United States of America v. Allard and Charette, (1991) 122 N.R. 352 (SCC)

• Judge: La Forest, L'Heureux-Dubé, Sopinka, Gonthier, Cory, McLachlin and Stevenson, JJ.
• Court: Supreme Court (Canada)
• Case Date: April 18, 1991
• Jurisdiction: Canada (Federal)
• Citations: (1991), 122 N.R. 352 (SCC);[1991] 1 SCR 861;64 CCC (3d) 159;40 QAC 274;1991 CanLII 97 (SCC)

USA v. Allard (1991), 122 N.R. 352 (SCC)

MLB headnote and full text

[French language version follows English language version]

[La version française vient à la suite de la version anglaise]

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United States of America (appellant) v. Alain Allard and Jean-Pierre Charette (respondents)

(20626)

Indexed As: United States of America v. Allard and Charette

Supreme Court of Canada

La Forest, L'Heureux-Dubé, Sopinka, Gonthier, Cory, McLachlin and Stevenson, JJ.

April 18, 1991.

Summary:

The United States applied for extradition of two people in Canada accused of aircraft hijacking in the United States in 1969. Hi­jacking did not become an offence in Canada until 1972 and the Canada-U.S. Extradition Treaty did not come into force until 1976. The Quebec Superior Court refused extradi­tion. The U.S.A. appealed.

The Supreme Court of Canada dismissed the appeal and held that the Extradition Treaty did not apply to an offence which was not a crime in Canada, when committed.

Extradition - Topic 222

Treaties - Application - Offences com­mitted before treaty in effect - The Supreme Court of Canada held that the Canada-U.S. Extradition Treaty applied to crimes committed before the treaty came into effect - See paragraphs 3 to 7.

Extradition - Cote 222

Traités - Application - Infractions com­mises avant l'entrée en vigueur du traité - [Voir Extradition - Topic 222 ].

Extradition - Topic 223

Treaties - Application - Offence not crime in Canada when committed - The Supreme Court of Canada held that the Canada-U.S. Extradition Treaty was inap­plicable to a crime (aircraft hijacking) committed in the U.S., when it was not a crime under Canadian law - See para­graphs 8 to 10.

Extradition - Cote 223

Traités - Application - L'infraction n'était pas un crime au Canada lorsquelle fut commise - [Voir Extradition - Topic 223 ].

Extradition - Topic 713

Extraditable offences - Canada-U.S. Treaty - Aircraft hijacking - An aircraft hijacking occurred in the U.S. in 1969 - The offence of hijacking was not made a crime in Canada until 1972 and a Canada-U.S. Extradition Treaty did not come into effect until 1976 - The U.S. sought extra­dition of two people in Canada for the offence - The Supreme Court of Canada denied extradition and held that, although the Treaty covered offences committed before the treaty came into effect, it did not cover offences which were not crimes in Canada when committed.

Extradition - Cote 713

Infractions donnant lieu à l'extradition - Traité Canada-Etats-Unis - Détournement d'avoir - [Voir Extradition - Topic 713 ].

Cases Noticed:

Cannon, Re (1908), 14 C.C.C. 186 (Ont. H.C.), appld. [para. 6].

R. v. Stone (No. 2) (1911), 17 C.C.C. 377 (Que. K.B.), appld. [para. 6].

United States of America and Smith, Re (1984), 15 C.C.C.(3d) 16 (Ont. C.C.), appld. [para. 8].

In re Counhaye (1873), L.R. 8 Q.B. 410, not folld. [para. 8].

California (State) v. Ogoshi (1989), 51 C.C.C.(3d) 193 (B.C.S.C.), not folld. [para. 8].

Statutes Noticed:

Ashburton-Webster Treaty - see Treaty Between Her Majesty and the United States of America, To Settle and Define the Boundaries Between the Possessions of Her Britannic Majesty in North America, and the Territories of the United States.

Convention for the Suppression of the Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft/Convention pour la répression de la capture illicite d'aéronefs, Can. T.S. 1972, No. 23, art. 8(1) [para. 4].

Criminal Law Amendment Act/Code cri­minel, Loi de 1972 modifiant le, S.C. 1972, c. 113, sect. 3.

Extradition Act/Extradition, Loi sur l', R.S.C. 1985, c. E-23, sect. 3, sect. 12 [para. 3]; sect. 18(1)(b) [para. 9]; sect. 34 [para. 8]; Schedule I.

