Williams v. Hillier and Alberta (Attorney General), (1981) 33 A.R. 613 (CA)

• Judge: McGillivray, C.J.A., Moir and Laycraft, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (Alberta)
• Case Date: December 16, 1981
• Citations: (1981), 33 A.R. 613 (CA)

Williams v. Hillier (1981), 33 A.R. 613 (CA)

MLB headnote and full text

Williams v. Hillier and Attorney General of Alberta (intervenant)

(No. 13125)

Indexed As: Williams v. Hillier and Alberta (Attorney General)

Alberta Court of Appeal

McGillivray, C.J.A., Moir and Laycraft, JJ.A.

December 16, 1981.

Summary:

The natural father of two children applied for access to them. The father and mother were divorced in Alberta. The mother received custody of the children with access to the father. Subsequently, the mother remarried and she and her new husband obtained an adoption order for the children in Manitoba in a judgment reported [1979] 4 W.W.R. 319. The father's appeals were dismissed by the Manitoba Court of Appeal in a judgment reported [1981] 1 W.W.R. 392; 2 Man.R.(2d) 251; 14 R.F.L.(2d) 31, and by the Supreme Court of Canada in a judgment reported [1980] 2 S.C.R. 368; [1981] 1 W.W.R. 746; 9 Man.R.(2d) 90; 35 N.R. 80.

The father then applied for access to the children in Alberta. The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench dismissed the application without reasons. The father appealed.

The Alberta Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal and held that the Manitoba adoption order extinguished the father's access rights under the Alberta Divorce Decree.

Family Law - Topic 1666

Adoption - Effect of adoption order - On access rights granted under Divorce Act - The Alberta Court of Appeal held that an adoption order granted under the Manitoba Child Welfare Act terminated access rights previously granted to a parent in Alberta under the Divorce Act.

Cases Noticed:

Zacks v. Zacks, [1973] S.C.R. 891, refd to. [para. 11].

Papp v. Papp (1969), 8 D.L.R.(3d) 389, refd to. [para. 11].

McKee v. McKee, [1951] 2 D.L.R. 657 (P.C.), consd. [para. 13].

Kredl v. A.G. of Quebec (1966), 56 D.L.R.(2d), consd. [para. 13].

Gillespie v. Gillespie (1973), 6 N.B.R.(2d) 227; 13 R.F.L. 344, consd. [para. 17].

Hall v. Hall (1976), 70 D.L.R.(3d) 493, consd. [para. 17].

Ramsay v. Ramsay (1976), 70 D.L.R.(3d) 415, consd. [para. 19].

Morrison et al. and Perry, Re (1973), 38 D.L.R.(3d) 304, consd. [para. 20].

Dalshaud v. Dalshaud (1973), 14 R.F.L. 271, consd. [para. 20].

Hilborn v. Hilborn (1977), 7 A.R. 62; 4 Alta. L.R.(2d) 52, consd. [para. 21].

Pshebnicki adoption, Re (1967), 66 D.L.R.(2d) 82, folld. [para. 23].

Sobering et al. and Sergeant, Re (1970), 15 D.L.R.(3d) 112 (Man. C.A.), folld. [para. 23].

L.D.E.B. et al., Re, [1981] 1 W.W.R. 152; 4 Man.R.(2d) 390, folld. [para. 23].

McWhannel et al. and Kerr, Re (1974), 46 D.L.R.(2d) 624 (B.C.C.A), not folld. [para. 24].

North v. North (1978), 89 D.L.R.(3d) 71, not folld. [para. 24].

G.M.Z. v. T.F.S.B., [1981] 1 W.W.R. 152; 4 Man.R.(2d) 390, folld. [para. 23].

Clarke and Hutchings, Re (1976), 9 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 438; 12 A.P.R. 438; 74 D.L.R.(2d) 356, appld. [para. 25].

Hutchings, Re (1976), 9 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 438; 12 A.P.R. 438; 74 D.L.R.(2d) 356, appld. [para. 25].

Dugay v. Dugay (1978), 5 R.F.L.(2d) 33; 8 R.F.L.(2d) 208, consd. [para. 25].

M., Re adoption of (1977), 6 A.R. 492; 3 Alta. L.R.(2d) 186, folld. [para. 27].

Natural Parents v. Superintendent of Child Welfare et al. (1975), 6 N.R. 491; 60 D.L.R.(3d) 699, dist. [para. 31].

Adoption Act, Reference Re, [1938] S.C.R. 398, refd to. [para. 10].

Statutes Noticed:

British North America Act, 1867, sect. 91(26), sect. 92 [para. 10].

Child Welfare Act, S.M. 1974, c. 30; C.C.S.M., c. C-80, sect. 96(1) [para. 7].

Divorce Act, R.S.C. 1970, c. D-8, sect. 10(b) [para. 13].

Domestic Relations Act, R.S.A. 1970, c. 113, sect. 39 [para. 13].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Colvin, Custody Orders Under the Constitution (1978), 56 Can. B. Rev. 1, 10 [para. 28].

Hogg, Constitutional Law of Canada, p. 378 [para. 28].

Power on Divorce and Other Matrimonial Causes, p. 310 [para. 28].

Counsel:

J.R. Nickerson, for Ernest Charles Williams;

H.C. Turner, for Patricia Judith Jacqueline Hillier;

Inge Otto, for the Attorney General of Alberta.

This case was heard before McGILLIVRAY, C.J.A., MOIR and LAYCRAFT, JJ.A., of the Alberta Court of Appeal.

On December 16, 1981, LAYCRAFT, J.A., delivered the following judgment for the Court of Appeal: