Taylor v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), (2006) 299 F.T.R. 158 (FC)

• Judge: Martineau, J.
• Court: Federal Court (Canada)
• Case Date: September 01, 2006
• Jurisdiction: Canada (Federal)
• Citations: (2006), 299 F.T.R. 158 (FC);2006 FC 1053

Taylor v. Can. (M.C.I.) (2006), 299 F.T.R. 158 (FC)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2006] F.T.R. TBEd. SE.024

Joseph Taylor (applicant) v. The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (respondent)

(T-1024-05; 2006 FC 1053)

Indexed As: Taylor v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration)

Federal Court

Martineau, J.

September 1, 2006.

Summary:

Taylor was the natural son of a Canadian soldier who served overseas during World War II. He was born in England in 1944. His parents married in 1945. He landed in Canada with his mother in 1946. Taylor's parents' marriage broke up after a few months. Taylor and his mother returned to England six weeks before the 1947 Canadian Citizenship Act came into force. In 2003 Taylor applied for proof of citizenship. A citizenship officer ruled that Taylor had never obtained Canadian citizenship. Taylor applied for judicial review.

The Federal Court, reviewing the matter on the standard of correctness, allowed the application. The court held that Taylor was a Canadian citizen, that the impugned decision rendered by the citizenship officer should be set aside, and that the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration be directed to issue a certificate of citizenship. The court also rejected an alternative argument by the Minister to the effect that if Taylor ever was a Canadian citizen, he had lost his citizenship by operation of law. The court opined that the provisions of the citizenship legislation giving rise to that result were contrary to due process and infringed ss. 1(a) and (e) of the Canadian Bill of Rights and the right of an individual not to be deprived of life, liberty or security of the person except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice guaranteed by s. 7 of the Charter. Those infringements were not justified under section 1 of the Charter and as a result, the above provisions were inoperative. Furthermore the provisions of the 1985 Citizenship Act dealing with children born out of wedlock were contrary to s. 15(1) of the Charter and not justified under s. 1.

Aliens - Topic 2502

Naturalization - General - Interpretation of Citizenship Act - The Federal Court applied the "modern principle" as described in Sullivan and Driedger on the Construction of Statutes (4th) in interpreting citizenship legislation - See paragraphs 166 and 167.

Aliens - Topic 2504

Naturalization - General - Loss of citizenship - [See fourth Aliens - Topic 2602 ].

Aliens - Topic 2562

Naturalization - Appeals and judicial review - Scope of appeal or review - [See second Aliens - Topic 2602 ].

Aliens - Topic 2602

Naturalization - Right to citizenship - Citizen defined - The Federal Court discussed what the concepts of "British subject", "Canadian national" and "Canadian citizen" meant prior to 1947 and what they had come to mean in 2006 - The court also traced the history of the citizenship legislation from 1910 to 2006 - See paragraphs 56 to 157.

Aliens - Topic 2602

Naturalization - Right to citizenship - Citizen defined - Taylor was the natural son of a Canadian soldier who served overseas during World War II - He was born in England in 1944 - His parents married in 1945 - He landed in Canada with his mother (i.e., a war bride) in 1946 - Taylor's parents' marriage broke up after a few months - Taylor and his mother returned to England six weeks before the 1947 Citizenship Act came into force - In 2003, Taylor applied for proof of citizenship - A citizenship officer ruled that Taylor had never obtained Canadian citizenship - Taylor applied for judicial review, arguing that the citizenship officer erred in law in determining that he was not a Canadian citizen based on her examination of prior citizenship legislation - The Federal Court, reviewing the matter on a correctness standard, allowed the application, holding that Taylor was a Canadian citizen - The court held that the citizenship officer erred in failing to consider and apply Order in Council, P.C. 858 (1945) the effect of which was tantamount to a statutory grant of citizenship - See paragraphs 1 to 177.

