Articles 2021

Today
Today

Schoelly v. College of Massage Therapists of Ontario, 2020 ONSC 1348

  • May 05, 2020
  • Patricia Harper, partner, Keel Cottrelle LLP

This was an appeal of Jose Schoelly (“Mr. Schoelly” or the “Member”), a registered massage therapist, with respect to the outcome of discipline proceeding before a panel of the Discipline Committee of the College of Massage Therapists (“Discipline Committee” or the “Panel”).

Administrative Law, Student Forum

Sunrise North Senior Living Ltd. v. the Sheriff of the Regional Municipality of York & Rohan Salmon (Jan 23 2020)

  • May 05, 2020
  • Edgar-André Montigny, Montigny Law

In this case, the Applicant, Sunrise North Senior Living, was seeking an order in the nature of mandamus compelling the Sheriff of the Regional Municipality (Sheriff) to comply with an order requiring the eviction of the respondent Rohan Salmon (Salmon) from a unit in Sunrise North. This case provides a clear analysis of requirements to obtain an order in the nature of mandamus, in particular, discusses the issue of the balance of convenience which was a key factor in this case.

Administrative Law, Student Forum

Responsive Justification and Sufficiency of Reasons: Mattar v The National Dental Examining Board of Canada

  • May 05, 2020
  • Rachel Weiner

Mattar v. The National Dental Examining Board of Canada, 2020 ONSC 403 (Div Ct) is a decision of the Divisional Court, released only a couple of months after the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) v Vavilov, 2019 SCC 65. As one of the early decisions to consider the new doctrine of responsive justification, Mattar is one example of how Vavilov may motivate reviewing courts to require better quality administrative tribunal reasons.

Administrative Law, Student Forum

Patently Unreasonable Held to Have Same Meaning as Reasonableness

  • May 05, 2020
  • Christopher Wirth, partner, and Sakshi Chadha, articling student, Keel Cottrelle LLP

In the decision of Intercounty Tennis Association v. Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, 2020 ONSC 1632, the Divisional Court held that applying the revised rules of judicial review established by the Supreme Court of Canada in Canada v. Vavilov, 2019 SCC 65 meant that patent unreasonableness in the Ontario Human Rights Code was akin to reasonableness, and dismissed an application for judicial review concluding that the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario’s finding of discrimination was reasonable.

Administrative Law, Student Forum

Vavilov: A New Framework for a New Decade of Judicial Review

  • January 13, 2020
  • Rachel Weiner

In this article, Rachel Weiner summarizes the revised framework in Vavilov, identifies changes and uncertainties regarding the standard of review, and argues that the reasonableness standard is not significantly altered.

Administrative Law, Public Sector Lawyers, Student Forum

Public Library’s Termination of Rental Agreement Not Subject to Judicial Review

  • January 07, 2020
  • Christopher Wirth, partner, and Sakshi Chadha, articling student, Keel Cottrelle LLP

In Weld v Ottawa Public Library, 2019 ONSC 5358, the Ontario Divisional Court (the “Court”) found that a decision by a Public Library to terminate a room rental agreement was not subject to judicial review as it was not made in a public capacity.

Administrative Law, Student Forum

Why Ontario’s Victim Compensation Bill Will Hurt Those It’s Designed to Help

  • December 18, 2019
  • Shiva Bakhtiary, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP

Victims of crime in Ontario will now get significantly less compensation and will no longer have their cases heard before an impartial adjudicator after Bill 100 amends the Compensation for Victims of Crime Act and dissolves the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board.

Administrative Law, Criminal Justice, Student Forum

The Return of Roncarelli: The Tesla Decision and the Rule of Law

  • October 29, 2018
  • By Rachel Weiner, staff lawyer, IAVGO Community Legal Clinic

Within his first few months in office, Ontario’s new Premier, Doug Ford, has prompted a carefully worded but vehement defence of the rule of law in Tesla v Ontario (Ministry of Transportation), 2018 ONSC 5062. Justice Myers reviewed the discretionary exclusion of Tesla from the transitional program for car subsidies, determining it was unrelated to any statutory purpose and did not afford any procedural fairness. Justice Myers quashed the decision and remitted it back to the Minister.

Administrative Law, Student Forum

When a Tribunal’s Reasons Won’t Fly: SCC in Lukács addresses supplemental reasons and public interest standing

  • October 22, 2018
  • Ryan MacIsaac

In Delta Airlines Inc v Lukács, the Supreme Court addresses two important issues. First, in a counter-intuitive way, it addresses when a reviewing court may supplement reasons, following concerns raised by administrative lawyers after the seminal case of Edmonton East. Second, it reaffirms that tribunals and courts should provide access to justice by maintaining an open door to public interest litigants with genuine complaints.

Administrative Law, Student Forum

Girouard v CJC: An Administrative State Coup?

  • October 10, 2018
  • Mark Mancini

Commenting on Girouard v Canada (AG), 2018 FC 865, the author argues this case is an example of a trend towards more administrative decision-makers that have unlimited powers. This trend has profound implications for the Rule of Law, as it places such decision-makers alongside the Constitution as beyond reproach. But the administrative state is not a constitutional mandate. The Canadian Judicial Council is vested with powers by its enabling statute. It does not have inherent power.

Administrative Law, Student Forum