St. Jean v. Western Union Insurance Co., 2003 ABQB 928

• Judge: Watson, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta (Canada)
• Case Date: Wednesday October 22, 2003
• Citations: 2003 ABQB 928;(2003), 347 A.R. 249 (QB)

St. Jean v. Western Union Ins. (2003), 347 A.R. 249 (QB)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2003] A.R. TBEd. DE.018

Jodie St. Jean (plaintiff) v. The Western Union Insurance Company (defendant)

(0003 14405; 2003 ABQB 928)

Indexed As: St. Jean v. Western Union Insurance Co.

Alberta Court of Queen's Bench

Judicial District of Edmonton

Watson, J.

October 22, 2003.

Summary:

The plaintiff was involved in a motor vehicle accident. She sued the defendant insurance company. The defendant applied for access to, or production of, documentation related to a criminal proceeding that was brought against the plaintiff as a result of the motor vehicle accident.

The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench allowed the application.

Practice - Topic 4157

Discovery - General principles - Collateral use of discovery information (implied or deemed undertaking rule) - The plaintiff was involved in a motor vehicle accident - She sued the defendant insurance company - The defendant applied for access to, or production of, documentation related to a criminal proceeding that was brought against the plaintiff as a result of the motor vehicle accident - The plaintiff objected to disclosure, arguing that she was under an implied undertaking in relation to the use to which the Crown disclosure package could be put - The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench allowed the application - The court held that the undertaking had been released by the Crown through a signed consent - Further, in balancing between the interests of enforcing the existence of an implied undertaking against the interests of pursuing the truth and disposing correctly of the litigation, the court would have overruled the enforcement of the implied undertaking.

Practice - Topic 4596

Discovery - What documents must be produced - Particular matters - Documents in other related proceedings - [See Practice - Topic 4157].

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Little (R.J.), [2001] 7 W.W.R. 155; 285 A.R. 85; 11 M.V.R.(4th) 133; 91 Alta. L.R.(3d) 380; 82 C.R.R.(2d) 318 (Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 5, footnote 3].

Omega Techno Ltd. v. East Central Gas Co-op Ltd. et al., [1979] A.J. No. 345 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 8, footnote 7].

Barry v. Maertens-Poole (1992), 4 Alta. L.R.(3d) 330; 1992 CarswellAlta 128 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 8, footnote 8].

Alberta Mortgage and Housing Corp. v. Tarpon Holdings Ltd. et al., [1999] 1 W.W.R. 355; 228 A.R. 305; 188 W.A.C. 305; 62 Alta. L.R.(3d) 1 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 8, footnote 9].

R. v. Harrison, [1977] 1 S.C.R. 238; 8 N.R. 47; 28 C.C.C.(2d) 279; 66 D.L.R.(3d) 660; 3 W.W.R. 536; 1976 CarswellBC 155, refd to. [para. 11, footnote 10].

R. v. Horne & Pitfield Foods Ltd. (1983), 39 A.R. 428, affd. [1985] 1 S.C.R. 364; 58 N.R. 227; 71 A.R. 81; 3 W.W.R. 541; 18 C.C.C.(3d) 191; 37 Alta. L.R.(2d) 153; 17 D.L.R.(4th) 191; 1985 CarswellAlta 60, refd to. [para. 11, footnote 10].

D.P. v. Wagg (2002), 165 O.A.C. 209; 61 O.R.(3d) 746; 26 C.P.C.(5th) 377; 97 C.R.R.(2d) 324; 222 D.L.R.(4th) 97; 2002 CarswellOnt 3288 (Div. Ct.), refd to. [para. 17, footnote 11].

R. v. Stinchcombe, [1991] 3 S.C.R. 326; 130 N.R. 277; 120 A.R. 161; 8 W.A.C. 161; 68 C.C.C.(3d) 1; 8 C.R.(4th) 277; 1 W.W.R. 97; 83 Alta. L.R.(2d) 193, refd to. [para. 18, footnote 12].

Jones v. Smith, [1999] 1 S.C.R. 455; 236 N.R. 201; 120 B.C.A.C. 161; 196 W.A.C. 161; 132 C.C.C.(3d) 225; 60 C.R.R.(2d) 46; 8 W.W.R. 364; 169 D.L.R.(4th) 385; 1999 CarswellBC 591, refd to. [para. 18, footnote 12].

A.M. v. Ryan, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 157; 207 N.R. 81; 85 B.C.A.C. 81; 138 W.A.C. 81; 4 C.R.(5th) 220; 4 W.W.R. 1; 34 C.C.L.T.(2d) 1; 42 C.R.R.(2d) 37; 8 C.P.C.(4th) 1; 29 B.C.L.R.(3d) 133; 143 D.L.R.(4th) 1; 1997 CarswellBC 99, refd to. [para. 19, footnote 13].

Endean v. Canadian Red Cross Society et al., [1998] 9 W.W.R. 136; 106 B.C.A.C. 73; 172 W.A.C. 73; 157 D.L.R.(4th) 465; 48 B.C.L.R.(3d) 90; 42 C.C.L.T.(2d) 222; 1998 CarswellBC 716 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 25, footnote 15].

Counsel:

David N.E. De Vere (Weir Brown), for the plaintiff;

J. Kristin Bryson (Parlee McLaws LLP), for the defendant.

This application was heard on October 22, 2003, by Watson, J., of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench, Judicial District of Edmonton, who delivered his oral judgment on the same date. The following reasons for judgment were filed November 12, 2003.