Trainor Surveys (1974) Ltd. v. New Brunswick et al., (1990) 35 F.T.R. 228 (TD)

• Judge: McNair, J.
• Court: Federal Court (Canada)
• Case Date: February 13, 1990
• Jurisdiction: Canada (Federal)
• Citations: (1990), 35 F.T.R. 228 (TD)

Trainor Surveys Ltd. v. N.B. (1990), 35 F.T.R. 228 (TD)

MLB headnote and full text

Trainor Surveys (1974) Limited (plaintiff) v. Province of New Brunswick, Province of Prince Edward Island, Province of Nova Scotia, Council of Maritime Premiers and Land Registration and Information Service (defendants)

(T-2427-89)

Indexed As: Trainor Surveys (1974) Ltd. v. New Brunswick et al.

Federal Court of Canada

Trial Division

McNair, J.

March 1, 1990.

Summary:

Trainor Surveys commenced an action against the Provinces of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, the Council of Maritime Premiers and the Land Registration and Information Service (defendants) for copyright infringement. The defendants moved to dismiss the action for want of jurisdiction.

The Federal Court of Canada, Trial Division, granted the motion and dismissed Trainor Survey's action.

Civil Rights - Topic 5513

Equality and protection of the law - Charter, s. 15 - "Individual" - Defined - [See Courts - Topic 4020].

Courts - Topic 4020

Federal Court of Canada - Jurisdiction - Trial Division - Claims made under a statute of Canada or Charter - A plaintiff commenced an action against the Provinces of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, the Council of Maritime Premiers and the Land Registration and Information Service (the defendants) for copyright infringement - The Federal Court of Canada, Trial Division, held that it lacked jurisdiction to hear the case - Further the plaintiff could not rely on s. 15 of the Charter to support jurisdiction because the Crown was not an "individual" with whom a comparison could be made to determine a s. 15 violation.

Courts - Topic 4053

Federal Court of Canada - Jurisdiction - Trial Division - Copyright - [See Courts - Topic 4020].

Cases Noticed:

Avant Inc. v. Ontario, [1986] 2 F.C. 91; 1 F.T.R. 270; 25 D.L.R.(4th) 156 (T.D.), agreed with [paras. 8, 13].

Union Oil Company of Canada Ltd. v. Government of Canada and Province of British Columbia, [1976] 1 F.C. 74 (C.A.), affd. [1976] 2 S.C.R. v.; 16 N.R. 425, refd to. [para. 8].

Page v. Churchill Falls (Labrador) Corp. Inc., [1972] F.C. 1141 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 10].

R. v. Wilfrid Nadeau Inc., [1973] F.C. 1045 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 10].

New Brunswick Electric Power Commission v. Maritime Electric Co. Ltd., [1985] 2 F.C. 13; 60 N.R. 203 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 11].

Canadian Javelin Ltd. v. The Queen (Newfoundland), [1978] 1 F.C. 408 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 12].

Milk Bd. v. Clearview Dairy Farm Inc., [1987] 4 W.W.R. 279 (B.C.C.A.), refd to. [paras. 14, 18].

Dywidag Systems International Canada Limited v. Zutphen Brothers Construction Limited (1987), 76 N.S.R.(2d) 398; 189 A.P.R. 398; 35 D.L.R.(4th) 433 (C.A.), dist. [paras. 14, 15, 16, 19].

J.E. Verreault & Fils Ltée v. Le Procureur général de la province du Québec, [1977] 1 S.C.R. 41, refd to. [paras. 15, 20].

Attorney General of Quebec v. Labrecque et al., [1980] 2 S.C.R. 1057; 38 N.R. 1, refd to. [paras. 15, 20].

Andrews v. Law Society of British Columbia, [1989] 1 S.C.R. 143; 91 N.R. 255; 56 D.L.R.(4th) 1, refd to. [paras. 15, 20].

R. v. Stoddart (1987), 20 O.A.C. 365; 37 C.C.C.(3d) 351 (C.A.), agreed with [paras. 18, 19].

Rudolph Wolff & Co. v. Canada (1987), 26 C.P.C.(2d) 166 (Ont. H.C.), agreed with [paras. 19, 20].

Statutes Noticed:

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982, sect. 7, sect. 15(1) [para. 14].

Copyright Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-42, sect. 37 [paras. 1, 14].

Crown Proceedings Act, R.S.P.E.I. 1974, c. C-31, sect. 7 [para. 6].

Federal Court Act, R.S.C. 1970, c. 10 (2nd Supp.), sect. 17 [paras. 14, 19]; sect. 20(2) [paras. 2, 14].

Federal Court Rules, rule 401(c) [para. 1]; rule 419 [para. 9]; rule 474(1)(a) [para. 1].

Federal Courts Jurisdiction Act, R.S. N.B. 1973, c. F-8, sect. 1 [para. 5].

Proceedings Against The Crown Act, R.S.N.B. 1973, c. P-18, sect. 2(1), sect. 6, sect. 21 [para. 5].

Proceedings Against The Crown Act, R.S.N.S. 1967, c. 239, sect. 9, sect. 24(1), sect. 25 [para. 4].

Counsel:

W. Spicer, for the plaintiff;

John D. Murphy, for the defendants.

Solicitors of Record:

Eddy & McElman, Fredericton, New Brunswick, for the plaintiff;

Stewart MacKeen & Covert, Halifax, Nova Scotia, for the defendants.

This motion was heard in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on February 13, 1990, before McNair, J., of the Federal Court of Canada, Trial Division, who delivered the following decision on March 1, 1990: