Silverfox v. Chief Coroner (Yuk.), (2013) 342 B.C.A.C. 189 (YukCA)

• Judge: Saunders, Tysoe and Bennett, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (Yukon Territory)
• Case Date: May 31, 2013
• Jurisdiction: Yukon
• Citations: (2013), 342 B.C.A.C. 189 (YukCA);2013 YKCA 11

Silverfox v. Chief Coroner (2013), 342 B.C.A.C. 189 (YukCA);

    585 W.A.C. 189

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2013] B.C.A.C. TBEd. SE.013

Deanna-Lee Charlie, Delores Aileen Lindstrom, Deborah Ann Silverfox, Geraldine Jane Silverfox, Janis Lorraine Silverfox, Peter William Silverfox, Michael Douglas Silverfox, Mitchell Allen Silverfox, Sheila Marie Silverfox, Corinne Mary Silverfox, Charlene Margaret Silverfox, Joy Marlene Silverfox, and Sharon Josephine Silverfox (respondents/petitioners) v. Attorney General (Canada) (respondent/respondent) and Sharon Hanley, Chief Coroner (appellant/respondent)

(YU709; 2013 YKCA 11)

Indexed As: Silverfox v. Chief Coroner (Yuk.)

Yukon Court of Appeal

Saunders, Tysoe and Bennett, JJ.A.

September 12, 2013.

Summary:

Silverfox died on December 2, 2008, after being held in a police cell used for holding intoxicated people, commonly called the "drunk tank", for 13½ hours. A Coroner's jury determined that Silverfox's death was from natural causes and made several recommendations. Silverfox's family applied for judicial review, seeking to quash the jury's verdict on the basis that the Coroner's investigation and conduct during the inquest breached the duty of fairness and the instructions to the jury were inadequate.

The Yukon Supreme Court, in a decision with neutral citation 2012 YKSC 74, held that the jury charge failed to meet the duty of fairness, that the manner of presenting some evidence precluded the jury from fully considering the evidence, and that the Silverfox family was denied the requisite degree of participation. All of that, the court held, amounted to procedural unfairness. The court quashed the verdict, but in light of the full public airing of the evidence and changes made to RCMP policies since Silverfox's death, exercised its discretion and declined to order a new inquest. The Chief Coroner appealed.

The Yukon Court of Appeal allowed the appeal, set aside the order and restored the verdict.

Administrative Law - Topic 2266

Natural justice - The duty of fairness - What constitutes procedural fairness - Treatment of video recordings - See paragraphs 39 to 49.

Coroners - Topic 4001

Inquests and fatality inquiries - General - Nature of inquest - See paragraphs 54 to 56.

Coroners - Topic 4045

Inquests and fatality inquiries - Evidence - Powers of coroner re evidence - Treatment of video recordings - See paragraphs 39 to 49.

Coroners - Topic 4062

Inquests and fatality inquiries - Judicial review - Ordering a new inquiry - See paragraph 62.

Coroners - Topic 4205

Inquests and fatality inquiries - The jury - General - Opportunity for family of deceased to address the jury - See paragraphs 59 to 61.

Coroners - Topic 4261

Inquests and fatality inquiries - The jury - Jury charge - General - See paragraphs 50 to 63.

Coroners - Topic 7401

Judicial review and appeals - General - Standard of review - See paragraphs 26 to 38.

Coroners - Topic 7407

Judicial review and appeals - General - Standing - See paragraphs 13 to 16.

Coroners - Topic 7408

Judicial review and appeals - General - Role of coroner - See paragraphs 17 to 21.

Cases Noticed:

Henthorne v. British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. et al. (2011), 313 B.C.A.C. 124; 533 W.A.C. 124; 2011 BCCA 476, refd to. [para. 13].

United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, Local 1386 v. Bransen Construction Ltd. et al. (2002), 249 N.B.R.(2d) 93; 648 A.P.R. 93; 2002 NBCA 27, refd to. [para. 13].

Plesner v. British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority et al. (2009), 269 B.C.A.C. 240; 453 W.A.C. 240; 2009 BCCA 188, refd to. [para. 13].

Pankiw v. Chiropractors' Association of Saskatchewan (2011), 377 Sask.R. 237; 528 W.A.C. 237; 2011 SKCA 142, refd to. [para. 13].

