8].

R. v. George, [1966] 3 C.C.C. 137 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 16].

R. v. Francis (1969), 10 D.L.R.(3d) 189 (N.B.C.A.), refd to. [para. 23].

R. v. Derrikson, [1975] 4 W.W.R. 761 (B.C.C.A.), refd to. [para. 23].

R. v. Eninew (1983), 28 Sask.R. 168; 7 C.C.C.(3d) 443 (Sask. Q.B.), refd to. [para. 23].

R. v. Bear (1984), 32 Sask.R. 237 (Sask. C.A.), refd to. [para. 23].

R. v. Hare and Debassige (1983), 3 C.C.C.(3d) 541 (D.C.), refd to. [para. 23].

Deborah, Re, [1972] 5 W.W.R. 203 (N.W.T.C.A.), refd to. [para. 23].

R. v. Wesley, [1932] 2 W.W.R. 337 (Alta. S.C.A.D.), refd to. [para. 23].

Calder et al. v. Attorney General of British Columbia, [1973] 4 W.W.R. 1 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 23].

R. v. Saulis, [1981] 2 C.N.L.R. 121; 30 N.B.R.(2d) 146; 70 A.P.R. 146 (N.B.Q.B.), refd to. [para. 23].

Pawis v. The Queen (1979), 102 D.L.R.(3d) 602 (F.C.T.D.), refd to. [para. 23].

Moult v. Halliday, [1898] 1 Q.B. 125, refd to. [para. 23].

Hammerton v. Honey (1876), 24 W.R. 603, refd to. [para. 23].

R. v. Derrickson, [1976] 6 W.W.R. 480; 16 N.R. 231 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 43].

R. v. Elk, [1980] 4 W.W.R. 671; 33 N.R. 516 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 44].

Statutes Noticed:

Alberta Fisheries Regulations, S.O.R. Cons./78, sect. 33(1) [para. 24].

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982, sect. 25 [paras. 1, 19, 50].

Constitution Act, 1982, sect. 35 [paras. 1, 20, 51].

Fisheries Act, R.S.C. 1970, c. F-14, sect. 3(1), sect. 4(1), sect. 33(1) [para. 34]; sect. 34, sect. 34(f) [para. 33]; sect. 55 [para. 35].

Royal Proclamation of 1763 [para. 7].

Treaty No. 6 [para. 32].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Lysyk, K., The Rights and Freedoms of The Aboriginal Peoples of Canada, Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms Commentary, p. 471 [para. 58].

McNeil, K., Indian Hunting, Trapping and Fishing Rights (1983) [para. 11].

Mendes, E.P., Are There Constitutional and Inherent Rights to Indian Self-Government? (1982) [para. 12].

Sanders, D., Aboriginal Peoples of Canada, 61 Can. Bar Rev. 314 [para. 23].

Slattery, B., The Constitutional Guarantee of Aboriginal and Treaty Rights, 8 Queen's L.J. 232 [para. 11].

Counsel:

J. Sayers, for the appellant;

Richard Taylor, for the Provincial Attorney General;

J.A. Isaac, Q.C., and K. Lambrecht, for the Dept. of Justice (intervenor).

This case was heard before Veit, J., of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench, Judicial District of Edmonton, who delivered the following judgment on March 1, 1985: