Skipper Fisheries Ltd. v. Thorbourne et al., (1997) 157 N.S.R.(2d) 241 (CA)

JudgeHallett, Freeman and Roscoe, JJ.A.
CourtCourt of Appeal of Nova Scotia (Canada)
Case DateJanuary 30, 1997
JurisdictionNova Scotia
Citations(1997), 157 N.S.R.(2d) 241 (CA)

Skipper Fisheries v. Thorbourne (1997), 157 N.S.R.(2d) 241 (CA);

    462 A.P.R. 241

MLB headnote and full text

Skipper Fisheries Limited, a body corporate (appellant) v. Wayne Thorbourne, Claudette Thorbourne, Thor Seiners Limited, a body corporate, Phoenix Fisheries Limited, a body corporate, Paul Edward Blades, Brian Arthur Blades, Clifford V. Goreham and S. Clifford Hood (respondents)

(C.A. No. 127612)

Indexed As: Skipper Fisheries Ltd. v. Thorbourne et al.

Nova Scotia Court of Appeal

Hallett, Freeman and Roscoe, JJ.A.

January 30, 1997.

Summary:

Defendants applied to have the plaintiff found in contempt and the action dismissed, asserting that the plaintiff had deliberately failed to disclose documents and information and to give full discovery relevant to the matters in issue (Nova Scotia Civil Pro­cedure Rule 20.09(2)).

The Nova Scotia Supreme Court, in a decision reported 137 N.S.R.(2d) 62; 391 A.P.R. 62, held that plaintiff had not com­plied with rule 20.09(2), but refused to dismiss the action. The court ordered the plaintiff to pay solicitor and client costs for the discovery of the matters in issue and for time spent on the application and reasonable time spent in preparation for the application. The court ordered the plaintiff to pay the defendants throw-away expert costs. The action was stayed until costs were paid and the documents were produced (June order). Having made findings of credibility, the judge sealed the decision and excused him­self from continuing with the trial. The defendants appealed the sealing of the deci­sion.

The Nova Scotia Court of Appeal, in a decision reported 137 N.S.R.(2d) 60; 391 A.P.R. 60, allowed the appeal. After further delay of 18 months (during which costs were disbursed but no documents produced), the defendants again applied to have the plain­tiff's claim dismissed for continuing con­tempt (June order). The day before the hearing, the plaintiff delivered volumes of photocopied documents, not listed or indexed and without any assurance that all docu­ments ordered produced were in fact pro­duced.

The Nova Scotia Supreme Court, in a judgment reported 150 N.S.R.(2d) 296; 436 A.P.R. 296, allowed the application, found the plaintiff in contempt and dismissed the plaintiff's claim. The court held that produc­tion came too late. The plaintiff appealed.

The Nova Scotia Court of Appeal, Roscoe, J.A., dissenting, allowed the appeal and set aside the order dismissing the action. There was no contempt of the June order, which did not clearly and unambiguously require production of documents.

Contempt - Topic 505

What constitutes contempt - Civil con­tempt - A plaintiff was found in contempt for deliberately failing to make full dis­covery of documents - The trial judge held that dismissal of the action was not warranted, but punished the plaintiff by staying the action until costs (to be resolved) were paid and documents were produced (June order) - The trial judge stated that the action could proceed when the costs issue was resolved - Almost two years after the first contempt finding (before costs resolved), the defendants applied to dismiss the action for continuing contempt (June order) - The plaintiff produced documents on the day before the hearing - The Nova Scotia Court of Appeal held that the trial judge erred in finding a second contempt - The June order did not clearly and unambiguously order production - Had the order required production by a specified date, a contempt finding would be warranted - The plain­tiff's interpretation of the order (no pro­duction required until costs resolved) was not unreasonable - There was no clear disobedience of the June order - However, the court penalized the successful plaintiff in costs - See paragraphs 53 to 96.

Contempt - Topic 684

What constitutes contempt - Judgments and orders - Disobedience of - [See Con­tempt - Topic 505 ].

Contempt - Topic 3302

Punishment - Dismissal of action - [See Contempt - Topic 505 ].

Practice - Topic 5352

Dismissal of action - General - For noncompliance with rules of court - [See Contempt - Topic 505 ].

Cases Noticed:

St. John's Metropolitan Area Board v. Bay Bulls Sea Products Ltd. (1985), 55 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 105; 162 A.P.R. 105 (Nfld. T.D.), refd to. [para. 31].

Deprenyl Research Ltd. v. Canguard Health Technologies Inc. (1992), 41 C.P.R.(3d) 368 (F.C.T.D.), refd to. [para. 33].

Positive Seal Dampers Inc. v. M & I Heat Transfer Products Ltd., [1995] O.J. No. 1506 (Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 34].

Canada Games Co. v. Hasbro Canada Inc. (1989), 25 C.P.R.(3d) 191 (F.C.T.D.), refd to. [para. 34].

