Weisfeld v. Canada, (1994) 171 N.R. 28 (FCA)

JudgeMahoney, Linden and McDonald, JJ.A.
CourtFederal Court of Appeal (Canada)
Case DateJune 30, 1994
JurisdictionCanada (Federal)
Citations(1994), 171 N.R. 28 (FCA)

Weisfeld v. Can. (1994), 171 N.R. 28 (FCA)

MLB headnote and full text

Abie Weisfeld also known as Eibie Weizfield (appellant/plaintiff) v. Her Majesty The Queen (respondent/defendant)

(A-252-89)

Indexed As: Weisfeld v. Canada

Federal Court of Appeal

Mahoney, Linden and McDonald, JJ.A.

June 30, 1994.

Summary:

Weisfeld established a peace camp on Parliament Hill to protest Canada's involve­ment in cruise missile testing. First a tent, then a more permanent structure was estab­lished. The Crown caused removal of the structures. Weisfeld sought a declaration and damages, claiming removal of the shelter and preventing its reestablishment violated his rights under ss. 2(b), 2(c) and 2(d) of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The Federal Court of Canada, Trial Divi­sion, in a judgment reported 27 F.T.R. 30, dismissed the action. The court held that removal of the structures did not violate Weisfeld's freedom of expression, freedom of assembly or freedom of association. Weisfeld appealed.

The Federal Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal. The court held that the removal of the structures did violate Weisfeld's right to freedom of expression (s. 2(b)), but was a reasonable limit prescribed by law under s. 1 of the Charter.

Civil Rights - Topic 1803

Freedom of speech or expression - Free­dom of expression - Scope of - The Fed­eral Court of Appeal stated that expression included "'any activity that conveys or attempts to convey a message'. Expression is not restricted to words, oral or written, but encompasses myriad forms of com­munication, including music, art, dance, postering, physical movements, marching with banners, etc., as long as the activity conveys or attempts to convey a meaning. ... physical activity, such as parking a car, could have expressive content if the activ­ity was used to convey or to attempt to convey a meaning." - See paragraph 26.

Civil Rights - Topic 1850.1

Freedom of speech or expression - Limi­tations on - Protesting - Weisfeld erected a "Peace Camp" on Parliament Hill to protest cruise missile testing - The Crown caused the structures to be dismantled and prevented their reestablishment - All other means of communicating his message were unimpaired - Weisfeld claimed that the structures were essential to expressing his political message and that his right to freedom of expression (Charter, s. 2(b)) was denied - The Federal Court of Appeal held that the camp conveyed or attempted to convey a message and constituted a protected "expression" within the meaning of s. 2(b) - Weisfeld's freedom of expres­sion was denied, but the denial, whether pursuant to common law or the Public Works Nuisances Regulations, was a rea­sonable limit prescribed by law under s. 1 of the Charter - See paragraphs 22 to 72.

Civil Rights - Topic 8348

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Application - Exceptions - Reasonable limits prescribed by law - [See Civil Rights - Topic 1850.1 ].

Civil Rights - Topic 8554

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Interpretation - Prescribed by law - The Federal Court of Appeal stated that "com­mon law rules are limits which are 'pre­scribed by law' for the purposes of s. 1" - See paragraphs 52 to 55.

Torts - Topic 1008

Nuisance - Public nuisance defined - Weisfeld established a "Peace Camp" on Parliament Hill to protest cruise missile testing - The camp originally consisted of a tent, but later a more permanent structure was erected - The Crown caused the structure to be removed - The trial judge held that the shelters, tents, tables, etc. constituted a public nuisance either at common law or under the Public Works Nuisances Regulations and the Crown had the right to abate the nuisance - Further, the placing or structures and objects on Parliament Hill constituted actionable trespass sufficient to justify their removal - The Federal Court of Appeal affirmed that finding - See paragraphs 18 to 19.

Torts - Topic 3002

Trespass - To land - What constitutes - [See Torts - Topic 1008 ].

