Savoie v. Chiasson et al.,

• Jurisdiction: New Brunswick
• Judge: Rice, Drapeau and Larlee, JJ.A.
• Neutral Citation: 2000 NBCA 56
• Court: Court of Appeal (New Brunswick)
• Subject Matter: EMPLOYMENT LAW
• Citation: (2000), 231 N.B.R.(2d) 378 (CA),2000 NBCA 56
• Date: 30 November 2000

Savoie v. Chiasson (2000), 231 N.B.R.(2d) 378 (CA);

    231 R.N.-B.(2e) 378; 597 A.P.R. 378

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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Temp. Cite: [2000] N.B.R.(2d) TBEd. DE.007

Jean-Baptiste Savoie (plaintiff/appellant) v. Lucien Chiasson and Le Chalutier C.R.R. Ltée (defendants/respondents)

(140/2000/CA; 2000 NBCA 56)

Indexed As: Savoie v. Chiasson et al.

New Brunswick Court of Appeal

Rice, Drapeau and Larlee, JJ.A.

November 30, 2000.

Summary:

Savoie sued the defendants for dam­ages for wrongful dismissal.

The New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench, Trial Division, in a decision not reported in this series, allowed the action and awarded Savoie wages in lieu of a six-month notice. Savoie appealed this award. The defendants cross-appealed on the issue of the dismissal date.

The New Brunswick Court of Appeal allowed the appeal and dismissed the cross-appeal. The Court increased the wages in lieu of notice to 12 months.

Master and Servant - Topic 8000

Dismissal without cause - Notice of dis­missal - What constitutes reasonable notice - Seasonal worker for indefinite term - A trial judge awarded one month for every year of service - In the case at bar, this amounted to 15 months - The judge re­duced it to 12 months, because the worker knew that his employer wanted to replace him with a member of his own family - The judge then reduced the notice period by a further six months, because the em­ployer had already given a notice of six months - The New Brunswick Court of Appeal ruled that the judge had erred by using one month for every year of service - The Court nonetheless held that a notice of 12 months was adequate - The Court added that the wages in lieu of notice should be proportionate to the earnings that would have been received had sufficient notice been given, minus any deductions required for mitigation - The Court also ruled that, in these particular circum­stances, the six-month notice given by the employer had in no way mitigated the loss flowing from the employer's failure to provide sufficient notice - The Court awarded wages in lieu of a 12-month notice.

Master and Servant - Topic 8003

Dismissal without cause - Notice of dis­missal - Reasonable notice - Considerations affecting - Seasonal worker for indefinite term - [See Master and Servant - Topic 8000 ].

Cases Noticed:

Bramble et al. v. Medis Health and Phar­maceutical Services Inc. (1999), 214 N.B.R.(2d) 111; 547 A.P.R. 111 (C.A.), consd. [para. 13].

Roussel v. Ferron, [1997] N.B.R.(2d) Uned.18 (T.D.), affd. [1997] N.B.R.(2d) Uned.056 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 15].

Saunders v. Fredericton Golf & Curling Club Inc. (1994), 151 N.B.R.(2d) 184; 387 A.P.R. 184 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 15].

Friolet v. Friolet (1998), 210 N.B.R.(2d) 118; 514 A.P.R. 118 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 17].

Gauthier v. Canada (Attorney General) (2000), 225 N.B.R.(2d) 211; 578 A.P.R. 211; 185 D.L.R.(4th) 660 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 17].

Jeux Maritimes Inc. v. Commission des loteries (N.-B.) (1999), 212 N.B.R.(2d) 341; 541 A.P.R. 341 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 17].

Johnson v. Investors Group Financial Ser­vices Inc. (2000), 227 N.B.R.(2d) 49; 583 A.P.R. 49 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 17].

Wallace c. United Grain Growers Ltd., [1997] 3 S.C.R. 701; 219 N.R. 161; 123 Man.R.(2d) 1; 159 W.A.C. 1; 152 D.L.R.(4th) 1, refd to. [para. 20].

Bishop v. Carleton Co-operative Ltd. (1996), 176 N.B.R.(2d) 206; 447 A.P.R. 206 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 22].

LeBlanc v. MacLaren Plansearch Ltd. and Lavalin Inc. (1984), 52 N.B.R.(2d) 275; 137 A.P.R. 275 (T.D.), affd. (1985), 61 N.B.R.(2d) 1; 158 A.P.R. 1 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 23].

Ahmad c. Procter & Gamble Inc. (1991), 44 O.A.C. 338; 1 O.R.(3d) 491 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 23].

Ceccol v. Ontario Gymnastic Federation (1999), 99 C.L.L.C. 210-014 (Ont. Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 23].

Stevens v. LeBlanc's Welding & Fabrica­ting Ltd., LeBlanc, LeBlanc and LeBlanc (1982), 40 N.B.R.(2d) 389; 105 A.P.R. 389 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 24].

Morby v. Tozer Plymouth Chrysler Ltd. (1986), 75 N.B.R.(2d) 366; 188 A.P.R. 366 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 24].

LeBlanc v. Eurodata Support Services Inc. (1998), 204 N.B.R.(2d) 179; 520 A.P.R. 179 (C.A.), consd. [para. 24].

Gordon v. Saint John Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co. (1983), 47 N.B.R.(2d) 150; 124 A.P.R. 150 (T.D.), consd. [para. 24].

Authors and Works Noticed:

England, Geoffrey, Individual Employment Law (2000), p. 74 [para. 13].

Levitt, Howard A., The Law of Dismissal in Canada (2nd Ed. 1992), p. 279, para. 808.16 [para. 23].

Counsel:

Charles R. LeBlanc, for the appellant;

Jacques F. Cormier, for the respondents.

This appeal was heard on October 25, 2000, by Rice, Drapeau and Larlee, JJ.A., of the New Brunswick Court of Appeal.

The decision of the Court of Appeal was delivered by Drapeau, J.A., on November 30, 2000.