Case Name:

Authorson (Litigation guardian of) v. Canada (Attorney

General)

The Attorney General of Canada

v.

Joseph Patrick Authorson, deceased, by his Litigation

Administrator, Peter Mountney

[2002] S.C.C.A. No. 205

File No.: 29207

Supreme Court of Canada

Record created: May 10, 2002.

Appeal From:

ON APPEAL FROM THE COURT OF APPEAL FOR ONTARIO

Status:

Appeal allowed without costs July 17, 2003. See [2003] S.C.J. No. 40 in the SCJ database for the full text of the reasons.

Catchwords:

Constitutional law -- Civil rights -- Canadian Bill of Rights -- Veterans -- Pensions -- Crown -- Fiduciary duty -- Government administering pensions and allowances for war veterans and failing to invest funds and to pay interest -- Whether s. 5.1(4) of the Department of Veterans Affairs Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. V-1, as amended, is inconsistent with s. 1(a) or s. 2(e) of the Canadian Bill of Rights, R.S.C. 1985, Appendix III -- If the answer is in the affirmative, is s. 5.1(4) of the Act inoperable by reason of such inconsistency?

Counsel:

John C. Spencer (Attorney General of Canada), for the motion.

Raymond G. Colautti (Raphael Partners), contra.

At hearing of appeal:

Graham Garton, Q.C., John C. Spencer and Yvonne Milosevic for the appellant.

Raymond G. Colautti, David G. Greenaway and Peter Sengbusch for the respondent.

Chronology:

1. Application for leave to appeal:

1. FILED: May 10, 2002. S.C.C. Bulletin, 2002, p. 846.

SUBMITTED TO THE COURT: July 29, 2002. S.C.C. Bulletin,

2002, p. 1103.

GRANTED WITH COSTS: October 17, 2002 (without reasons).

S.C.C. Bulletin, 2002, p. 1425.

Before: Gonthier, Major and Arbour JJ.

2. The motion to expedite the application is granted and the application for leave to appeal is granted with costs to the Respondent in any event of the cause.

1. Notice of appeal filed November 14, 2002. S.C.C. Bulletin, 2002, p. 1644.

1. Motion to expedite the hearing of the appeal granted December 10, 2002. Before: McLachlin C.J. S.C.C. Bulletin, 2002, p. 1835.

3. UPON APPLICATION by counsel on behalf of the respondent for an order expediting the hearing of this appeal;

4. AND HAVING READ the material filed;

5. IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:

1. this appeal be expedited so that it can be heard during the first two weeks of the Spring 2003 session;

1. the appellant's record, factum and book of authorities shall be served and filed no later than January 31, 2003;

1. the respondent's record, factum and book of authorities shall be served and filed no later than 4 weeks after the service of the appellant's factum;

1. motions for leave to intervene shall be served and filed no later than 2 weeks after the service of the appellant's factum and any interveners' factums shall be served and filed no later than 3 weeks after the service of the respondent's factum.

1. Motion to state a constitutional question granted December 23, 2002. Before: McLachlin C.J. S.C.C. Bulletin, 2003, p. 50.

6. Notices of interventions are to be filed on or before February 3, 2003.

7. [La version franÁaise se trouve ci-dessous]

2. Is s. 5.1(4) of the Department of Veterans Affairs Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. V-1, as amended, inconsistent with s. 1(a) of the Canadian Bill of Rights, S.C. 1960, c. 44?

2. Is s. 5.1(4) of the Department of Veterans Affairs Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. V-1, as amended, inconsistent with s. 2(e) of the Canadian Bill of Rights, S.C. 1960, c. 44?

2. If the answer to question 1 or 2 is in the affirmative, is s. 5.1(4) of the Department of Veterans Affairs Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. V-1, as amended, inoperable by reason of such inconsistency?

8. La version franÁaise :

3. Le par. 5.1(4) de la Loi sur le ministËre des Anciens combattants, L.R.C. 1985, ch. V-1, modifiÈe, est-il incompatible avec l'al. 1a) de la DÈclaration canadienne des droits, S.C. 1960, ch. 44?

3. Le par. 5.1(4) de la Loi sur le ministËre des Anciens combattants, L.R.C. 1985, ch. V-1, modifiÈe, est-il incompatible avec l'al. 2e) de la DÈclaration canadienne des droits, S.C. 1960, ch. 44?

3. Si la rÈponse aux 1 ou 2 est affirmative, le par. 5.1(4) de la Loi sur le ministËre des Anciens combattants, L.R.C. 1985, ch. V-1, modifiÈe, est-il inopÈrant en raison de cette incompatibilitÈ?

1. Notice of intervention:

Filed February 3, 2003. S.C.C. Bulletin, 2003, p. 299.

1. Motion to extend the time in which to serve and file the respondent's book of authorities granted March 18, 2003. Time extended to March 14, 2003. Before: L. Meagher, Deputy Registrar. S.C.C. Bulletin, 2003, p. 574.

1. Motion for an order to file a supplementary factum referred April 8, 2003 to the Court at the hearing of the appeal. Before: McLachlin C.J. S.C.C. Bulletin, 2003, p. 654.

1. Appeal:

9. HEARD AND RESERVED: April 10, 2003. S.C.C. Bulletin, 2003, p. 610.

10. Motion to file supplementary factum granted.

11. ALLOWED WITHOUT COSTS: July 17, 2003. S.C.C. Bulletin, 2003, p. 1158. See [2003] S.C.J. No. 40 in the SCJ database for the full text of the reasons. Before: McLachlin C.J. and Gonthier, Major, Bastarache, Binnie, Arbour and LeBel JJ.

Procedural History:

ver/rpl