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Quebec Court of Appeal

New murder trial ordered following judge’s inadequate instructions

The Quebec Court of Appeal ordered a new trial of a man convicted of killing three people because the trial judge provided inadequate instructions to the jury over the weight that should be given to post-offence conduct and because he failed to warn the jury that the testimony of the prosecution’s expert went beyond the bounds of his expertise.

The ruling, the second time in six years that the Quebec appeal court set aside a murder conviction and ordered a new trial because of testimony provided by psychiatrist Sylvain Faucher, highlights pervasive concerns about expert bias and examines the credence that should be given to post-offence conduct, according to criminal lawyers.…

Legal business Quebec Court of Appeal Rulings September 5, 2017

Total amount of legal fees not necessarily covered by solicitor-client privilege rules Quebec appeal court

The total amount of professional billings paid to lawyers working on a mandate for public bodies is not necessarily automatically protected by solicitor-client privilege ruled the Quebec Court of Appeal.

In what is described as a precedent-setting ruling, the Quebec appeal court decision provides much-needed guidance and strikes a delicate balance between professional secrecy and public access to documents, according to legal experts.

“The importance of this lies with the distinction the Quebec appeal court makes between professional secrecy and public access to documents regarding legal fees paid by public bodies to lawyers,” said Pierre Trudel, a former director of Université de Montréal’s Public Law Research Centre. “The decision provides helpful guidance over what should remain protected by professional secrecy and what should be accessible to ensure public access to documents.”…

Aboriginal law Charter of Rights and Freedoms Quebec Court of Appeal Rulings August 28, 2017

Ottawa given until Christmas to address sex-based discriminatory provisions in the Indian Act

The federal government dodged a potential crisis that would have halted Indian status registrations after the Quebec Court of Appeal begrudgingly gave Ottawa until Christmas to address sex-based discriminatory provisions in the Indian Act and complete a bill that has been held up by the Senate.

In a ruling that marks the first time a Canadian appellate court has been called upon to decide whether or not to extend yet again the suspension of a judicial declaration of constitutional invalidity of a legislative provision, the Quebec appeal court scolded the federal government for the “unacceptable delays” and the absence of administrative measures that would have mitigated the discrimination.

“There are limits as to how long suspensions of declarations of constitutional invalidity may last,” said Justice Robert Mainville in a 20-page ruling in AG Canada c. Descheneaux, 2017 QCCA 1238. Justices Marie-Josée Hogue and Patrick Healy concurred with the August 18th decision.…

Public law Quebec Quebec Court of Appeal Rulings August 24, 2017

Two Montreal protesters awarded $2,000 each in damages by Quebec appeal court

Two protesters that occupied a public square in downtown Montreal won a partial victory after the Quebec Court of Appeal awarded them $2,000 each for moral and material loss because the police no longer had reason to keep them handcuffed and detained in the back of a police car to drive them to another part of the city.

The ruling, which partially overturned a lower court ruling, provides guidance over the use of handcuffs while in custody, the duration of detention as well as the marking of hands and taking of pictures for identification purposes following arrest.

“This is very good news for all people who participate in peaceful protests because the question is not simply whether the protest was legal or not or did it become illegal at any time but also whether the police operation was legal throughout,” said Julius Grey, a Montreal human rights lawyer who successfully plead the case before the appellate court.…

Criminal justice Quebec Quebec Court of Appeal Spotlight Supreme Court of Canada July 14, 2017

Quebec appeal court to hear appeals in two Jordan cases

Nearly a year to the day when the Supreme Court of Canada issued its landmark Jordan ruling, the Quebec Court of Appeal announced that a five-judge panel will hear an appeal late this summer of a decision to stay a murder charge against a Sri Lankan refugee even though the accused has been deported back to his homeland.…

Class actions Quebec Quebec Court of Appeal Rulings Supreme Court of Canada July 11, 2017

Telecom giants must pay millions following SCC’s refusal to hear appeals

Telecommunication giants Bell Mobility and Rogers Communications must pay millions of dollars to clients who paid excessive cancellation fees after the Supreme Court of Canada refused to hear their appeals.

More than 166,000 Rogers’ clients who were charged early cancellation fees between 2007 and 2010 stand to share $26.7 million while 76,000 Bell Mobility clients are expected to divvy up $1.6 million – minus legal fees.

