Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Martin
TORTS CAN
Full Year CAN
TORTS..................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Types of Civil Liability/Basis for imposing liability:.............................................................................................................................................................4
INTENTIONAL TORTS........................................................................................................................................................ 4
REMEDIES IN INTENTIONAL TORTS................................................................................................................................................ 4
Damages......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Basic Principles Of Liability................................................................................................................................................................... 5
INTENT.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................5
MOTIVE.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................6
MISTAKE....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................6
ACCIDENT..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................6
DURESS.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................6
PROVOCATION........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................6
LIABILITY OF CHILDREN / MENTALLY ILL..............................................................................................................................................................................7
INTENTIONAL INTERFERENCE WITH THE PERSON................................................................................................................7
Trespass Torts.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 7
ASSAULT.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................7
BATTERY....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................8
FALSE IMPRISONMENT......................................................................................................................................................................................................................9
MALICIOUS PROSECUTION............................................................................................................................................................................................................10
TORT OF ABUSE OF PROCESS.......................................................................................................................................................................................................10
INTENTIONAL INFLICTION OF NERVOUS SHOCK..............................................................................................................................................................11
INVASION OF PRIVACY....................................................................................................................................................................................................................12
BREACH OF CONFIDENCE..............................................................................................................................................................................................................13
INTENTIONAL INTERFERENCE WITH CHATTELS...................................................................................................................13
TRESPASS TO CHATTELS................................................................................................................................................................................................................14
CONVERSION.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................14
DETINUE..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................15
INTENTIONAL INTERFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY.....................................................................................................16
TRESPASS TO LAND...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................16
DEFENCE OF CONSENT........................................................................................................................................................................ 17
CONSENT.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................17
Factors Vitiating Consent..................................................................................................................................................................... 17
FRAUD......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................17
MISTAKE..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................17
DURESS....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................18
PUBLIC POLICY....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................18
CONSENT TO CRIMINAL OR IMMORAL ACTS.......................................................................................................................................................................18
CONSENT TO TREATMENT, COUNSELING AND CARE.....................................................................................................................................................18
DEFENCES RELATED TO THE PROTECTION OF PERSON AND PROPERTY..................................................................19
SELF-DEFENCE.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................19
Bruce v Dyer...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................19
D DOESN’T HAVE TO WAIT FOR FIRST BLOW.....................................................................................................................................................................19
DEFENCE OF THIRD-PARTIES......................................................................................................................................................................................................19
DEFENCE OF REAL PROPERTY....................................................................................................................................................................................................20
DEFENCE AND RECEPTION OF CHATTELS............................................................................................................................................................................20
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE NECESSITY.............................................................................................................................................................................................20
APPORTIONMENT OF FAULT IN INTENTIONAL TORTS.......................................................................................................21
DEFENCE OF LEGAL AUTHORITY.................................................................................................................................................... 22
AUTHORITY AND PRIVILEGE TO ARREST WITHOUT WARRANT..............................................................................................................................22
RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS IN THE ARREST PROCESS..................................................................................................................................................22
NEGLIGENCE....................................................................................................................................................................... 23
INTRODUCTION TO THE LAW OF NEGLIGENCE.......................................................................................................................23
ELEMENTS OF A NEGLIGENCE ACTION..................................................................................................................................................................................23
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Torts Exam Summary J. Martin
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Torts Exam Summary J. Martin
(1) Read question quickly, (2) Read fact pattern carefully, (3) Identify the possible actions and defences > type these out, (4) set out
elements of each tort & tie in facts, match to cases > discuss difficulty in proving some elements, (5) set out elements of each defence & tie
in facts, match cases, (6) consider damages more time: talk about policy! (7) (floodgates argument; chill on press, activity, speech; need to
protect judicial and quasi-judicial decision-makers from pressure); reliability v credibility.
TORTS
Differences between intentional torts and negligence:
Intentional Torts Negligence
Basic structure is centuries old Modern tort
Narrow in scope Broad in scope
Restricted, defined by rules: precise, narrow, rigid General in application
Closely defined fact patterns and particular Discretionary concepts like reasonableness /
categories of damage foreseeability
No transition – still not a cohesive system of general Transition to general concept of unlimited
principles. Static – marked by number of duties arising from relationships
convention/conservatism
Intentional Torts
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3. Punitive (exemplary): like aggravated (D’s outrageous behaviour) but designed to punish/denounce, not
compensate. Can be tied to profit made from wrongdoing e.g. cutting down neighbour’s tree for view.
Should only be assessed when aggravated + general/specific compensatory is insufficient to punish. Size
should be the lowest sum that accomplishes this goal (Whiten v Pilot Insurance Co house-burned-down-
insurance-company-refused-to-pay). Should not punish civilly if already punished by criminal court.
VOLITION
Requisite element of volition: requires D to exercise control over physical actions, directed by his or her conscious mind.
Involuntary actions include reflex reactions, convulsions, movements during sleep and unconsciousness (Stokes v Carlson,
1951). *Law starts with a strong presumption that people are in control of their actions; burden on defendant to rebut
presumption if actions were involuntary.
INTENT
Defendant’s action giving rise to tort must have been intentional. Intention ≠ motive. P must prove on BOP that D intended
to bring about consequences/results of his actions. Intent need not be blameworthy, hostile > can be praiseworthy but still
intentional (motive does not matter). Two exceptions:
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Imputed intent: intent extends to situations where D may not have desired specific consequences but they were
certain/substantially certain to result. (e.g. D plants a bomb to kill boss would be liable for injuries to other
workers)
Transferred intent: D intends to commit an intentional tort against one party, but unintentionally commits an
intentional tort against P. (e.g. throws a punch at A but hits B instead. Liable for battery to B). What matters in tort is
that you intended to do the act, not the person it is directed against – so we move the intention.
MOTIVE
D’s reason for wanting a result to occur. Generally not an element of the cause of action, can be used in assessing damages.
P must prove that D’s actions were intentional, but P does not need to prove motive.
Praiseworthy motive is not a defence (on its own), but can be an element of valid defence (defence of public
necessity).
Motive is an essential motive of some intentional torts, e.g. malicious prosecution where P must prove that D acted
maliciously.
MISTAKE
When the defendant does something intentionally but their actions have factual (Ranson v Kittner, shot-dog-thought-wolf)
or legal (Hodgkinson v Martin, official-ejects-man-from-premises) consequences that were not contemplated. Are not valid
defences to intentional tort, though mistakes in law can reduce/eliminate punitive damages (Hodgkinson).
ACCIDENT
Distinguished from mistake by absence of intent. Refers to any situation where someone unintentionally and without
negligence injures someone else. D cannot be held liable in intentional torts or negligence for injuries caused by accident.
DURESS
Defendant acted intentionally but did so under extenuation circumstances (reasonable person test). Not a full defence but
may factor into damages.
PROVOCATION
Where in response to provocation, D experiences sudden loss of self-control. D must prove in order to mitigate damages
that provocation was i) close in time to the tort and ii) it affected their actions. (Miska v Sivec Ont CA, crazy-guys-road-rage-
window – no provocation because of time lag). Depends on province whether provocation reduces punitive damages only, or
compensatory as well.
PROVOCATION IS DETERMINED BY WHETHER THE CONDUCT WOULD HAVE CAUSED A REASONABLE PERSON TO LOSE SELF-
CONTROL. AND HOW IMMEDIATE THE EVENTS WERE PRIOR TO THE ASSAULT (MUST HAVE OCCURRED AT THE TIME OR
IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE ASSAULT).
Road range incident result in S shooting M. Appeal based on trial judge not considering provocation when awarding damages.
CA says that there must be evidence of provocation; defined provocation strictly with objective test: 1) whether the conduct
would have caused a reasonable person to lose self-control and 2) where the two incidents occurred sufficiently close in
time. Appeal failed and was dismissed w/ costs. BC Negligence Act allows provocation to be used to reduce both
compensatory and punitive damages – other jurisdictions will only reduce punitive damages.
Trespass Torts
ASSAULT
A direct and intentional act that causes a person to (reasonably) apprehend immediate harmful or offensive bodily contact.
[actionable per se]
Elements of Assault:
1. P must have apprehension of imminent physical contact that is harmful or offensive to reasonable person
2. D must have subjective intent to create this apprehension
Possible Defences:
Consent [volenti fit non injuria, “to a willing person, injury is not done”]
Self Defence
Partial defences: provocation, mistake
Assault is a trespass tort. i) Intentional creation in the mind of another of a ii) reasonable apprehension of iii) immediate,
wrongful conduct.
Words alone, without some overt act, cannot give rise to assault (Holcombe – doctor-threatens-ex). A conditional threat can
still be assault if the condition is unlawful or unjustifiable (Holcombe). D must have the right to demand what they do. D is
liable if there is a “threat of violence … and … a present ability to carry this threat into execution.” This is assault, even if the
threat is conditional (Police v Greaves – NZ-police-knife-threat). Courts have increasingly focused on the impression created in
P’s mind.
SUBJECTIVE / OBJECTIVE APPREHENSION TEST: Did P in fact i) apprehend the immediacy of the physical contact and ii) was
that apprehension reasonable?
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Said he was not in a position to hurt her (other side of door). P was terrified enough to take steps to protect herself – met
vital component of the tort of assault – apprehension of physical harm.
BATTERY
A direct, intentional and physical interference with the person of another that is either harmful or offensive to a
reasonable person. [actionable per se]
Elements of Battery:
1. Intentional physical interference with another person
2. Harmful or offensive to a reasonable person
3. Non-consensual
4. Intentional
5. Direct
Possible Defences:
Consent [volenti fit non injuria, “to a willing person, injury is not done”]
Self Defence
Partial defences: provocation, mistake, duress
Defence of 3rd party (property, necessity, legal authority)
P must only prove that D directly interfered with his person. D must prove conduct was neither negligent or intentional.
Deliberate interference that is neither harmful or offensive is not battery. The physical interference must be intentional, but
injuries caused need not be intentional, (Bettel v Yim, store-owner-shook-kid-broken-nose). Concern is protecting individual’s
dignity and personal autonomy (Scalera, bus-driver-sexual-assault-Q-of-consent). With battery, including sexual battery, P
must establish elements of tort on BOP, then onus shifts to defendant to establish defences like consent (Scalera). Surgery or
blood transfusion is battery if performed without consent. Sport violence outside rules can be seen as battery. No limitation
period for actions based on misconduct of a sexual nature when P was a minor (BC – Limitation Act).
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Judges were unanimous that the sexual battery claim fell within the insurance exception for bodily injury caused by an “intentional act” but
they were divided on the question of whether, in a sexual battery case, the issue of P’s consent or apparent consent goes to the claim itself
(P having to prove that D was aware, of the offensive nature of what D did) or is a true defence that D must plead and prove (reasonable
belief that P was consenting). The majority thought the latter was the right view of the law as it applies in sexual contact cases. No distinct
tort of sexual battery in Canada. Dealt with according to traditional rules of battery in torts.
FALSE IMPRISONMENT
The direct and intentional imprisonment of another person. [actionable per se without proof of damage]
1. Intentional total restraint of P’s movement (either by Consent [volenti fit non injuria, “to a willing
physical means or psychological or by asserting person, injury is not done”]
authority) Lawful authority
2. Without lawful authority Partial defence: mistake
Must intend to restrain. Doesn’t matter if you think you have a right to do so. Must be complete restriction on P’s physical
liberty (Bird, can’t-cross-bridge). Doesn’t require awareness on the part of the person imprisoned (Murray (1998) UK-police-
team-surround-house). Can be physical or psychological (D must have intended to give the impression that P was not free to
go). Need not be in a room/building. Doesn’t need to be physical, i.e. can be i) barrier or physical means ii) implicit or explicit
threat of force, or iii) implicit or explicit assertion of legal authority (Campbell, off-duty-cop-store-detective). Actionable
without proof of damage. Protects a person’s individual liberty. Not false imprisonment if P has a reasonable and safe means
of escape (even if this is by accident – no liability). Defence: Legal authority, consent (e.g. miner’s consent was valid defence
for coal co. in Herd v Weardale (miner-prevented-from-leaving-mine) b/c D adhered to terms of confinement and didn’t
violate P’s statutory rights). Punitive damages increasingly being awarded. Guilt of person imprisoned MIGHT reduce
damages.
authority to detain him for 4 hrs after PM left because they lacked reasonable and probable grounds for full arrest
(investigative detention for assault was not brief, therefore unlawful). [BCSC]
MALICIOUS PROSECUTION
A baseless, improper & unsuccessful prosecution of P, which causes actual damage to him. [not actionable per se]
4 Necessary Elements of Malicious Prosecution (Nelles):
(1) Charge must be initiated by the defendant (e.g. Crown Prosecutor)
(2) Proceeding must have been terminated in favour of the plaintiff (e.g. stay of proceeding > charges dropped a
few weeks in, right before trial; acquittal; or conviction overturned by appellant court)
(3) Absence of reasonable and probable cause (e.g. Crown Prosecutor subjectively believed the accused was
probably guilty, and reasonable CP would objectively believe the accused probably guilty > honest belief in
probable guilt of accused, and reasonable belief in probable guilty of the accused > “substantial likelihood of
conviction”)
(4) Malice > defendant acted for an improper purpose (including but not limited to spite, ill will, vengeance > e.g.
securing private collateral benefit, coercing person into desired course of conduct, shifting blame for causing
damage to property to an innocent person)
(5) Proof of Damage (e.g. loss of reputation, loss of liberty, financial loss)
Possible Defences:
Partial immunity (lack of malice)
High BOP for P (must establish malice, no reasonable grounds and that they suffered loss/harm). Requires proof of damages
> not actionable per se. D must be driving force behind initiation or prosecution of action but D could also be a responsible
party for initiating proceedings by lying to police or Courts, wrongfully pressured them into laying charges. Malice requires
proof that prosecutor was trying to harm in some way or for some reason outside of justice. Delicate balance between
freedom of individual citizens from groundless prosecutions (damage to reputation, loss of liberty, financial loss) and public
interest in effective, uninhibited prosecution of wrongdoers > tort strongly favours public interest (scope of liability is limited).
Overzealous prosecution does not make malicious prosecution.
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No need to demonstrate absence of reasonable and probable cause but #3 difficult to prove. “Bad actions” are typically
covered by courts awarding costs (rather than giving rise to abuse of process tort). Unsettled area.
Thin skull rule does not apply. Damages – in Canada there is generally no compensation for the shock itself, only physical
illness (as it was caused by physical means Radovskis, child-rape-shocked-mom). Innominate intentional tort: some argue
Wilkinson (joke-husband-injured) established an “unnamed” intentional tort for all unjustified, intentionally-inflicted bodily
injuries (nervous shock being but one example). Liability for psychiatric injury tantamount to physical injury is clearly
actionable whether it’s negligent or intentional. D will be liable if conduct targets a known vulnerability of P ( Timmermans v
Buelow, landlord-threatening-letters-knew-delicate-emotional-state). P must establish mental injury would come to a person
of “ordinary fortitude” (Mustapha, flies-in-water-bottle).
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Woman and son were visiting another son in prison and were strip-searched. They sued for invasion of privacy and nervous
shock based on Wilkinson. Court found they went beyond what prison had right to do. However, unlike Wilkinson, the judge
characterizes the precedent as an intentional negligence case. Court unwilling to impute intention to the D, and because
harm is “less than standard” actual intent is required.
INVASION OF PRIVACY
Statutory tort (modeled after common law tort) under BC Privacy Act, s.1: it is a tort actionable without proof of damage
for a person willfully and without claim of right to violate the privacy of another.
Willfully = narrow definition to the intention to do an act which the person doing the act knew or should have
known would violate the privacy of another (Hollingsworth, outed-for-bald-surgery-on-TV).
Without right of claim = means an “honest belief in a state of facts which, if it existed, would be legal justification
or excuse” (Hollingsworth.)
[actionable per se]
BCCommon Law RSBC
Privacy Act, Torts:1996, c373 – supplement p149
Intrusion Upon Seclusion:
P need not prove damage, four elements
but must prove that the set
D’s out in Jones
violation of vprivacy
Tsige i)was
intentional act (willfully);
intentional (including accidental
recklessness), ii) no of
violations
lawful justification, iii) reasonable person would find intrusion “highly offensive, distressful,
privacy are not actionable; defendant can raise defence of mistake (honest and reasonable mistake a “claim of right”). Phumiliating etc.”
entitled toand iv) has to beexpectation
a reasonable harmful, butofproof is not
privacy required
given (Jones v Tsige, T-looked-at-J’s-banking-records).
the circumstances. Privacy may be violated by eavesdropping or
1.
surveillance – “may” means violations of privacy include but are not limited to eavesdropping and surveillance, s. 1(4)
2. Possible Defences:
Consent,
Hollingsworth v BCTVs.2(2)(a)
(1999 BCCA) (outed-for-bald-surgery-on-TV)
Claim of right (reasonable, honest but mistaken belief)
Lawful defence of person or property (“incidental to the exercise of a lawful right of defence of person or
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property”) s. 2(2)(c)
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Legal authorization, s. 2(2)(b)
Reasonable police investigation s. 2(2)(d)
Publication of information in public interest or fair comment, s. 2(3)(a)
Privileged communication in “accordance with the rules of law relating to defamation”, s. 2(3)(b)
Torts Exam Summary J. Martin
IN BC IT IS A STATUTORY TORT TO VIOLATE THE PRIVACY OF ANOTHER PERSON WILLFULLY OR WITHOUT CLAIM OF RIGHT.
A PERSON IS NOT LIABLE UNDER THE PRIVACY ACT WHEN THEY ACT IN HONEST AND REASONABLE BELIEF, AND WITHOUT
KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY ARE VIOLATING THE PRIVACY OF ANOTHER.
P, Hollingsworth signed release for D to film hair transplant surgery for training purposes only. Dr gave it to BCTV. BCTV not
held liable because they had no duty to check that they were allowed to use it and Dr said P had consented.
BREACH OF CONFIDENCE
Tort action (broader than privacy) used to protect the privacy of both sensitive business and personal information. To
recover for breach of confidence, the P has to establish:
1) The information was confidential in nature.
2) It was disclosed in circumstances creating an obligation of confidentiality.
3) Its unauthorized use was detrimental to the confider.
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Concerned with interferences with rights of possession, distinct from property law (concerned with who has rights to
property, ownership). Whether you are committing a tort depends on who owns property, so property law is relevant.
Triggered when right to possession has been interfered with. Chattel torts were intended to give claims to people who may
not be owners, but rightfully have possession of property. In other words, they cover someone’s interest in the property.
Area in need of reform but no urgency as chattels are not generally worth much (not worth taking to SCC).
TRESPASS TO CHATTELS
[actionable per se] Where D directly and intentionally interferes with chattel in possession of P. Physical harm (or damage)
to property. Provides a remedy for any direct and intentional interference with chattels in the possession of another.
Elements:
1) direct and forceful interference (i.e. intentional act – not necessary to prove intention to harm) and
2) affected goods were in P’s possession.
Use when there is damage without destruction (if destruction then conversion is better action)
No requirements to make further use of chattel (distinct from conversion) (Fouldes v Willoughby, horses-on-ferry)
Defences: absence of intent
Remedy: loss in market value or cost of repair
CONVERSION
[historically actionable per se, but some dispute now ] Using property in a way that seriously interferes (or deprives) the
owner (or whoever has immediate right of possession) of possession. Conversion only available for tangible property (not
for land).
When someone has “dealt with” your property. Intention to interfere with possession is NOT necessary, just intent to
exercise dominion, (e.g. mistaken conversion in Mackenzie v Scotia Lumber, raft-adrift-mistake).
Cannot be conversion if person exercising dominion over it has rightful possession. Right to possession is relative. Usually
a matter of contract (ownership/title), not “who last had it”
Recapture and Replevin: see Law and Equity Act, s57 – enables court to order surrender of property sought by another, even
while the action is still pending, though if action fails, P will be liable for costs.
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Ps raft floated away; two of the Ds rafts floated away. D sent employees to retrieve his rafts, the employees brought back all
three. D used the P’s raft for a short period of time before realizing mistake. He returned the raft to the P at that time. If
chattel is returned, is the P eligible to receive damages in conversion? YES, CONVERSION: D used chattel as if it were his
own, even if it was for short period of time. D was held vicariously liable for his employee’s actions. However, the P is only
entitled to receive nominal damages – can’t receive the chattel back and the full value of the chattel as well.D was
373409 Alberta Ltd. (Receiver of) v Bank of Montreal (2002 SCC) (endorsed-cheque-went-bankrupt)
ACTION IN CONVERSION MAY BE BROUGHT BY THE RIGHTFUL HOLDER OF A CHEQUE AGAINST A WRONGFUL
DISPOSSESSOR. HOWEVER THEIR ABILITY MAY BE MITIGATED IF THEY WERE AUTHORIZED BY THE RIGHTFUL HOLDER.
Lakusta was director of numbered company and Legacy Holdings. He received a cheque for the sale of a vehicle payable to
numbered company. Altered the cheque by adding ‘/Legacy’ and deposited it into the Legacy account. Receiver of numbered
company suing bank for conversion for depositing the cheque into Legacy’s bank account.
An action in conversion may be brought by the rightful holder of cheque against a wrongful dispossessor (bank); re: strict
liability action. Case and fact specific. References BOMA case where bank was held liable for converting cheques received
from the company’s accountant fraudulently. Only the dealing itself must be intentional; not an awareness of the
wrongdoing. Lakusta had provided BMO authorization – he endorsed cheque and that was within his scope of authority as
sole director/shareholder of numbered company.
Aitken v Gardiner (1956 Ont HC) (stolen-sold-share-certificates)
REMEDIES FOR CONVERSION. DAMAGES FOR CONVERSION SHOULD BE CALCULATED FROM THE DATE OF CONVERSION.
