Williams v. Hillier, (1981) 13 Man.R.(2d) 259 (CA)

• Judge: Monnin, Matas and O'Sullivan, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (Manitoba)
• Case Date: February 04, 1982
• Jurisdiction: Manitoba
• Citations: (1981), 13 Man.R.(2d) 259 (CA)

Williams v. Hillier (1981), 13 Man.R.(2d) 259 (CA)

MLB headnote and full text

Williams v. Hillier and Hillier

(No. 167/81)

Indexed As: Williams v. Hillier

Manitoba Court of Appeal

Monnin, Matas and O'Sullivan, JJ.A.

October 22, 1981.

Summary:

A father appealed a decision of Ferg, C.C.J., reported as E.C.W. v. P.J.J.H. and H.I.H. (1981), 8 Man.R.(2d) 359; 22 R.F.L.(2d) 245, in which his application for access to his child, following a step-parent adoption, was dismissed.

The Manitoba Court of Appeal allowed the appeal. Matas, J.A., in separate reasons in paragraphs 43 to 56 below, would have adjourned the appeal pending the preparation of a home study.

Evidence - Topic 1135

Relevance of evidence offered - Prior related proceedings - In an appeal from a dismissal of a natural father's application for access to his child following a step-parent adoption, the Manitoba Court of Appeal held that it could consider all the evidence on record including evidence during the access hearing and evidence heard by the Court of Appeal on the father's previous appeal from the adoption order - See paragraph 46.

Family Law - Topic 1626

Adoption - Publication - Names - The Manitoba Court of Appeal held that the names rather than initials should be used in a case involving a stepparent adoption, because the adopting step-parents and the remaining natural parent are known to each other - See paragraph 3.

Family Law - Topic 1670

Adoption - Effect of - Rights of natural parents - Visiting rights - The Manitoba Court of Appeal held that under s. 100(6) of the Child Welfare Act a natural parent is entitled to apply for access to his child following a step-parent adoption - The court stated that the natural parent does not have to prove exceptional circumstances, but rather the test is what is in the child's best interests - See paragraphs 26 to 30.

Family Law - Topic 1670

Adoption - Effect of - Rights of natural parents - Visiting rights - A natural father applied for access to his children, now 12 and six years of age, following a step-parent adoption - The father, who resided in another province, saw the children from time to time under an access order granted with the divorce and opposed the adoption - The Manitoba Court of Appeal granted the father access.

Cases Noticed:

H. et al. v. W., [1979] 4 W.W.R. 319, affd. [1981] 1 W.W.R. 392; 2 Man.R.(2d) 251 (Man. C.A.), affd. [1981] 1 W.W.R. 746; [1980] 2 S.C.R. 368; 9 Man.R.(2d) 90; 35 N.R. 80 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 1].

Williams v. Hillier and Hillier, [1981] 1 W.W.R. 746; [1980] 2 S.C.R. 368; 9 Man.R.(2d) 90; 35 N.R. 80 (S.C.C.), affing [1981] 1 W.W.R. 392; 2 Man.R.(2d) 251 (Man. C.A.), affing [1979] 4 W.W.R. 319, refd to. [para. 1].

Re Adoption No. H.5877 (1976), 21 R.F.L. 306, refd to. [para. 21].

Re L.D.E.B.; G.M.Z. and E.G.Z. v. T.F.S.B., [1981] 1 W.W.R. 152; 4 Man.R.(2d) 390, refd to. [paras. 22, 42].

G.M.Z. and E.G.Z. v. T.F.S.B., [1981] 1 W.W.R. 152; 4 Man.R.(2d) 390, refd to. [para. 22].

Goldstein v. Brownstone and Brownstone (1970), 75 W.W.R.(N.S.) 193, refd to. [paras. 24, 42].

Re S. (1976), 20 R.F.L. 233, dist. [para. 33].

Ader v. McLaughlin et al., [1964] 2 O.R. 457, refd to. [para. 42].

