Wood v. Van Bibber et al., (2013) 348 B.C.A.C. 98 (YukCA)

• Judge: Levine, Neilson and Garson, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (Yukon Territory)
• Case Date: November 14, 2013
• Jurisdiction: Yukon
• Citations: (2013), 348 B.C.A.C. 98 (YukCA);2013 YKCA 15

Wood v. Van Bibber (2013), 348 B.C.A.C. 98 (YukCA);

    595 W.A.C. 98

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2014] B.C.A.C. TBEd. JA.001

Juanita Wood (appellant/plaintiff) v. Adam Van Bibber, Betty Baptiste and Selkirk First Nation (respondents/defendants)

(YU721; 2013 YKCA 15)

Indexed As: Wood v. Van Bibber et al.

Yukon Court of Appeal

Levine, Neilson and Garson, JJ.A.

December 16, 2013.

Summary:

The plaintiff claimed that defamatory statements were made about her by two co-workers in the context of their employment with the Selkirk First Nation (SFN), and that the SFN was vicariously liable for their defamation.

The Yukon Supreme Court, in a decision with neutral citation 2013 YKSC 58, dismissed the defamation claim. The plaintiff appealed, arguing that the judge below made palpable and overriding errors in his findings of fact. She argued, in the alternative, that owing to the incompetence of her trial counsel the appeal court should order a new trial.

The Yukon Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal.

Libel and Slander - Topic 2983

Defences - Qualified privilege - When available - See paragraphs 33 to 51, 66 and 67.

Libel and Slander - Topic 2987

Defences - Qualified privilege - Employment relationship - See paragraphs 33 to 51, 66 and 67.

Libel and Slander - Topic 2988

Defences - Qualified privilege - Loss of - Lack of honest belief or existence of malice - See paragraphs 33 to 51.

Libel and Slander - Topic 4064

Malice - As a bar to defence of fair comment or qualified privilege - Inference of malice - See paragraphs 33 to 51.

Practice - Topic 9230

Appeals - New trials - Lack of or incompetence of counsel at trial - See paragraphs 68 to 76.

Cases Noticed:

MacDonald v. Tamitik Status of Women Association et al., [1998] B.C.T.C. Uned. G50 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 18].

London Association for Protection of Trade v. Greenlands Ltd., [1916] 2 A.C. 15, refd to. [para. 38].

Hanly v. Pisces Productions Inc., [1981] 1 W.W.R. 369 (B.C.S.C.), refd to. [para. 39].

Arnott v. College of Physicians & Surgeons (Sask.), [1954] S.C.R. 538, refd to. [para. 39].

Botiuk v. Bardyn et al., [1995] 3 S.C.R. 3; 186 N.R. 1; 85 O.A.C. 81; 126 D.L.R.(4th) 609, refd to. [para. 39].

Botiuk v. Toronto Free Press Publications Ltd. - see Botiuk v. Bardyn et al.

Harrison v. British Columbia et al. (2010), 286 B.C.A.C. 240; 484 W.A.C. 240; 2010 BCCA 220, refd to. [para. 39].

Abraham et al. v. Coblenz Holdings Ltd. et al. (2013), 347 B.C.A.C. 202; 593 W.A.C. 202; 2013 BCCA 512, refd to. [para. 49].

Moores v. Salter (1982), 37 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 128; 104 A.P.R. 128 (Nfld. Dist. Ct.), refd to. [para. 63].

D.W. v. White et al. (2004), 189 O.A.C. 256 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 71].

Kedmi v. Korem (2012), 323 N.S.R.(2d) 259; 1025 A.P.R. 259; 2012 NSCA 124, refd to. [para. 72].

White v. Conception Bay South (Town) (2013), 334 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 325; 1037 A.P.R. 325; 2013 NLCA 10, refd to. [para. 72].

Director of Child, Family and Community Services (B.C.) v. D.B. (2002), 166 B.C.A.C. 167; 271 W.A.C. 167; 2002 BCCA 55, refd to. [para. 73].

Gligorevic v. McMaster et al. (2012), 287 O.A.C. 302; 2012 ONCA 115, refd to. [para. 73].

Sheikh v. Minister of Employment and Immigration, [1990] 3 F.C. 238; 112 N.R. 61; 71 D.L.R.(4th) 604 (F.C.A.), refd to. [para. 73].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Williams, The Law of Libel and Slander in Canada (2nd Ed. 1988), p. 77 [para. 37].

Counsel:

Appellant self-represented;

D. Fendrick, for the respondents.

This appeal was heard in Whitehorse, Yukon, on November 14, 2013, before Levine, Neilson and Garson, JJ.A., of the Yukon Court of Appeal. The following decision was delivered for the court by Garson, J.A., in Vancouver, British Columbia, on December 16, 2013.