Metropolitan Toronto Police Services Board et al. v. Young (Coroner) (1997), 98 O.A.C. 188 (Div. Ct.), refd to. [para. 13].

Picha et al. v. Dolan (Coroner) (2009), 274 B.C.A.C. 108; 463 W.A.C. 108; 2009 BCCA 336, refd to. [para. 13].

Northwestern Utilities Ltd. v. Edmonton (City), [1979] 1 S.C.R. 684; 23 N.R. 565; 12 A.R. 449, refd to. [para. 13].

Kitimat (District) v. British Columbia (Minister of Energy and Mines) - see Kitimat (District) v. Alcan Inc.

Kitimat (District) v. Alcan Inc. (2006), 234 B.C.A.C. 65; 387 W.A.C. 65; 2006 BCCA 562, refd to. [para. 19].

Canadian Union of Public Employees et al. v. Ontario (Minister of Labour), [2003] 1 S.C.R. 539; 304 N.R. 76; 173 O.A.C. 38; 2003 SCC 29, refd to. [para. 29].

Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Co. v. Cummings, P.C.J. (2006), 208 Man.R.(2d) 75; 383 W.A.C. 75; 2006 MBCA 98, refd to. [para. 33].

Bentley v. Braidwood - see Rundel v. Braidwood.

Rundel v. Braidwood (2009), 279 B.C.A.C. 215; 473 W.A.C. 215; 2009 BCCA 604, refd to. [para. 33].

Seaspan Ferries Corp. v. British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. et al. (2013), 332 B.C.A.C. 250; 569 W.A.C. 250; 2013 BCCA 55, refd to. [para. 34].

Cardinal and Oswald v. Kent Institution (Director), [1985] 2 S.C.R. 643; 63 N.R. 353, refd to. [para. 35].

Nicholson v. Haldimand-Norfolk Regional Board of Commissioners of Police and Ontario (Attorney General), [1979] 1 S.C.R. 311; 23 N.R. 410, refd to. [para. 35].

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. 35].

Baker v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), [1999] 2 S.C.R. 817; 243 N.R. 22, refd to. [para. 36].

R. v. Lloyd (1994), 27 W.C.B.(2d) 237 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 39].

R. v. Nikolovski (A.), [1996] 3 S.C.R. 1197; 204 N.R. 333; 96 O.A.C. 1, refd to. [para. 39].

R. v. Mohamed (A.) et al., [2009] O.T.C. Uned. 218 (Sup. Ct.), refd to. [para. 39].

Brophy v. Hutchinson (2003), 176 B.C.A.C. 258; 290 W.A.C. 258; 2003 BCCA 21, refd to. [para. 49].

Sornberger v. Canadian Pacific Railway Co. (1897), 24 O.A.R. 263 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 49].

Alberta Teachers' Association v. Information and Privacy Commissioner (Alta.) et al., [2011] 3 S.C.R. 654; 424 N.R. 70; 519 A.R. 1; 539 W.A.C. 1; 2011 SCC 61, refd to. [para. 49].

Laidlaw v. Couturier (2010), 282 B.C.A.C. 255; 476 W.A.C. 255; 2010 BCCA 59, refd to. [para. 49].

Alonzo v. Coroner (Ont.) - see Alonzo v. Bunt et al.

Alonzo v. Bunt et al. (1994), 72 O.A.C. 188 (Div. Ct.), refd to. [para. 49].

Statutes Noticed:

Coroners Act, R.S.Y. 2002, c. 44, sect. 6(1), sect. 6(3) [para. 41]; sect. 11 [para. 42]; sect. 24(1) [para. 50].

Department of Justice Act, R.S.Y. 2002, c. 55, sect. 7 [para. 14].

Rules of Court (Yuk.), rule 54(5) [para. 15].

Counsel:

Z. Brown, for the appellant;

S. Duncan, for the respondent, Attorney General of Canada;

S. Roothman, for the respondents, Deanna-Lee Charlie et al.

This appeal was heard at Whitehorse, Yukon, on May 31, 2013, by Saunders, Tysoe and Bennett, JJ.A., of the Yukon Court of Appeal. The following reasons for judgment of the Court of Appeal were delivered by Saunders, J.A., at Vancouver, British Columbia, on September 12, 2013.