HOWEVER, ADDITIONAL RECOVERY MAY BE AVAILABLE FOR CONSEQUENTIAL LOSSES/DAMAGES.
D unknowingly purchased stolen share certificates – sold some before the action came to trial. Share value had risen
significantly. Could the D be liable in detinue sur trover? Judge ordered remaining certificates returned, both conversion and
sur trover available. Conversion gives value at time of conversion. Detinue sur trover gives value at time of trial.
Consequential losses calculated (she may not have sold them so she would have enjoyed the increase in value) – allows P to
recover damages which she may have sustained that are “not too remote”.
Conversion damages = Value at conversion + Consequential losses
Consequential losses = losses related to the loss of use + increased value of property
Century 21 Case
DETINUE
[actionable per se] Wrongful detention of something; refusal to give something back; use it when there is INABILITY or
REFUSAL to return chattel.
DETINUE SUR BAILMENT: (bailment is a temporary transfer of possession, not ownership) LENT
e.g. when bailor asks bailee for their property back, and they don’t have it or they refuse to give it back.
Unless the bailee could prove that they have lost the property by no fault of their own, they were “estopped from
denying that they have it” (i.e. treated as if they still had it), and they had to pay for the value of the property. P must
first ask for their property back before suing
A bailee’s negligence is no defence
DETINUE SUR TROVER: (for suing people who have your property, but aren’t “bailees”) FOUND
Every instance of detinue sur trover is a conversion, but not every conversion is detinue sur trover
Defences:
“no fault” in losing item
Remedy: damages need to be proven by P, are calculated at the date of the trail. Court has discretion for remedies ( General
& Finance Facilities, hired-out-crane-ended-up-at-salvage-yard)
Value of chattel assessed (at time of trial) + damages for its detention
(giving choice to P) [Return of chattel OR recovery of its value as assessed (at trial)] + damages for its detention
Return of chattel + damages for its detention
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General & Finance Facilities Ltd v Cooks Cars (Romford) Ltd (1963 CA) (won’t-return-crane)
DAMAGES IN DETINUE IS BASED ON VALUE OF THE CHATTEL AT THE TIME OF JUDGMENT BECAUSE IT IS A CONTINUING
TORT. BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL FOR SPECIFIC RESTITUTION, VALUE OF THE CHATTEL AND THE DAMAGES FOR
DETENTION MUST BE ASSESSED SEPARATELY.
Claimants issued writ for “return of mobile crane or its value and damages for detaining the same”. Cooks Cars received crane
from salvage company and refused to give it to General Finance. Appealing that the damages were inaccurately assessed;
should the J have independently assessed value of the crane and consequential loss? D still in possession and refuses to
return both detinue sur trover and conversion are available. Yes, he should have assessed separately because: detinue
allows for specific restitution AND consequential losses (conversion)/damages for detention (detinue) are available in both
causes of action, irrespective of the potential for an equitable remedy (return of the chattel).
TRESPASS TO LAND
Direct, intentional (or negligent) and physical interference with land in the possession of another. [actionable per se]
Elements of Trespass to Land:
(1) Defendant intentionally and directly intruded onto the land in possession of the plaintiff
a. Defendant personally enters onto land in possession of plaintiff without permission
(e.g. entering through door that says “no admission”)
b. Defendant places an object on the plaintiff’s property without their permission
(e.g. delivery of parcel to wrong address (Turner v Thorne (box-delivery-wrong-house), dumping garbage
on plaintiff’s land)
c. Defendant does not leave property when the plaintiff has revoked permission
(e.g. disorderly patron or fan ejected from bar or sporting event)
Possible Defences:
Consent (“license” to enter; implied or explicit)
Necessity (committing trespass to prevent harm to public, trespasser, possessor, or third party; e.g. trespassing to
prevent spread of fire or to prevent damage, to save life of stranger drowning in the possessor’s property) > but
not settled if necessity is a full or partial defence
Legal authorization
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TRESPASSER IS LIABLE FOR ALL CONSEQUENCES THAT FLOW FROM THEIR TRESPASS, WHETHER OR NOT THOSE
CONSEQUENCES ARE FORESEEABLE. P sustained serious injuries in garage when he tripped over boxes mistakenly left there by
defendant Thorne, a courier delivery driver, several hours earlier. Court found Thorne liable for Turner’s injuries because he
trespassed onto property and it was a trespass to leave the packages in the garage (wrong delivery location). Continuing
trepass in leaving items on the property. Also could be a claim of negligence.
Trespass Act: Trespass prohibited (s.4), defences (s.4.1), courts may order compensation (s.11).
DEFENCE OF CONSENT
CONSENT
Complete defence where D is required to prove they were reasonably under the apprehension that consent was given. D
must prove that P agreed to the act giving rise to the tort. If there is consent there is no tort. Participating in an activity where
there is no malice, ill will, or negligence a person accepts consent to consequences.
FRAUD
Requirements for fraud to vitiate consent from P, 1) D was aware of, or responsible, for P’s misapprehension. 2) Fraud must
relate to the nature and quality of the act, not collateral matter (R v Williams, creep-singing-teacher) 3) Concealment of
significant risk of serious bodily injury (R v Cuerrier, consent-to-sex-vitiated-by-undisclosed-HIV-status)
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MISTAKE
Only vitiates consent if D was responsible for P’s mistaken belief. D’s mistaken belief that P consented is no defence. ( Toews,
nurse-administered-immunization-to-child-mistaken-belief-parents-consent-held-liable)
DURESS
Consent obtained by threats; requires overt threats of physical force (Latter v Braddell (housemaid-pregnancy-exam-against-
her-will)
PUBLIC POLICY
If consent is procured in a particularly bad way, may be disregarded on policy grounds. Usually involves 1) proof of inequality
between parties and 2) proof of exploitation (by community standards).
People are free to consent to many things, but there is a point to where people are consenting to things that are destructive
(i.e. assisted suicide) or S&M.
Patients can place constraints on their consent; their express prohibitions cannot be overridden or ignored
If person is incompetent, then consent passes to next of kin, must be in good faith and in patients’ best interest.
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P does not make surgeon his representative to give consent; P and D could not have foreseen the circumstances. It is
surgeon’s duty to act in order to save the life or preserve the health of a patient. Risk of closing up in order to obtain
expressed consent. Found that operation was necessary and unreasonable to postpone the removal to a later date.
SELF-DEFENCE
Can use reasonable force to repel actual violence or threat of immediate violence (Wackett v Calder (bar-fight-instigated).
Elements:
1. D honestly and reasonably believes that assault/battery is imminent. Subjective and objective test (why both?
Because if only honest, could be paranoid and neurotic / only reasonable could use law as defence even if they
weren’t actually scared)
2. Amount of force used to avert risk was reasonable in all of the circumstances
Force should be proportionate to the threat or likely harm but court recognizes there may not be much time for
reflection given immediacy of threat (Wackett – not required to “weigh the niceties of the blow”)
Mere battery: in practice, will be a defence to physical injury but theoretically, can use it for mere battery as well (have
to demonstrate battery was reasonable in response to assault/battery anticipated).
Pre-emptive: shouldn’t have to wait to have bodily integrity violated before taking defensive action
Obligation to withdraw: The law is a restrictive instrument, not an instrument of obligation, law is hesitant to impose
those duties
Bruce v Dyer
D DOESN’T HAVE TO WAIT FOR FIRST BLOW.