Aliens - Topic 2602

Naturalization - Right to citizenship - Citizen defined - Taylor was the natural son of a Canadian soldier who served overseas during World War II - He was born in England in 1944 - His parents married in 1945 - He landed in Canada with his mother (i.e., a war bride) in 1946 - Taylor's parents' marriage broke up after a few months - Taylor and his mother returned to England six weeks before the 1947 Citizenship Act came into force - In 2003, Taylor applied for proof of citizenship - A citizenship officer ruled that Taylor had never obtained Canadian citizenship - Taylor applied for judicial review - The Federal Court allowed the application, holding that on the correct statutory interpretation of the applicable legislation, Taylor was a Canadian citizen - The court also rejected an alternative argument by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration that if Taylor ever was a Canadian citizen, he had lost his citizenship by operation of law, holding that the statutory provisions giving rise to such a result were contrary to the Charter and Bill of Rights - In reaching this conclusion, the court rejected an argument by the Minister that the presumption against the retroactive or retrospective application of legislation was a bar to the court examining the Charter and Bill of Rights arguments raised by Taylor - The court stated that this case involved a contemporary refusal (in 2005) to issue a certificate of citizenship to Taylor based on the requirement found in s. 3(1)(d) of the current (1985) Citizenship Act that he be a "citizen" immediately before February 15, 1977 - The legality of his exclusion could be examined today under the Charter and the Bill of Rights (despite the fact the 1947 Citizenship Act, the 1952 Citizenship Act and the 1970 Citizenship Act had been repealed) - See paragraphs 178 to 218.

Aliens - Topic 2602

Naturalization - Right to citizenship - Citizen defined - Taylor was the natural son of a Canadian soldier who served overseas during World War II - He was born in England in 1944 - His parents married in 1945 - He landed in Canada with his mother (i.e., a war bride) in 1946 - Taylor's parents' marriage broke up after a few months - Taylor and his mother returned to England six weeks before the 1947 Citizenship Act came into force - In 2003, Taylor applied for proof of citizenship - A citizenship officer ruled that Taylor had never obtained Canadian citizenship - Taylor applied for judicial review - The Federal Court allowed the application, holding that on the correct statutory interpretation of the applicable legislation, Taylor was a Canadian citizen - The court also rejected an alternative argument by the Minister that if Taylor ever was a Canadian citizen, he had lost his citizenship by operation of law - The court opined that the provisions of the citizenship legislation giving rise to that result (Citizenship Act (1985), ss. 3(1), 3(1)(d), 3(1)(e), 7, and 11, Citizenship Act Amendment Act (1953), s. 13, Citizenship Act (1970), s. 4(2), Citizenship Act (1977), s. 36) were contrary to due process and infringed ss. 1(a) and (e) of the Canadian Bill of Rights and the right of an individual not to be deprived of life, liberty or security of the person except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice guaranteed by s. 7 of the Charter - Those infringements were not justified under section 1 of the Charter and as a result, the above provisions were inoperative to the extent they contravened the Charter and Bill of Rights - Furthermore the provisions of the 1985 Citizenship Act dealing with children born out of wedlock (ss. 3(1)(b), 3(1)(d), 3(1)(e) and 8) were contrary to s. 15(1) of the Charter and not justified under s. 1.

Aliens - Topic 2605

Naturalization - Right to citizenship - Child - By virtue of Canadian parent - [See second, third and fourth Aliens - Topic 2602 ].

Aliens - Topic 2621

Naturalization - Passports - General - The Federal Court discussed the history of passports in Canada - See paragraphs 103 to 113.

Civil Rights - Topic 3110

Trials - Due process, fundamental justice and fair hearings - General principles and definitions - Due process - General - [See fourth Aliens - Topic 2602 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 3192

Trials - Due process, fundamental justice and fair hearings - Administrative and noncriminal proceedings - Procedure contrary to fundamental justice - [See fourth Aliens - Topic 2602 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 5671.2

Equality and protection of the law - Citizenship - [See fourth Aliens - Topic 3602 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 8005

Canadian or provincial bill of rights - Principles of operation and interpretation - Due process - Right to life, liberty, security and enjoyment of property - [See third and fourth Aliens - Topic 3602 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 8304

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Application of - Retrospectivity - [See third Aliens - Topic 3602 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 8348

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Applications - Exceptions - Reasonable limits prescribed by law (Charter, s. 1) - [See fourth Aliens - Topic 3602 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 8668

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Equality rights (s. 15) - What constitutes a breach of s. 15 - [See fourth Aliens - Topic 3602 ].

Statutes - Topic 2601

Interpretation - Interpretation of words and phrases - Modern rule (incl. interpretation by context) - General principles - [See Aliens - Topic 2502 ].

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Samejima, [1932] S.C.R. 640, refd to. [para. 5, note 2].

Narine-Singh v. Canada (Attorney General), [1954] O.R. 784 (C.A.), affd. [1955] S.C.R. 395, refd to. [para. 5, note 2].

Augier v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), [2004] 4 F.C.R. 150; 256 F.T.R. 231 (F.C.), refd to. [para. 28].

Dr. Q., Re, [2003] 1 S.C.R. 226; 302 N.R. 34; 179 B.C.A.C. 170; 295 W.A.C. 170, refd to. [para. 33].