Extradition Treaty Between Canada and the United States of America, December 3, 1971/Traité d'extradition entre le Canada et les Etats-Unis d'Amérique, 3 décembre 1971, Can. T.S. 1976, No. 3, art. 18(2) [para. 6]; Schedule [para. 1].

Supplementary Convention Between Canada and the United States of America to Provide for Extradition on Account of Crimes or Offences Committed Against the Laws for the Suppression of the Traffic in Narcotics, January 8, 1925/Convention supplémentaire entre le Canada et les Etats-Unis prévoyant l'extradition dans le cas de crimes ou de délits commis contre les lois visant la répression du commerce des stupéfiants, 8 janvier 1925, Can. T.S. 1952, No. 12, art. III [para. 6].

Supplementary Convention Between Her Majesty and the United States of America for the Extradition of Criminals, July 12, 1889/Convention supplémentaire entre Sa Majesté et les Etats-Unis d'Amérique concernant l'extradition des criminels, 12 juillet 1889, Can. T.S. 1952, No. 12, art. VIII [para. 6].

Supplementary Convention Between Her Majesty and the United States of America for the Mutual Extradition of Fugitive Criminals (Enlarging List of Crimes), December 13, 1900/Convention supplementaire entre Sa Majesté et les Etats-Unis d'Amérique pour l'extradition réciproque des criminels fugitifs (ajou­tant à la liste des crimes), 13 décembre 1900, Can. T.S. 1952, No. 12, art. II. [para. 6].

Supplementary Convention Between His Majesty and the United States of America for the Mutual Surrender of Fugitive Criminals, April 12, 1905/Con­vention supplémentaire entre Sa Majesté et les Etats-Unis d'Amérique pour l'ex­tradition réciproque des criminels fugi­tifs, 12 avril 1905, Can. T.S. 1952, No. 12, art. II [para. 6].

Supplementary Convention to the Supple­mentary Convention Between Her Ma­jesty and the United States of America for the Mutual Extradition of Fugitive Criminals, October 26, 1951/Convention supplémentaire à la convention supplé­mentaire entre Sa Majesté et les Etats-Unis d'Amérique pour l'extradition reci­proque des criminels fugitifs, 26 octobre 1951, Can. T.S. 1952, No. 12, art. II [para. 6].

Supplementary Extradition Con­vention Between His Majesty and the United States of America, May 15, 1922/Conv­ention supplémentaire d'extra­dition entre Sa Majesté et les Etats-Unis d'Amérique, 15 mai 1922, Can. T.S. 1952, No. 12, art. 3 [para. 6].

Traité Ashburton-Webster - voir Traité entre Sa Majesté et les Etats-Unis d'Amérique pour déterminer et définir les frontières entre les possessions de Sa Majesté britannique en Amérique du Nord et les territoires des Etats-Unis; pour la suppression définitive de la traité des Noirs africains; et, en certains cas, pour la reddition des criminels fugitifs recherchés par la justice, 9 août 1842.

Treaty Between Her Majesty and the United States of America, To Settle and Define the Boundaries  Between the Possessions of Her Britannic Majesty in North America, and the Territories of the United States; for the Final Suppression of the African Slave Trade; and for the Giving Up of Criminals, Fugitive from Justice in Certain Cases, August 9, 1842/Traité entre Sa Majesté et les Etats-Unis d'Amérique pour déterminer et définir les frontières entre les pos­sessions de Sa Majesté britannique en Amérique du Nord et les territoires des Etats-Unis; pour la suppression défini­tive de la traité des Noirs africains; et, en certains cas, pour la reddition des cri­minels fugitifs recherchés par la justice, 9 août 1842, Can. T.S. 1952, No. 12, art. X [para. 6].

Counsel:

Jacques Letellier, Q.C., and Robert Marchi, for the appellant, United States of America;

Pierre Poupart, for the respondent, Alain Allard;

Robert Sacchitelle, for the respondent, Jean-Pierre Charette.

Solicitors of Record:

Deputy Attorney General of Canada, Montréal, Quebec, for the appellant;

Poupart & Cournoyer, Montréal, Quebec, for the respondent, Alain Allard;

Bastien, Spagnoli, Montréal, Quebec, for the respondent, Jean-Pierre Charette.

This case was heard on October 5, 1990, and February 22, 1991, at Ottawa, Ontario, before La Forest, L'Heureux-Dubé, Sopinka, Gonthier, Cory, McLachlin and Stevenson, JJ., of the Supreme Court of Canada.

On April 18, 1991, La Forest, J., delivered the following judgment for the Supreme Court of Canada in both official languages.