DEFENCE OF THIRD-PARTIES
Same requirements as in self-defence, with requirement that use of force be reasonable (Gambrielli v Caparelli)
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privilege their entry into vacant homes owned by Council – plea would excuse all sorts of wrongdoings ( London Borough of
Southwark v Williams).
Public necessity: acting to prevent imminent + serious harm to public (fire, danger of spreading, trespass okay)
Private necessity: act to preserve own interest // can’t be a defence to murder
QUESTION OF FACT: i.e. determined by jury if there is one. NOT a question of CAUSATION but rather it’s about who is most
BLAMEWORTHY (at fault?)
Legislation applies only where two or more parties have contributed to the same loss or injury. Framed in terms of whether
the loss or injury is “indivisible”.
JOINT TORTS: Where two or more people commit one tort, each liable for P’s whole loss because each of them
did the tort – joint and several liability.
SEVERAL CONCURRENT TORTS, INDIVISIBLE HARM: two or more people commit separate/independent torts
that, combined, cause INDIVISIBLE HARM. Still joint and several liability.
SEVERAL CONCURRENT TORTS, DIVISIBLE HARM: Each tortfeasor responsible for the damage that their tort
caused (several liability, not joint).
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Harm considered both physically and emotionally to the family. Bains’ took action in trespass to land (intentional tort). Judge
apportioned fault – ring leader (50%), enthusiastic follower (40%), reluctant follower (10%).
Defence to intentional torts including false imprisonment, battery, trespass to chattels, conversion, trespass to land. Early
common law made few distinctions between the authority of citizenry and various enforcement officials. Statutory provisions
greatly expanded the power of police to act without prior judicial approval. Accused must be given opportunity to submit
peacefully before force is used. Can only use as much force as is reasonably necessary to subdue suspect. Mistake of fact will
not negate this defence.
1. Is what D did actionable, aside from the defence of lawful authority? [Legal authority to do the act implicitly means
you’re not liable for doing it.]
2. Was D acting pursuant to a legal right or duty? (legal authorization)
3. If so, does the authorizing legislation expressly or impliedly exempt D from tort (or other) liability? (legal privilege)
4. Did D lose the privilege by failing to act correctly? Even if police are authorized and privileged in making arrest, may still
be held civilly liable for failing to inform suspect of reasons for arrest or for using excessive force.
For policy reasons a statute may exempt a D from liability even for unauthorized acts (eg. Police Act s. 21). Employer
(Crown) would be sued in tort instead.
Peace officers: Police Officer, Sheriffs, Mayors, Commercial Pilots, Fishery Officers, (not store detectives)
“Justifying provision” CC, s 25 is PROBLEMATIC b/c it only applies to persons who are “authorized” … Courts
generally say that s 25 is independent and can even protect those acting w/o authority
Courts held that Peace Officers can be privileged under s 25 even if not authorized by law if they make a mistake of
fact + act on reasonable grounds BUT not if it’s a mistake of law (Frey)
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Negligence
INTRODUCTION TO THE LAW OF NEGLIGENCE
Burden of proof in a civil action is the balance of probabilities. Where the parties are found to be equally liable (50/50), the P
will lose (because the P has the onus of proof).
Onus of proof in negligence: The P has the initial onus of proof to show the D was negligent, by showing that 1) the 6
elements are present, and that 2) negligence has occurred. Once the P has met their burden, the onus switches to the D to
prove defences (i.e. contributory negligence) and refute the P’s case to the point where the D case is more than 50%
believable.
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REMOTENESS OF DAMAGE: Damage was caused, but was unforeseeable. Negligent act may have utterly improbable
consequences – causation can’t be denied but fairness may dictate D be sheltered from responsibility. Court may hold
consequences are too remote and not compensable by D. (Thin skull is not an example of remoteness). [ Point of law –
remoteness established by Judge and therefore appealable]
Possible Defences:
1. CONTRIBUTORY NEGLIGENCE: partial defence leading to a proportionate reduction in quantum of damages
2. VOLUNTARY ASSUMPTION OF RISK: complete defence arises where P consents to D’s negligence and its
consequences
3. ILLEGALITY: denies a claim, such as one for future earnings, that would subvert the integrity of the legal system (ex
turpi scausa)
4. INEVITABLE ACCIDENT: in spite of indications to the contrary, the loss was caused not by his fault but by an
inevitable accident
NEIGHBOUR PRINCIPLE: “Who, then, in law is my neighbour? The answer seems to be – persons who are so closely and directly
affected by my act that I ought reasonably to have them in contemplation as being so affected when I am directing my mind to
the acts or omissions which are called in question.”
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The parties injured by defective products can now sue in the line of duty of care, action need not be based on contractual
relationship.
Lord Buckmaster dissent: gave traditional view of the law, made argument it would be an undue burden on legal system to
administer this kind of tort. Mullen v Barr Court did not allow negligence in the case of a mouse getting into a bottle:
“Indistinguishable from the present excepting upon the ground that a mouse is not a snail.”
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FOR CASES OF PURELY ECONOMIC LOSS, COOPER CLARIFIES ANNS TEST for duty in ‘new’ categories (non-physical
damage, pure economic loss,
1) Was the harm that occurred the reasonably foreseeable consequence of the defendant’s act/Prima Facie duty of
care?
Basic question: is it appropriate in this type of relationship to insert a DoC? This first stage focuses on factors
arising from the relationship P and the D, include questions of policy in the broad sense of the word
Need foreseeability + proximity (meaning: Generally used to characterize the relationship in which a duty of
care may arise, and second, sufficiently proximate relationships are identified through the use of categories
which are not closed)—policy considerations part of proximity
If foreseeability and proximity established here, prima facie duty of care arises
2) Are there reasons, notwithstanding the proximity test established, that tort liability should not be recognized
here?
These are residual policy considerations not tied to the relationship between the P and D
Eg: does the law already provide a remedy? Would unlimited liability be created by the recognition of a DoC,
other broad policy reasons? In this case holding the Registrar responsible establishes a conflict between a
private law duty and duty to the public – you can’t have both because it would essentially create a public
insurer
FORESEEABLE RISK
Reasonably careful person avoids creating a foreseeable risk of injury to others. Not enough on its own to establish a finding
of negligence, but is an essential component of liability.
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case because it is obviously bad for children to get electrocuted, and obvious that they could climb the tree, so should do
everything they can to prevent. CONCLUDED IN MOULE THEY HAD TAKEN PRECAUTIONS, IN AMOS THEY HADN’T (had done
virtually nothing – allowed tree to grow up and be obscure wires. Trimmed trees every four to seven years)
Common law:
If a P had a claim (some tort that had been committed) before they died, the claim died with them. Estate couldn’t go
after torts against the deceased.
DUTY TO RESCUE
Common law did not recognize a duty to rescue / a duty to assist another individual when they are in a “perilous”
situation:
o Too difficult to define when someone is required to come to someone else’s assistance
General principle: Based on the nature of the parties’ relationship, parties must take all reasonable steps to assist
o That is, a duty to act is not absolute; D required only to take reasonable care for another’s safety
A duty to act will be assumed where a positive action begins; liability for negligent conduct will follow
o Based on an objective test of the reasonable person in the position of the D under the circumstances
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Matthews v MacLaren 1969 ON HC, (two-men-die-after-falling-off-MacLaren’s-boat) (we revisit this case in the SCC)
POSITIVE DUTY TO RESCUE EXISTS IN SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WHERE THE D HAS IN EFFECT UNDERTAKEN SOME
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE P’S SAFETY BUT ALL ELEMENTS OF NEGLIGENCE MUST STILL BE CONSIDERED – LACK OF
CAUSATION WILL NEGATE A BREACH OF THE STANDARD OF CARE.