Davidson v. Slaight Communications Inc., [1989] 1 S.C.R. 1038; 93 N.R. 183, refd to. [para. 35].

R. v. Drybones, [1970] S.C.R. 282, refd to. [para. 35].

Bell Canada v. Canadian Telephone Employees Association et al., [2003] 1 S.C.R. 884; 306 N.R. 34, refd to. [para. 35].

Authorson v. Canada (Attorney General), [2003] 2 S.C.R. 40; 306 N.R. 335; 175 O.A.C. 363, refd to. [para. 35].

Multani v. Commission scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys et al., [2006] 1 S.C.R. 256; 345 N.R. 201, refd to. [para. 36].

Lavoie et al. v. Canada et al., [2002] 1 S.C.R. 769; 284 N.R. 1, refd to. [para. 44].

Andrews v. Law Society of British Columbia, [1989] 1 S.C.R. 143; 91 N.R. 255, refd to. [para. 45].

R. v. Oakes, [1986] 1 S.C.R. 103; 65 N.R. 87; 14 O.A.C. 335, refd to. [para. 45].

Benner v. Canada (Secretary of State), [1997] 1 S.C.R. 358; 208 N.R. 81, refd to. [para. 47].

Law v. Minister of Employment and Immigration, [1999] 1 S.C.R. 497; 236 N.R. 1, refd to. [para. 47].

Solis v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) (2000), 254 N.R. 362 (F.C.A.), refd to. [para. 49].

Reference Re Firearms Act (Can.), [2000] 1 S.C.R. 783; 254 N.R. 201; 261 A.R. 201; 225 W.A.C. 201, refd to. [para. 53].

Rizzo & Rizzo Shoes Ltd. (Bankrupt), Re, [1998] 1 S.C.R. 27; 221 N.R. 241; 106 O.A.C. 1, refd to. [para. 53].

Janzen and Govereau v. Pharos Restaurant and Grammas et al., [1989] 1 S.C.R. 1252; 95 N.R. 81; 58 Man.R.(2d) 1, refd to. [para. 53].

Janzen v. Platy Enterprises Ltd. - see Janzen and Govereau v. Pharos Restaurant and Grammas et al.

Reference Re Ownership of Off Shore Mineral Rights (B.C.), [1967] S.C.R. 792, refd to. [para. 69, note 8].

Abraham v. Attorney General, [1934] P. 17, refd to. [para. 76].

Shedden v. Patrick (1854), 1 Macq. 535 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 76].

R. v. Nadan, [1926] 2 D.L.R. 177 (P.C.), refd to. [para. 78, note 12].

Winner v. S.M.T. (Eastern) Ltd., [1951] S.C.R. 887, refd to. [para. 85].

Chiarelli v. Minister of Employment and Immigration, [1992] 1 S.C.R. 711; 135 N.R. 161, refd to. [para. 87].

Reference Re Deportation of Japanese, [1946] S.C.R. 248; [1946] 3 D.L.R. 321, affd. [1947] 1 D.L.R. 577 (P.C.), refd to. [para. 117].

Glynos v. Canada, [1992] 3 F.C. 691; 148 N.R. 66 (F.C.A.), refd to. [para. 150].

Glynos v. Canada (1991), 42 F.T.R.183; 13 Imm. L.R.(2d) 83 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 152].

Benner v. Canada (Secretary of State), [1992] 1 F.C. 771; 43 F.T.R. 180 (T.D.), affd. [1994] 1 F.C. 250; 155 N.R. 321 (F.C.A.), not folld. [para. 153].

Benner v. Minister of Employment and Immigration (1988), 93 N.R. 250 (F.C.A.), refd to. [para. 153].

Veleta v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) (2006), 350 N.R. 94; 2006 FCA 138, refd to. [paras. 164].

Bell ExpressVu Limited Partnership v. Rex et al., [2002] 2 S.C.R. 559; 287 N.R. 248; 166 B.C.A.C. 1; 271 W.A.C. 1, refd to. [para. 167].

Minister of Employment and Immigration v. Bell (1996), 197 N.R. 315; 136 D.L.R.(4th) 286 (F.C.A.), refd to. [para. 170, note 22].

Kelly v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) (1998), 161 F.T.R. 93 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 170, note 22].

Schavernoch v. Foreign Claims Commission, [1982] 1 S.C.R. 1092; 44 N.R. 166, refd to. [para. 175].

R. v. Stevens, [1988] 1 S.C.R. 1153; 86 N.R. 85; 28 O.A.C. 243, refd to. [para. 179].

R. v. Stewart, [1991] 3 S.C.R. 324; 130 N.R. 159; 120 A.R. 32; 8 W.A.C. 32, refd to. [para. 179].

Reference Re Sections 32 and 34 of the Worker's Compensation Act (Nfld.), [1989] 2 S.C.R. 335; 96 N.R. 231; 76 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 185; 235 A.P.R. 185, refd to. [para. 179].

R. v. Dubois, [1985] 2 S.C.R. 350; 62 N.R. 50; 66 A.R. 202, refd to. [para. 179].

Abasalizadeh v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), [2004] F.T.R. Uned. 803; 2004 FC 1407, refd to. [para. 181].

Dubey v. Canada (Ministre de la Citoyenneté et de l'Immigration) (2002), 222 F.T.R. 1; 2002 FCT 582, not folld. [para. 186, note 23].

Wilson v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) (2003), 244 F.T.R. 148; 2003 FC 1475, not folld. [para. 186, note 23].

Singh v. Minister of Employment and Immigration, [1985] 1 S.C.R. 177; 58 N.R. 1, refd to. [para. 189].

MacBain v. Canadian Human Rights Commission et al., [1985] 1 F.C. 856; 62 N.R. 117 (F.C.A.), refd to. [para. 189].

MacBain v. Lederman - see MacBain v. Canadian Human Rights Commission et al.

Mack et al. v. Canada (Attorney General) (2002), 165 O.A.C. 17; 60 O.R.(3d) 737 (C.A.), leave to appeal dismissed (2003), 319 N.R. 196; 191 O.A.C. 200 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 199].

Crease v. Canada (Minister of State for Multiculturalism and Citizenship), [1994] 3 F.C. 480; 78 F.T.R. 192 (T.D.), not folld. [para. 201].

McLean v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), [2001] 3 F.C. 127; 270 N.R. 133 (F.C.A.), refd to. [para. 208].

Veleta v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) (2005), 273 F.T.R. 108 (F.C.), revd. (2006), 350 N.R. 94; 2006 FCA 138, refd to. [para. 209].

Blencoe v. Human Rights Commission (B.C.) et al., [2000] 2 S.C.R. 307; 260 N.R. 1; 141 B.C.A.C. 161; 231 W.A.C. 161, refd to. [para. 232].

Reference Re Section 94(2) of the Motor Vehicle Act (B.C.), [1985] 2 S.C.R. 486; 63 N.R. 266, refd to. [para. 233].

Baker v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration), [1999] 2 S.C.R. 817; 243 N.R. 22, refd to. [para. 234].

Miron and Valliere v. Trudel et al., [1995] 2 S.C.R. 418; 181 N.R. 253; 81 O.A.C. 253, refd to. [para. 267, note 28].

Egan and Nesbit v. Canada, [1995] 2 S.C.R. 513; 182 N.R. 161, refd to. [para. 279].

Statutes Noticed:

Canadian Bill of Rights, R.S.C. 1985, App. III, sect. 1(a), sect. 2(e) [para. 9].

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982, sect. 1, sect. 7 [para. 9]; sect. 15(1) [para. 10].

Canadian Nationals Act, S.C. 1921, c. 4, generally [para. 96]; sect. 2 [para. 97].

Citizenship Act, An Act to Amend the, S.C. 1952-53, c. 23, generally [para. 133 et seq.]; sect. 2(1) [para. 135]; sect. 13 [para. 9].

Citizenship Act, R.S.C. 1952, c. 33, sect. 4, sect. 5, sect. 9 [para. 133].

Citizenship Act, R.S.C. 1970, c. C-19, generally [para. 137]; sect. 4 [para. 138]; sect. 4(2) [para. 9]; sect. 5 [para. 138]; sect. 5(1)(b) [para. 149].

Citizenship Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-29, sect. 3(1) [paras. 9, 147]; sect. 3(1)(b) [para. 10]; sect. 3(1)(d) [para. 9]; sect. 3(1)(e) [paras. 9, 148]; sect. 5(2)(b) [para. 148]; sect. 7, sect. 11 [para. 9].

Citizenship Act, S.C. 1946, c. 15, generally [para. 121 et seq.]; sect. 4 [paras. 125, 168]; sect. 5 [para. 125]; sect. 6 [para. 131]; sect. 9 [para. 125]; sect. 45(2) [para. 123]; sect. 46(1) [para. 238].

Citizenship Act, S.C. 1974-75-76, c. 108, generally [para. 145 et seq.]; sect. 5(2)(b) [para. 150]; sect. 36 [para. 9].

Immigration Act, S.C. 1910, c. 27, generally [para. 85 et seq.].

Order-in-Council (Can.), P.C. 1927-858, generally [para. 114 et seq.], sect. 1(a), sect. 2, sect. 3, sect. 7 [para. 169].

United Nations, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, art. 15 [para. 238].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Canada, Canadian Citizenship Branch, British Subjects and Canadian Citizens, generally [para. 7].

Canada, Hansard, House of Commons Debates (April 5, 1946), p. 603 [para. 102].

Canada, Hansard, House of Commons Debates (March 8, 1921), pp. 645 [paras. 98, 99, note 14]; 772, 776, 785 [para. 99].

Canada, Hansard, House of Commons Debates (October 22, 1945), p. 1335 ff. [para. 122].

Galloway, Donald, The Dilemmas of Canadian Citizenship Law (1999), 13 Geo. Immig. L.J. 201, generally [para. 94]; pp. 213 [para. 72, note 9]; 221 [para. 229, note 27].

Halsbury's Laws of England (3rd Ed. 1955), vol. 3, paras. 137, 138 [para. 273]; 146, 147 [para. 77]; 151 [para. 82].

Hansard - see Canada, Hansard, House of Common Debates.

Heater, Derek, Citizenship: the Civic Ideal in World History, Politics and Education (1990), p. 2 [para. 59].

Hogg, Peter W., Constitutional Law of Canada (4th Ed. 1997) c. 2, 3 [para. 69, note 8].

Jarratt, Melynda, The Canadians in Britain, 1939-1946, in Rains, Olga, Rains, Lloyd, and Jarratt, Melynda, Voices of the Left Behind (2006), p. 16 [para. 12].

Jarratt, Melynda, By Virtue of his Service, in Rains, Olga, Rains, Lloyd, and Jarratt, Melynda, Voices of the Left Behind (2006), p. 200 [para. 12].

Johnston, Darlene, First Nations and Canadian Citizenship, in Kaplan, William, Belonging: The Meaning and Future of Canadian Citizenship (1993), p. 352 [para. 68, note 7].

Kaplan, William, Belonging: The Meaning and Future of Canadian Citizenship (1993), pp. 247 [paras. 56, 57]; 248 [paras. 59, 61, note 4]; 249 [para. 61, note 4]; 352 [para. 68, note 7].

Kaplan, William, Who Belongs? Changing Concepts of Citizenship and Nationality, in Kaplan, William, Belonging: The Meaning and Future of Canadian Citizenship (1993), pp. 247 [paras. 56, 57]; 248 [paras. 59, 61, note 4]; 249 [para. 61, note 4].

Kelley, Ninette, and Trebilcock, Michael, The Making of the Mosiac, A History of Canadian Immigration Policy (1998), c. 3 [paras. 5, 87, note 1].

Lefroy, A.H.F., Annotation to the Thirty-Nine Hindus, Re case (1913), 15 D.L.R. 189, generally [paras. 90 et seq.].

Macmillan, Margaret, Paris 1919: Six Months that Changed the World (2003), pp. 83 to 97 [para. 98, note 14].

Parry, Clive, Nationality and Citizenship Laws of the Commonwealth and of the Republic of Ireland (1957), vol. 1, pp. 431 to 445 [para. 70]; 451 [para. 94]; 466 [paras. 83, 128, notes 13, 18]; 467 [para. 83, note 13]; 467 to 522 [para. 122].

Passport Canada, History of passports, online: Passport Canada website http://www.ppt.gc.ca/about/history.aspx?lang=e), generally [paras. 104, 110, note 17].

Price, Ronald R., Mr. Justice Rand and the Privileges and Immunities of Canadian Citizens (1958), 16 U.T. Fac. L. Rev. 16, generally [para. 229, note 27].

Rains, Olga, Rains, Lloyd, and Jarratt, Melynda, Voices of the Left Behind (2006), generally [para. 80]; pp. 16 [para. 12]; 113 to 115 [para. 17, note 3]; 200 [para. 12].

Sullivan, Ruth, Sullivan and Driedger on the Construction of Statutes (4th Ed. 2002), c. 6 [para. 167]; pp. 1 [para. 166]; 471 to 502 [para. 53].

Counsel:

Rory Morahan, for the applicant;

Peter Bell, for the respondent.

Solicitors of Record:

Morahan and Company, Vancouver, British Columbia, for the applicant;

John H. Sims, Q.C., Deputy Attorney General of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, for the respondent.

This application was heard at Vancouver, British Columbia, by Martineau, J., of the Federal Court, who delivered the following reasons for order on September 1, 2006.