Re Adoption Nos. 60-09-017014 and 6209-027718 (1971), 4 R.F.L. 369, refd to. [para. 42].

Sobel v. Fogler (1972), 6 R.F.L. 198, refd to. [para. 42].

Re Adoption Nos. 08030681 and 66240360 (1972), 6 R.F.L. 283, refd to. [para. 42].

Sobering and Sobering v. Sergeant (1970), 74 W.W.R.(N.S.) 477, refd to. [para. 42].

Re Munro (1973), 11 R.F.L. 21, refd to. [para. 42].

Callender v. Callender (1973), 11 R.F.L. 206, refd to. [para. 42].

Re J., [1973] 2 All E.R. 410; 14 R.F.L. 367, refd to. [para. 42].

Re S., [1975] 1 All E.R. 109; 20 R.F.L. 233, dist. [para. 42].

Re Adoption Nos. 63-09-034215 and 6009-022601 (1976), 22 R.F.L. 333, refd to. [para. 42].

Kerr v. McWhannel and McWhannel (1974), 16 R.F.L. 185, refd to. [para. 42].

Re Murrin (1975), 23 R.F.L. 356, refd to. [para. 42].

Re Baker et al.; Wilkinson v. Baker (1975), 20 R.F.L. 392, refd to. [para. 42].

Lyttle v. Children's Aid Society of Metropolitan Toronto (1976), 24 R.F.L. 134, refd to. [para. 42].

Smith v. Koch (1976), 24 R.F.L. 155, refd to. [para. 42].

Martiniuk v. Martiniuk and Kowerchuk (1978), 2 R.F.L.(2d) 39, refd to. [para. 42].

Re S. (infants)(adoption by parent), [1977] 3 All E.R. 671 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 42].

North v. North, [1978] 6 W.W.R. 75, refd to. [para. 42].

Wolfe v. Cherrett (1978), 28 N.S.R.(2d) 17; 43 A.P.R. 17, refd to. [para. 42].

Registration No. 70-09-131763; Re Adoption Act, B.C., [1980] 2 W.W.R. 577, refd to. [para. 42].

Cox v. Children's Aid Society of Metropolitan Toronto (1979), 8 R.F.L.(2d) 391, refd to. [para. 42].

A.F. v. B.F. and R.F. (1981), 22 R.F.L.(2d) 12, refd to. [para. 42].

Re Adoption Nos. 22025 to 22028 (1972), 8 R.F.L. 240, refd to. [para. 52].

Statutes Noticed:

Child Welfare Act, R.S.M. 1970, c. 22, sect. 89 [para. 14]; sect. 91 [para. 3]; sect. 94 [para. 3]; sect. 96 [para. 15]; sect. 100 [para. 11].

Child and Family Services and Family Relations Act, S.N.B. 1980, c. C-21, sect. 85(2) [para. 13].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Bissett-Johnson, Alastair, The Child and the Courts, pp. 335 [para. 52]; 343 to 358 [para. 42].

Bissett-Johnson, Alastair, Children in Subsequent Marriages - Questions of Access, Name and Adoption (1980), 11 R.F.L.(2d) 289 [para. 42].

Khan, A.N., Adoption by Parent and Step-Parent, [1980] Family Law Rev., p. 146 [para. 42].

Oppel, Wilfred, Step-Parent Adoptions in Nova Scotia and British Columbia (1980), 6 Dal. L.J. No. 3 [para. 42].

Counsel:

R.J. Graham, for the appellant;

A.C. Arenson, for the respondent.

This case was heard on October 22, 1981, by MONNIN, MATAS and O'SULLIVAN, JJ.A., of the Manitoba Court of Appeal.

On February 4, 1982, the decision of the Court of Appeal was delivered and the following opinions were filed:

MONNIN, J.A. - see paragraphs 1 to 42;

MATAS, J.A. - see paragraphs 43 to 56.

O'SULLIVAN, J.A., concurred with MONNIN, J.A.