Filipovic v. Glusica (1995), 174 A.R. 356; 102 W.A.C. 356 (C.A.), refd to. [paras. 34, 76].

Swan River - The Pas Transfer Ltd. et al. v. Manitoba (Highway Traffic and Motor Trans­port Board) (1974), 51 D.L.R.(3d) 292 (Man. C.A.), refd to. [paras. 34, 91].

Criscore Enterprises Ltd. et al. v. Jules et al. (1992), 10 B.C.A.C. 147; 21 W.A.C. 147 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 38].

Ultra Fuels Ltd. v. Kern (1992), 14 B.C.A.C. 306; 26 W.A.C. 306 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 39].

HDYC Holdings Ltd. (Trustee of) v. Chu, [1993] B.C.J. No. 88 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 41].

Kin Franchising Ltd. v. Donco Ltd. (1993), 14 C.P.C.(3d) 193 (Alta. C.A.), refd to. [para. 41].

Halifax (County) v. Fancy (1992), 115 N.S.R.(2d) 196; 314 A.P.R. 196 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 42].

Church of Scientology of Toronto v. Maritime Broadcasting Co., Proudfoot and North (1979), 33 N.S.R.(2d) 500; 57 A.P.R. 500 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 42].

Betzner v. Betzner, [1943] 2 W.W.R. 353 (Sask. K.B.), refd to. [para. 42].

Damji v. Premier Cablesystems Ltd. (1988), 26 B.C.L.R.(2d) 344 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 43].

Rawlinson v. Rawlinson (1986), 52 Sask.R. 191 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 74].

Northwest Territories Public Service Asso­ciation and Public Service Alliance of Canada v. Northwest Territories, Flieger and Bates (1979), 21 A.R. 1; 107 D.L.R.(3d) 458 (N.W.T.C.A.), refd to. [para. 75].

Harwood v. Wilkinson, [1930] 2 D.L.R. 199 (Ont. C.A.), reving. [1929] 4 D.L.R. 734 (Ont. H.C.), affd. [1931] 2 D.L.R. 479 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 89].

Statutes Noticed:

Civil Procedure Rules (N.S.), rule 20.09 [para. 7]; rule 55 [para. 44].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Borrie and Lowe, The Law of Contempt (1973), p. 315 [para. 31].

Borrie and Lowe, The Law of Contempt (2nd Ed. 1983), pp. 393 [para. 73]; 394 [para. 35].

Oswald, J.F., Contempt of Court (1911), p. 6 [para. 72].

Counsel:

Peter M. Rogers and Lloyd I. Berliner, for the appellant;

Thomas E. Pittman, for the respondents, Wayne Thorbourne and Claudette Thorbourne;

Robert G. Belliveau, Q.C., and Christiopher Robinson, for the respon­dents, Phoenix Fisheries Limited, Paul Edward Blades, Brian Arthur Blades and Clifford V. Goreham;

David J. Bright, Q.C., and James L. Connors, for the respondent, S. Clifford Hood;

Thor Seiners Limited, not appearing.

This appeal was heard on November 13-14, 1996, before Hallett, Freeman and Ros­coe, JJ.A., of the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal.

On January 30, 1997, the judgment of the Court of Appeal was delivered and the following opinions were filed:

Roscoe, J.A., dissenting - see paragraphs 1 to 52;

Hallett, J.A. (Freeman, J.A., concurring) - see paragraphs 53 to 96.

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10 cases
  • TG Ind. Ltd. v. Williams,
    • Canada
    • Court of Appeal of Nova Scotia (Canada)
    • June 27, 2001
    ...(1994), 121 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 334; 377 A.P.R. 334 (Nfld. C.A.), refd to. [para. 16]. Skipper Fisheries Ltd. v. Thorbourne et al. (1997), 157 N.S.R.(2d) 241; 462 A.P.R. 241 (C.A.), refd to. [para. Tilco Plastics Ltd. v. Skurjat et al. (1966), 57 D.L.R.(2d) 596 (Ont. H.C.), affd. (1967), 6......
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    ...(Canada) Ltd. (1987), 81 N.R. 220; 14 C.P.R.(3d) 449 (F.C.A.), refd to. [para. 56]. Skipper Fisheries Ltd. v. Thorbourne et al. (1997), 157 N.S.R.(2d) 241; 462 A.P.R. 241 (C.A.), dist. [para. Canada Games Co. v. Hasbro Canada Inc., [1989] F.C.J. No. 500 (T.D.), dist. [para. 58]. Beverley Hi......
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    ...du Canada, en ligne : <http://www.sb-cda.gc.ca/decisions/1999/19991027-m-b.pdf>; Skipper Fisheries Ltd. v. Thorbourne (1997), 157 N.S.R. (2d) 241, 45 D.L.R. (4th) 28 (C.A.); Peel Financial Holdings Ltd. v. Western Delta Lands Partnership, 2003 BCCA 551, 21 B.C.L.R. (4th) 340, 188 B.C.......
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