Cases Noticed:

Irwin Toy Ltd. v. Québec (Procureur gén­éral), [1989] 1 S.C.R. 927; 94 N.R. 167; 24 Q.A.C. 2; 58 D.L.R.(4th) 577; 25 C.P.R.(3d) 417, refd to. [para. 23].

Committee for the Commonwealth of Canada et al. v. Canada, [1991] 1 S.C.R. 139; 120 N.R. 241, refd to. [para. 24].

R. v. Zundel, [1992] 2 S.C.R. 731; 140 N.R. 1; 56 O.A.C. 161, refd to. [para. 26, footnote 2].

R. v. Keegstra, [1990] 3 S.C.R. 697; 117 N.R. 1; 114 A.R. 81; 1 C.R.(4th) 129; 77 Alta. L.R.(2d) 193; [1991] 2 W.W.R. 1; 61 C.C.C.(3d) 1; 3 C.R.R.(2d) 193, refd to. [para. 26, footnote 2].

R. v. Kopyto (1987), 24 O.A.C. 81 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 26, footnote 2].

Ontario Film & Video Appreciation Society v. Ontario Board of Censors (1983), 147 D.L.R.(3d) 58 (Ont. Div. Ct.), affd. (1984), 2 O.A.C. 388; 5 D.L.R.(4th) 766 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 26, footnote 2].

Tinker v. Des Moines Community School District (1968), 393 U.S. 503; 21 L.Ed.2d 731, refd to. [para. 27, footnote 3].

Spense v. Washington (1974), 418 U.S. 405; 411 L.Ed.2d 842, refd to. [para. 27, footnote 3].

Texas v. Johnson (1989), 491 U.S. 397; 105 L.Ed.2d 342, refd to. [para. 27, footnote 3].

United States v. Eichman (1990), 496 U.S. 310; 110 L.Ed.2d 287, refd to. [para. 27, footnote 3].

Dolphin Delivery Ltd. v. Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, Local 580, Peterson and Alexander, [1986] 2 S.C.R. 573; 71 N.R. 83; 33 D.L.R.(4th) 174; 38 C.C.L.T. 184; 25 C.R.R. 321; [1987] 1 W.W.R. 577; 87 C.L.L.C. 14,002, refd to. [para. 27].

Ramsden v. Peterborough (City), [1993] 2 S.C.R. 1084; 156 N.R. 2; 66 O.A.C. 10, refd to. [para. 39].

Borowski v. Canada (Attorney General), [1989] 1 S.C.R. 342; 92 N.R. 110; 75 Sask.R. 82; 38 C.R.R. 232; 57 D.L.R.(4th) 231; 47 C.C.C.(3d) 1; 33 C.P.C.(2d) 105; [1989] 3 W.W.R. 97, refd to. [para. 45].

R. v. Swain, [1991] 1 S.C.R. 933; 125 N.R. 1; 47 O.A.C. 81, refd to. [para. 55].

R. v. Dersch (W.W.), [1993] 3 S.C.R. 768; 158 N.R. 375; 33 B.C.A.C. 269; 54 W.A.C. 269, refd to. [para. 55].

R. v. Oakes, [1986] 1 S.C.R. 103; 65 N.R. 87; 14 O.A.C. 335; 26 D.L.R.(4th) 200; 50 C.R.(3d) 1; 24 C.C.C.(3d) 321; 19 C.R.R. 308, refd to. [para. 58].

R. v. Big M Drug Mart Ltd., [1985] 1 S.C.R. 295; [1985] 3 W.W.R. 481; 58 N.R. 81; 60 A.R. 161; 18 C.C.C.(3d) 385; 18 D.L.R.(4th) 321; 37 Alta. L.R.(2d) 97; 85 C.L.L.C. 14,203; 13 C.R.R. 64, refd to. [para. 58].

