Board of Education of St. Vital School Division No. 6 v. Trnka, (1998) 135 Man.R.(2d) 99 (QB)

• Judge: Kaufman, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba (Canada)
• Case Date: December 11, 1998
• Jurisdiction: Manitoba
• Citations: (1998), 135 Man.R.(2d) 99 (QB)

St. Vital School Bd. v. Trnka (1998), 135 Man.R.(2d) 99 (QB)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [1998] Man.R.(2d) TBEd. DE.033

The St. Vital School Division No. 6 (applicant) v. Jeffrey Oliver Trnka (respondent)

(CI 96-01-99163)

Indexed As: Board of Education of St. Vital School Division No. 6 v. Trnka

Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench

Kaufman, J.

December 11, 1998.

Summary:

An applicant obtained leave pursuant to s. 14(1) of the Limitation of Actions Act to commence an action against the respondent for negli­gently causing a fire. An adjuster's affidavit had been filed in support of the application. The respondent moved to set aside the order. The respondent obtained an order permitting him to cross-examine the applicant and a second order granting partial disclosure of the adjuster's files for use in cross-examin­ation. The applicant appealed the second order.

The Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench dismissed the appeal.

Practice - Topic 4578

Discovery - What documents must be produced - Privileged documents - Docu­ments prepared in contemplation of litiga­tion - An applicant obtained leave pursu­ant to s. 14(1) of the Limitation of Actions Act to commence an action against the respondent for negligently causing a fire - The re­spondent had pleaded guilty to arson - An adjuster, in an affidavit filed in sup­port of the leave motion, swore that it was not until he had reviewed the sentenc­ing hear­ing transcript that he ascertained material facts upon which a cause of action in negligence could be based, namely that the respondent did not intend to cause a major fire - The respondent moved to set aside the leave order and obtained an order permitting cross-exam­ination of the appli­cant - The respondent sought disclosure of the adjuster's files to assist him in the cross-examination - The Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench affirmed an order grant­ing partial disclosure, hold­ing that the appli­cant had waived privilege.

Practice - Topic 4585

Discovery - What documents must be produced - Privileged documents - Waiver - [See Practice - Topic 4578 ].

Cases Noticed:

S. & K. Processors Ltd., Strang and Silverking Processors Ltd. v. Campbell Avenue Herring Producers Ltd., Ocean Fisheries Ltd. and McMillan (J.S.) Fish­eries Ltd., [1983] 4 W.W.R. 762 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 14, Appendix 1].

Brandon University v. M.C.M. Architects Inc. et al. (1995), 100 Man.R.(2d) 56; 91 W.A.C. 56 (C.A.), refd to. [Appendix 1].

Chmara v. Nguyen (1991), 77 Man.R.(2d) 261 (Q.B.), affd. (1993), 85 Man.R.(2d) 227; 41 W.A.C. 227 (C.A.), refd to. [Appendix 1].

2245647 Manitoba Ltd. v. Economical Mutual Insurance Co., [1991] M.J. No. 271 (Q.B. Master), refd to. [Appendix 1].

Hospitality Restaurants Ltd. v. Sovereign General Insurance Co., [1991] M.J. No. 19 (Q.B. Master), refd to. [Appendix 1].

Somerville Belkin Industries Ltd. v. Brocklesby Transport et al. (1985), 5 C.P.C.(2d) 239 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [Appendix 1].

Anger v. Dykstra (1984), 43 C.P.C. 268 (Ont. H.C.), refd to. [Appendix 1].

Westminer Canada Holdings Ltd. et al. v. Coughlan et al. (1989), 33 C.P.C.(2d) 27 (Ont. Master), refd to. [Appendix 1].

Levin v. Boyce (1985), 34 Man.R.(2d) 1 (C.A.), refd to. [Appendix 1].

Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club v. Drake International Inc. et al. (1986), 26 D.L.R.(4th) 298 (B.C.C.A.), refd to. [Appendix 1].

Lloyds Bank Canada v. Canada Life Assurance Co. (1991), 47 C.P.C.(2d) 157 (Ont. Gen. Div.), refd to. [Appendix 1].

Woodglen & Co. v. Owens (1995), 24 O.R.(3d) 261 (Ont. Gen. Div.), refd to. [Appendix 1].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Dolden, Eric A., Waiver of Privilege: The Triumph of Candour Over Confidential­ity (1990), 36 C.P.C.(2d) 56, p. 56 [Appendix 1].

Sopinka, John, Lederman, Sydney N., and Bryant, Alan W., The Law of Evidence (1992), pp. 653 to 660 [Appendix 1]; 663, 664, 665 [Appendix 1]; 666 [para. 15, Appendix 1]; 667 to 672 [Appendix 1].

Counsel:

E. Beth Eva, for the applicant;

Michael D. Richards, for the respondent.

This appeal was heard by Kaufman, J., of the Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench, who delivered the following judgment on December 11, 1998.