Duty:
Matthews fell overboard due to his own misfortune or carelessness; not due to the negligence of the D
Negligence law holds no general duty to come to the rescue of a person who finds himself in peril from a source
unrelated to the D
But, does a “special relationship” exist between carrier and passenger? Yes, per legislative intent found in the
Canada Shipping Act and a civilized community; duty to assist where it is possible to do so without putting the crew
or the passengers in danger
o Relevant that Act was amended due to similar case; where ship did not go back for overboard crew member
o Boat owner/operator undertakes a responsibility by taking passengers out onto their boat
Standard/Breach:
Expert evidence show M should have tunred boat around; he was an incompetent operator and negligent in his
operation of the boat
Aggravated by the PO testimony that M’s ability to drive was impaired by alcohol
Causation:
However, based on the conditions present, not demonstrated on a BoP that M’s negligence was the cause of M/H’s
deaths – per facts regarding COD, Horsley’s death (younger man) and that Matthews was entirely unresponsive,
proper boat operation would not have resulted in survival
Held that the D’s negligence was not the cause of Matthew’s death and there can be no liability.
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o For example, where a bar owner took reasonable steps to dissuade someone from driving while intoxicated;
they took all reasonable steps and therefore were not held liable
Anns Test:
1) Are the two parties proximate enough for a duty to be established? Must be foreseeable that D’s actions could cause harm
to P. // McLachlin J. determined there was no foreseeability in this case (even though hosts knew Desormeaux was too drunk
to drive, knowing was not enough to make them liable for consequences.)
SITUATIONS WHERE A DUTY OF CARE EXISTS: Considerations in imposing duty of care in nonfeasance:
D attracts/invites P into risky situation D implicated in creating/controlling risk
D has responsibility to supervise/control P Autonomy of individual [in favour of not imposing DoC]
D has public responsibilities Reasonable reliance
Public authority
CH public responsibility
NONFEASANCE: When the conduct alleged against D is a failure to act, then foreseeability alone cannot establish a duty of
care. P argued: by organizing the party, hosts created a risky situation [and so failure to act does not protect them from
liability]. Court found hosts did not create a "risky situation" (therefore their failure to act was merely nonfeasance). She laid
out considerations in imposing duty of care in nonfeasance (see second column above).
Second step of the Anns test (public policy) not considered: no foreseeability established here, and therefore no duty was
owed.
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risk of warning was greater than risk of not warning. Would not excuse a failure to protect – other means of notice were
available.
Horsley v McLaren
NO DUTY AT COMMON LAW TO RESCUE OR AID ANYONE IN DISTRESS. FURTHERMORE, "A PERSON WHO IMPERILS
HIMSELF BY HIS CARELESSNESS MAY BE AS FULLY LIABLE TO A RESCUER AS A THIRD PERSON WOULD BE WHO IMPERILS
ANOTHER."
Did McLaren’s negligence in attempting to rescue Matthews induce Horsley to risk his life?
→ Any duty to Horsley must stem from the fact that the new situation of peril was created by McLaren's negligence
which induced Horsley to act
→ Maclaren failed to comply with established rescue procedure
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→ However, Maclaren's actions were not faulty enough to induce Horsley to risk his life
→ Errors in rescue were errors in judgment and not negligence
→ Appeal dismissed
1. PRECONCEPTION WRONGS:
D carelessly causes a parent to suffer injury that detrimentally affects a subsequently conceived child. Causation
is problematic.
2. WRONGFUL BIRTH AND WRONGFUL LIFE:
Physician fails to inform a woman that she faces an unusually high risk in giving birth.
Negligently performs tests to detect abnormalities.
Arndt case, note 3 p386 (gave birth to severely disabled child after she contracted chicken pox during pregnancy.
Rare consequence. Physician found negligent for failing to inform the mother of risks and offer option of
abortion. No viable action could be brought for child’s claim of wrongful life. Father’s claim recover the costs of
child was dismissed. Court accepted mother could claim for additional expenses of rearing a disabled child her
action failed on issue of causation. P could not prove that RP in her position would have abortion if informed of
very small risk of birth defects.)
3. WRONGFUL PREGNANCY:
Sterilization not performed properly.
Traditionally a healthy child is seen as a “blessing” and its birth cannot be treated as a legal harm.
Changes – courts moving to greater recovery of costs of rearing unplanned child, but only where the parent’s
primary reason for not wanting to have the child was financial Kealey v Berezowski (1996 ONSC)
4. PRE-NATAL INJURIES:
Injuries sustained in utero.
Dobson v Dobson – baby born at 27 weeks. Child sued mom for negligently causing car accident. SCC held that
liability was impossible because the D did not owe a duty of care to her son prior to his birth.
Policy considerations: prima facie duty of care
Fails on policy of second branch of Anns/Kamloops because of intrusion into bodily integrity, privacy and
autonomy in the rights of women
PSYCHIATRIC HARM
No SCC ruling on this tort. Resolved Mustapha on the issue of remoteness rather than Duty of Care. Nervous
shock/psychological harm does not include day-to-day emotional upsets. Narrowly defined so that recognized psychiatric
illness required for liability.
Concerns: easy to feign, damage to psyche less worthy of protection than damage to one’s body.
ENGLISH POSITION:
Primary Victim: Liability for psychiatric injury is possible as long as it was reasonably foreseeable that the P might
suffer physical injury as a result of D’s negligence, even if the foreseeable injury never materializes. (Paige v Smith)
Secondary Victim: People not placed in physical danger cannot recover for the careless infliction of nervous shock
unless psychiatric illness itself was reasonably foreseeable and Alcock’s 3 part test is satisfied.
CANADIAN POSITION:
Canadian Courts reject the distinction between primary and secondary victims
General: is it foreseeable that a person of reasonable fortitude might suffer this type of injury? If this standard is
met, thin skull rule applies.
Bystander: Is it foreseeable that a reasonably robust person might suffer this type of injury + proximity.
A stadium accident was caused by the police negligently allowing too many supporters to crowd in one part of the stadium.
Many alleged to have seen their friends and relatives die in the crush (in person and on live TV) and claimed to suffer
psychiatric harm or nervous shock after the incident.
2. PROXIMITY TO ACCIDENT/EVENT:
Must perceive “shocking event” with his own unaided senses eye witness, or hearing the event or viewing its
immediate aftermath
3. MEANS OF PERCEPTION:
Would usually exclude witnessed on TV or informed of by a third party
POLICY ARGUMENT: Courts don’t recognize grief (mere loss of loved one is not something the law can compensate).
Floodgates.
Failed on remoteness: Is it foreseeable that somebody might be totally horrified? Yes. But Court established the test of “a
person of ordinary fortitude” rather than basing it on straight foreseeability.
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BREACH: Dr has to provide ALL relevant information regarding risks of procedure, non-treatment, alternate
treatment. What is relevant is based on circumstances, but statistical probability is not an excuse for non-disclosure if
it is relevant to the patient (Haughian v Paine).
CAUSATION: (Modified Objective Test) – Have to show failure to inform caused harm. Would a RP in the position of
the P elect to not have surgery?
Can’t use subjective test because the P will always testify that the failure to warn was the determining factor in their
decision to take a harmful cause of action.