In a case dealing with contract for services, early cancellation fee clauses, abusive clauses and the right of unilateral resiliation under the Quebec Civil Code, the Quebec Court of Appeal held in two separate decisions that the two telecom companies overcharged clients who were billed early cancellation fees.…

On the move Quebec Quebec Court of Appeal Quebec Superior Court June 23, 2017

Federal government announced two new appointments as well as a reshuffle in the Quebec courts

Barely a week after Quebec Minister of Justice Stephanie Vallée called on the federal government yet again to quickly appoint 10 new Superior Court justices in the province, the federal government announced two new appointments as well as a shake-up in the Quebec courts.

The latest appointments still falls short of what the Quebec government has been demanding. The president of the Quebec Bar, Paul-Matthieu Grondin, said in a tweet published shortly after the nominations that "the federal government MUST appoint judges to the Quebec Superior Court. Yesterday's appointments are far from enough."

Still, the new appointments and the reshuffle is nevertheless widely expected to make a dent in the backlog of cases that have plagued the Quebec criminal justice system, particularly since the landmark Jordan decision by the Supreme Court of Canada issued last summer.…

Barreau du Quebec Charter of Rights and Freedoms Legal business Quebec Quebec Court of Appeal Rulings Supreme Court of Canada June 5, 2017

Ruling could lead lawyers to think hard before voicing concerns about legal system

In a controversial decision, the Quebec Court of Appeal recently held that Quebec lawyers can criticize the legal system as long as it is done with dignified restraint, constructively and meets the public’s reasonable expectations of a lawyer’s professionalism.

But the appeal court decision has stoked fears that the ruling will engender a chilling effect, and prompt lawyers to think twice before voicing their concerns about the legal system in public for fear of being reprimanded by their law society.…

Class actions Quebec Quebec Court of Appeal Rulings May 17, 2017

Quebec telecom company ordered to pay more than $3 million in punitive damages

A Quebec telecommunications firm, Vidéotron Inc., has been ordered to pay more than $3 million in punitive damages to consumers who were charged extra when the Internet service provider unilaterally modified the terms of their so-called “Extreme High Speed” service, held the Quebec Court of Appeal.

In a decision that examines the scope of contractual obligations, the appeal court held that a unilateral modification clause contained in the contract did not authorize Vidéotron to impose fees that “had not been agreed to in the initial contract or to modify goods and services described” in the contract. The unilateral clause in this case would have meant that consumers waived their rights conferred by sections 12 and 40 of the Quebec Consumer Protection Act (Act) – and that is prohibited by sections 261 and 262 of the Act.…

Court of Quebec Quebec Quebec Court of Appeal April 24, 2017

Quebec judge may be a step closer to being removed from the bench

A Quebec judge who refused to hear a quarrel between neighbours and emphatically insisted that they negotiate a settlement may be a step closer to being removed from the bench after the Quebec Court of Appeal announced it will launch an inquiry on his conduct following a request by the Quebec Minister of Justice Stephanie Vallée.…

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Federal Department of Finance launches consultations

The federal Department of Finance launched a second round of consultations on reform of federal financial institution statutes. Its paper entitled paper entitled "Potential Policy Measures to Support a Strong and Growing Economy: Positioning Canada's Financial Sector for the Future" can be downloaded here.

Copyright Board launches consultations

The Copyright Board of Canada, today launched consultations on proposed legislative and regulatory changes to the its decision-making processes. A government discussion paper presents 13 possible options for legislative and regulatory reforms. The government will also consider any other reform options that would help address the Board's challenges outlined in the discussion paper. The consultations will be open from August 9 to September 29. Those interested can share their views until September 29 by emailing CBconsultations@canada.ca.

Handbook for lawyers on business and human rights

The International Bar Association published a Handbook for Lawyers on Business and Human Rights to provide guidance for business lawyers and their corporate clients on how to address human rights risks in corporate and commercial transactions. It can be read here.

Handbook for young lawyers

The Barreau du Quebec published a handbook for newly sworn in Lawyers. It can be downloaded here.

Proposal for new prospectus exemption

The Canadian securities administrators have proposed a new prospectus exemption for the resale of securities of a foreign issuer. The proposed amendments to National Instrument 45-102 Resale of Securities (NI 45-102) and request for comments can be read here. Comments must be submitted in writing by September 27, 2017.

Quebec Court of Appeal's Guide to Legal Citation

The guide aims to provide the legal community with standardized writing and reference rules. While the rules are not mandatory, the Court "invites" lawyers and litigants to use the rules when writing pleadings, briefs or memoranda they submit to the Court. It's in French only but it does have a useful bilingual lexicon. It can be downloaded here.