R. v. Edwards Books and Art Ltd. - see R. v. Videoflicks Ltd. et al.

R. v. Videoflicks Ltd. et al., [1986] 2 S.C.R. 713; 71 N.R. 161; 19 O.A.C. 239; 30 C.C.C.(3d) 385; 55 C.R.(3d) 193; 35 D.L.R.(4th) 1; 28 C.R.R. 1, refd to. [para. 59, footnote 5].

McKinney v. University of Guelph et al., [1990] 3 S.C.R. 229; 118 N.R. 1; 45 O.A.C. 1; 76 D.L.R.(4th) 545; 2 C.R.R.(2d) 1, refd to. [para. 59, footnote 5].

R. v. Chaulk and Morrissette, [1990] 3 S.C.R. 1303; 119 N.R. 161; 69 Man.R.(2d) 161; [1991] 2 W.W.R. 385; 62 C.C.C.(3d) 193; 1 C.R.R.(2d) 1; 2 C.R.(4th) 1, refd to. [para. 59, footnote 5].

R. v. Wholesale Travel Group Inc. and Chedore, [1991] 3 S.C.R. 154; 130 N.R. 1; 49 O.A.C. 161; 67 C.C.C.(3d) 193; 8 C.R.(4th) 145, refd to. [para. 59, footnote 5].

Chaussure Brown's Inc. et al. v. Québec (Procureur général), [1988] 2 S.C.R. 712; 90 N.R. 84; 19 Q.A.C. 69, refd to. [para. 67].

Ford v. Quebec (Attorney General) - see Chaussure Brown's Inc. et al. v. Québec (Procureur général).

Statutes Noticed:

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, 1982, sect. 1 [para. 50]; sect. 2(b) [para. 22]; sect. 2(c), sect. 2(d) [para. 2]; sect. 24(1) [para. 45].

Public Works Act, R.S.C. 1970, c. P-38, sect. 3 [para. 16, footnote 1].

Public Works Act Regulations (Can.), Public Works Nuisances Regulations, C.R.C. 1978, c. 1365, sect. 5, sect. 6(2), sect. 8, sect. 9, sect. 11(2) [para. 8].

Public Works Nuisances Regulations - see Public Works Act Regulations (Can.).

Trespass to Property Act, R.S.O. 1980, c. 511, sect. 4(2) [para. 6].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Hogg, Peter W., Constitutional Law of Canada (3rd Ed. 1992), pp. 963, 964 [para. 26, footnote 2].

Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. 2, p. 2156 [para. 70].

Counsel:

J.J. Mark Edwards, for the appellant;

Luther Chambers, for the respondent.

Solicitors of Record:

Nelligan, Power, Ottawa, Ontario, for the appellant;

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

This appeal was heard at Ottawa, Ontario, on May 31, 1994, before Mahoney, Linden and McDonald, JJ.A., of the Federal Court of Appeal.

On June 30, 1994, Linden, J.A., delivered the following judgment for the Court of Appeal.

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7 cases
  • R. v. S.A., 2012 ABQB 311
    • Canada
    • Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta (Canada)
    • April 23, 2012
    ...to. [para. 80]. Russo v. Ontario Jockey Club (1987), 62 O.R.(2d) 731 (H.C.), refd to. [para. 80]. Weisfeld v. Canada, [1995] 1 F.C. 68; 171 N.R. 28 (F.C.A.), refd to. [para. 80]. R. v. Semple, 2004 ONCJ 55, refd to. [para. 80]. Committee for the Commonwealth of Canada et al. v. Canada, [199......
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    • July 12, 1996
    ...85]. R. v. Keegstra, [1990] 3 S.C.R. 697 ; 117 N.R. 1 ; 114 A.R. 81 , refd to. [para. 85]. Weisfeld v. Canada, [1995] 1 F.C. 68 ; 171 N.R. 28 (F.C.A.), refd to. [para. Committee for the Commonwealth of Canada et al. v. Canada (1991), 120 N.R. 241 ; 77 D.L.R.(4th) 385 (S.C.C.), refd t......
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