Trial:
→ Action against surgeon dismissed: risk of injury that materialized was not well-known.
→ Action against Dow successful: liability based on implant being negligently manufactured.
BC Court of Appeal:
→ Allowed appeal and ordered new trial on surgeon’s liability
→ Dow liable: not due to negligent manufacturing, but due to failing to warn of risks of rupture even though had knowledge.
⇒ Plaintiff testified that she would not have had the operation if property warned of risks
⇒ Dow warned doctor only of dangers of extreme use, even though had evidence of dangers of regular use
Policy 2: If intermediary doesn’t pass info on, that is about the duty of the intermediary
→ Because it is desirable for the plaintiff to be able to recover
→ If Dow had properly warned surgeon, would surgeon have properly warned plaintiff?
Procedural device, not new law. A D has committed similar wrongs in relation to many people (usually a negligence claim) or
breaches of regulatory statutes (banks who overcharge their customers for instance).
Ann’s Test:
I. Prima Facie Duty of Care?
Reasonable reliance: determining whether P’s claim stems from their detrimental reliance on the D’s negligent
statement.
o Reliance on the statement of representation of another will not, in all circumstances, be reasonable
Proximity: There is proximity when there is reasonable reliance:
1. The D ought reasonably to foresee that the P will rely on their representation
2. Reliance by the P would in the circumstances be reasonable
HOLDING: decision in favour of D. Duty of care owed, but was negated for policy reasons.
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A wanted to issue debentures (form of bond)—had to go to TR to get a prospectus, auditor’s report required by statutory law
—C bought a million dollars worth—lost the money, some assets were overvalued. Kripps sued Touche Ross (company was
bankrupt).
Claim SUCCEEDED: investors were the class of person the debentures were to be prepared for, there was no other
expectation (duty, no indeterminate liability—big liability is ok, TR knew the purpose and who would rely).
P does not have to prove that they would not have bought, only that is was material to the decision.
Applicable to all categories of NMR (relevance to decision is enough).
LAW OF CONTRACTS looking for breach of terms for breach of K [put the party in the position it would have been in had
the K been completed]
Was too late to rescind the K – the work had been done.
LAW OF TORTS looking for negligent misstatements for tort remedy [put the P in the place they would have been in had
the representation never happened]. Tort law could be contracted out of.
Checo argued that they would have never entered into K at all, which would mean they would have gotten all the $ they lost
for ANY REASON, not just related to the right of way. BCH liable for everything that went wrong (at trial level they were
successful). SCC ruled that had the tort not been committed, the company would have still bid on the K, but they would have
increased their bid. 15% profit margin was added. Checo got damages in the amount of what the clearing cost them, plus their
15% mark-up.
At trial: Yes, there was a "special relationship" and there was negligent misrepresentation. On appeal: upheld trial
decision .
WHO WON? Decision in favour of Appellant: The Respondent’s manager had acted carelessly in making statements
during the Appellant’s job interview.
MAJORITY 1: The tort here was independent of the contract and the liability was not limited by an exclusion clause in the
contract
The Hedley Byrne test for negligent misrepresentation applies to representations made by an employer to a prospective
employee in the course of an interview.
MAJORITY 2 (Iacobucci): Applied the Hedley Byrne test, which has 5 general requirements:
[which are the elements of the torts of negligence: duty breach causation damages].
1. There must be a duty of care based on a “special relationship” between the representor and the representee.
2. The representation in question must be untrue, inaccurate, or misleading.
3. The representor must have acted negligently in making said misrepresentation.
4. The representee must have relied in a reasonable manner, on said negligent misrepresentation.
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5. The reliance must have been detrimental to the representee in the sense that damages resulted.
Claimed that had the negligent misstatement not been made to me, I would have stayed where I was. Compensation is for
loss of that good salary for that period of time.
5 Categories of claims:
1. Negligent Misrepresentation
2. Independent Liability of Statutory Public Authorities
3. Negligent Performance of Service
4. Negligent Supply of Shoddy Goods or Structures
5. Relational Economic Loss
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a duty. (Parties who are in negotiations are looking after their own interests, not each others, and a tort duty would
be inconsistent with that basic standard).
Other Possible Policy Considerations: Economic interests are less compelling than bodily security, indeterminate
liability, economic losses often arise in commercial context as inherent business risk.
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Historically, if P suffers pure economic losses as a result of the D’s carelessness but is unable to establish privity in contract,
losses were generally not recoverable.
Where a contractor (or any other person) is negligent in planning or constructing a building, and where that building is found
to contain defects resulting from that negligence which pose a real and substantial danger to occupants of the building, the
reasonable cost of repairing the defects and putting the building back into a non-dangerous state are recoverable in tort by
the occupants.
Stage Two: Are there residual policy considerations to negate/limit tort liability? No
No risk of indeterminate amount: limited to reasonable amount to fix building defects.
No risk of indeterminate time: limited to life of building. Eventually age will be blame and it will be more difficult to
establish causation.
Caveat emptor does not apply. Purchaser not in best position to bear risks of emergent defect.
STATUTORY LIMITATIONS
Limitation Act: 15 years from the breach of the date of duty
New Home Warranty: Assurance Fund to deal with problems that neither K nor tort can deal with
Example: construction company cuts power line belonging to municipality. Construction company may be liable for losses
sustained by municipality. Should the company also be liable to a factory that had to shut down because it didn’t have power?
Indeterminate liability means that courts have to balance between allowing victims to recover compensation for their losses
and protecting D from crushing liability.
Bow Valley Husky (Bermuda) Ltd v Saint John Shipbuilding Ltd (1997 SCC) (offshore-drilling-fire)
INDETERMINATE LIABILITY IS SUFFICIENT REASON TO DENY DUTY OF CARE.
HOOL and BVI decided that they would form a separate company Bow Valley Husky Bermuda (BVHB) in order to go into the
business of off-shore oil production. The new company became the owner of the off-shore drilling rig. BVHB entered into a
construction contract with Saint John Ship Building (SJSB). BVHB wanted to use an anti-pipe freezing system manufactured by
Raychem. This system, however, became flammable under certain conditions. Both SJSB and Raychem failed to warn the BVHB
about this possibility. HOOL and BVI maintained a contract with BVHB for the hire of the rig and for day rates paid if the rig
was out of service. Can HOOL and BVI recover economic losses from SJSB or Raychem?
McLachlin J: there is the problem of indeterminate liability that must be overcome and if not that is sufficient reason to deny
a duty of care under the circumstances.
The plaintiffs tried to argue that there were factors that addressed the problem of indeterminacy in this case, but McLachlin
was not prepared to accept any of them. There simply was no rationale basis to allow recovery to the plaintiffs and to deny it
to others (e.g. other investors, employees and suppliers of the rig).
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A fire broke out because of the improper use of the pipe system and substantial damages occurred.
RELATIONAL ECONOMIC LOSS IS NOT RECOVERABLE DUE TO POLICY CONSIDERATIONS, SUBJECT TO CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS:
1. Claimant has interest in damaged property (not really an exception because it is consequential to P’s property)
2. General average cases (maritime law where cargo owners all have to chip in when only a portion of the cargo is
damaged – so each cargo owner is considered as having a reasonable claim against the wrongdoer who caused the
damage).
3. Claimant and property owner in joint-venture (Norsk Pacific).
4. Other exceptions may be recognized using Anns Test (not closed categories but incremental approach required – use
Anns test but be restrictive in policy stage).
