Schipper v. Penney et al., (1996) 145 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 181 (NFTD)

• Judge: L.D. Barry, J.
• Court: Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador (Canada)
• Case Date: August 29, 1996
• Jurisdiction: Newfoundland and Labrador
• Citations: (1996), 145 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 181 (NFTD)

Schipper v. Penney (1996), 145 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 181 (NFTD);

    453 A.P.R. 181

MLB headnote and full text

William Schipper (applicant) v. Catherine Penney (first respondent) and Raymond Thompson (second respondent) and Penny McCormick (third respondent) and Michele Lear (fourth respondent)

(1996 St. J. No. 2508)

Indexed As: Schipper v. Penney et al.

Newfoundland Supreme Court

Trial Division

L.D. Barry, J.

September 30, 1996.

Summary:

A sexual harassment complaint was filed against a university employee. A committee was convened under the "University Wide Procedures on Sexual Harassment Complaints". The Procedures were part of a collective agreement between the University and its faculty association. The committee met and dealt with preliminary procedural matters. The complainant requested and was granted a two day adjournment. The university employee applied for judicial review, arguing, inter alia, that the hearing did not commence within 30 days as required by the Procedures.

The Newfoundland Supreme Court, Trial Division, dismissed the application, holding that the hearing committee acted properly.

Administrative Law - Topic 206

The hearing and decision - What constitutes the commencement of the hearing - Memorial University (Nfld.), as an appendix to its collective agreement with its faculty association, agreed to the "University Wide Procedures on Sexual Harassment Complaints" - These procedures governed sexual harassment complaints against university employees - The Procedures provided that a hearing respecting a complaint must commence not later than thirty days after the advisor received a written request from a complainant for a formal hearing - The Newfoundland Supreme Court, Trial Division, discussed what was meant by commencement of the hearing under the Procedures and what was the standard of review of a decision by the committee that a hearing had commenced - See paragraphs 19 to 29.

Administrative Law - Topic 3204

Judicial review - Tribunals subject to review - Memorial University (Nfld.), as an appendix to its collective agreement with its faculty association, agreed to the "University Wide Procedures on Sexual Harassment Complaints" - These Procedures governed sexual harassment complaints against university employees - Pursuant to the Procedures, a committee would hear complaints and make recommendations to the university president - The Newfoundland Supreme Court, Trial Division, discussed its jurisdiction to review decisions of the committee or to issue an injunction to restrain the hearing committee - See paragraphs 1 to 18.

Cases Noticed:

Hunt v. Fanshawe College of Applied Arts & Technology (1985), 52 O.R.(2d) 759 (H.C.), refd to. [para. 16].

Knight v. Board of Education of Indian Head School Division No. 19, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 653; 106 N.R. 17; 83 Sask.R. 81, refd to. [para. 16].

Syndicat des employés de production du Québec et de l'Acadie v. Commission canadienne des droits de la personne et al., [1989] 2 S.C.R. 879; 100 N.R. 241; 62 D.L.R.(4th) 385, refd to. [para. 16].

McWhirter v. University of Alberta (Governors) (1977), 7 A.R. 376; 80 D.L.R.(3d) 609 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 16].

Saulnier v. Commission de Police du Québec et Communauté Urbaine de Montréal et autres, [1976] 1 S.C.R. 572; 6 N.R. 541, refd to. [para. 16].

Ontario Crime Commission, Re; Ex parte Feeley, [1962] O.R. 872 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 16].

Schumacher, Re (1969), 70 W.W.R.(N.S.) 309 (B.C.), refd to. [para. 16].

Lundrigan, Re; Newfoundland Association of Public Employees v. St. Clare's Mercy Hospital (1981), 86 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 28; 268 A.P.R. 28 (Nfld. T.D.), refd to. [para. 17].

Vander Zalm v. British Columbia (Acting Commissioner of Conflict of Interest) (1991), 1 Admin. L.R.(2d) 214 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 17].

Martineau v. Matsqui Institution Disciplinary Board, [1980] 1 S.C.R. 602; 30 N.R. 119; 106 D.L.R.(3d) 385; 13 C.R.(3d) 1; 50 C.C.C.(2d) 353, refd to. [para. 17].

Lakeside Colony of Hutterian Brethren et al. v. Hofer et al., [1992] 3 S.C.R. 165; 81 Man.R.(2d) 1; 30 W.A.C. 1, refd to. [para. 18].

Lee v. Showmen's Guild of Great Britain, [1952] 1 All E.R. 1175 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 18].

United Automobile Workers, Local 458 v. Massey-Ferguson Industries Ltd. (1979), 94 D.L.R.(3d) 743 (Ont. Div. Ct.), refd to. [para. 19].

U.A.W. - see United Automobile Workers.

Philippiah v. Ministre de l'Emploi et de l'Immigration (1987), 20 F.T.R. 231 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 23].

Kirkpatrick v. Crawford (1987), 22 C.P.C.(2d) 86 (Ont. Dist. Ct.), refd to. [para. 24].

R. v. Larson (1958), 120 C.C.C. 204 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 25].

Healey v. Memorial University of Newfoundland (1992), 106 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 304; 334 A.P.R. 304 (Nfld. T.D.), refd to. [para. 27].

Syndicat national des employés de la Commission scolaire régionale de l'Outaouais (CSN) v. Union des employés de service, local 298 (FTQ), [1988] 2 S.C.R. 1048; 95 N.R. 161; 24 Q.A.C. 244; 35 Admin. L.R. 153, refd to. [para. 28].

Union des employés de services, local 298 v. Bibeault - see Syndicat national des employés de la Commission scolaire régionale de l'Outaouais (CSN) v. Union des employés de service, local 298 (FTQ).

Bibeault - see Syndicat national des employés de la Commission scolaire régionale de l'Outaouais (CSN) v. Union des employés de service, local 298.

U.E.S. - see Union des employés de service.

National Corn Growers' Association et al. v. Canadian Import Tribunal, [1990] 2 S.C.R. 1324; 114 N.R. 81; 74 D.L.R.(4th) 449; 45 Admin. L.R. 161, refd to. [para. 28].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Mullan, Administrative Law (3rd Ed. 1996), vol. 1, pp. 204 to 210 [para. 16]; 365 to 383 [para. 27].

Shorter Oxford English Dictionary [para. 24].

Counsel:

Sheila Greene, for William Schipper;

Maureen Ryan, for Catherine Penney, Raymond Thompson and Penny McCormick;

Maeve Baird, for Michele Lear.

This application was heard on August 29, 1996, before L.D. Barry, J., of the Newfoundland Supreme Court, Trial Division, who delivered the following judgment on September 30, 1996.