Policy reasons, besides indeterminacy, of why the courts are so cautious to allow recovery for relational pure economic
loss claims:
a) Economic interests have customarily been seen by the common law as less worthy of protection than either bodily
security or property,
b) May be more efficient to place the burden of economic loss on the victim, who may be better placed to anticipate
and insure its risks, and
c) Confining economic claims to contract discourages a multiplicity of lawsuits.
Standard of care: refers to behaviour required of D to satisfy DoC. Determines how D ought to act.
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Even if probability/severity of potential loss are high, D may be excused if activity is socially important
If cost of precaution is low, more likely to find negligence (Vaughn v Halifax-Dartmouth Bridge)
Patient’s health is higher priority than the cost to tax-payers [so even though test was expensive Dr still negligent in
failing to order the expensive test (Law Estate v Simice)]
Many different actions that a reasonable defendant could have taken (not difficult, not expensive):
→ Warning car owner
→ Posting signs
→ Moving cars
→ Wiping paint off cars promptly
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Useful for property damage (stripping D from ill-gotten gains), but not safety/personal injury.
Physically disabled person is required to meet SOC of reasonable person with same disability (Carroll v Carolla).
Mental disability: if D is suddenly and without warning struck with mental illness, they are absolved of liability if they show
on BOP:
1. Because of illness, D had no capacity to understand DOC owed at that time; OR
2. D was unable to discharge DOC as they had no meaningful control over their actions at the time the relevant conduct
fell below the SOC (Fiala v Cechmanek).
Persons with mental illness may not have to comply with the reasonable person standard:
→ Because it is unfair to hold people liable for accidents they are incapable of avoiding
→ Does not apply to drug or alcohol users, only for serious mental illness
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Other view that it is about compensation, therefore the mentally ill should not be held to lower standard
→ 1. Persons who caused the accident should be liable
→ 2. Hard to determine extent of mental illness
→ 3. Holding them to same standard would encourage caregivers to take adequate precautions
→ 4. Erosion of objective standard
Onus is on the defendant to show damage caused wasn’t voluntary and that they did not possess the capacity to commit the
tort
TEST – Must show, on the balance of probabilities:
⇒ 1. Because of mental illness, defendant had no capacity to understand duty of care owed
⇒ 2. Because of mental illness, defendant was unable to discharge duty of care, as they had no meaningful control
over their actions at the time the relevant conduct fell below the objective standard of care
→ Preserves the idea that defendant must act voluntarily and have capacity to be liable.
Volunteers in health care NOT held to professional SOC (expected to know limits and ask professional where necessary). If
they suggest they have professional skills, they will be held to that standard.
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1. Operation was done too quickly (should have taken min 3.5 hours, took only 1.5. Experts said too fast to take adequate
care).
2. Suturing started before proper check was made of whether enough tissue removed. Standard practice is to make only a
few sutures and then verify the bulk of the breasts; No evidence that defendant did the standard check (no notes,
inconsistencies in written report).
CUSTOM OF PROFESSION
SOC expected is that of a prudent and diligent doctor in same circumstances. Specialists assessed in light of conduct of other
ordinary specialists, who possess reasonable level of knowledge, competence and skill expected of professionals in Canada.
Must exercise degree of skill of an average specialist in his field.
CAUSATION
Was the loss suffered by the P caused by D’s failure to meet required standard of care?
Two issues:
(1) What test of causation governs the situation? [standard but-for or special test]; and
(2) can P prove on balance of probabilities that D’s breach of the standard of care was a cause of his or her loss?
Causation links D’s breach of the SOC to the P’s loss and provides a justification for the imposition of liability.
*** Causation is a matter of YES or NO (yes causation / no causation): Cannot apportion causal responsibility.
Either the D is causally responsible or he is not. But you can apportion liability for damages. ***
Question in Causation: What is the loss that the tort caused the P to suffer?
Whether a particular injury was caused by the tort is but-for; compare the (real) post-tort situation with the
(hypothetical) non-tort situation, and if the injury would not have occurred but-for the tort, causation is proved.
Two problems:
Difficulties of fact: the exact connection of one event to another may not be known
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Difficulties of making educated guesses about what might have happened if the tort hadn’t been committed, or
guesses of what will happen in future
o Typically problems of estimating what P would have done, how much P would have earned, etc.
The factual causation issues usually revolve around alternative causes or cumulative causes:
Alternative causation issue: if you take the tort away, not sure if it would have made any difference
o In the one-D scenario, the alternative causation issue is deciding whether P’s injury was caused by D’s tort or
by some other cause
o In the multiple-tortfeasor scenario, problems of alternative tortfeasors are rare (Cook v Lewis being a
notable exception)
Cumulative causation issue: extracting the tort from the other factors that led to the injury
Kauffman v Toronto Transit Comm (1959 ON CA, affd 1960 SCC) (train-station- escalator-accident)
IF P’S INJURY WOULD HAVE OCCURRED REGARDLESS OF D’S NEGLIGENT ACT, THEN THAT ACT WILL NOT GENERALLY BE
HELD TO BE A CAUSE.
P stepped onto escalator in D’s subway station and was immediately knocked down by a man (who was knocked down by two
scuffling youths). Very severe injuries were sustained as a result of her fall and the continuing movement upward of the
escalator.
Did the type of handrail in use cause P’s accident?
The evidence did not support but-for causation. No evidence that the type of handrail in use was a contributing cause of P’s
accident. No one was holding the handrail anyway.
Barnett v Chelsea & Kensington Hospital Mgmt Committee (1969 QBD) (arsenic-poisoned-tea)
EVEN IF A SOC IS BREACHED, IT DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY MEAN THAT THE OUTCOME WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT.
Three men (Ps) went to D hospital complaining about vomiting for several hours after drinking tea and were told by the nurse
(who was instructed by the medical casualty officer) to go home to bed and call their own doctors. One of the men died of
arsenic poisoning 5 hours later. Was the doctor’s negligence a cause of the man’s death?
P failed to establish, on the balance of probabilities, that Ds’ negligence caused the death of the deceased. It was a timing
question; even if the doctor had not been negligent and had come to the hospital, the treatment would have come too late.
causation, framed in terms of whether a reasonable person in P’s position would have consented if he/she had
been adequately informed. Exception to the but-for in the sense that you are replacing the actual victim with the
hypothetical RP victim.
When you know what brought the accident (but don’t know what would have happened if the tort hadn’t been committed
Have to say that it is more than probable that the negligence would have caused the injury. It is still the “but for” test.
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The MATERIAL CONTRIBUTION TEST (contribution to the risk) is only available in cases of multiple tortfeasors where each
tortfeasor was shown to have been at fault but P could not prove that the injury resulted from the negligence of D1 rather
than D2, D3, etc. Cannot be used when there is only a single tortfeasor (e.g. one tortfeasor and multiple tortious causes).
As a general rule, P cannot succeed unless she shows as a matter of fact that she would not have suffered the loss
“but for” the negligent act or acts of D. A trial judge is to take a robust and pragmatic approach to determining if P
has established that D’s negligence caused her loss. Scientific proof of causation is not required.
If it’s plausible that the accident was caused “but for,” the judge should find it [and not sweat it too much]
Exceptionally, a P may succeed by showing that D’s conduct materially contributed to the risk of P’s injury, where:
a) P has established that her loss would not have occurred “but for” the negligence of two or more tortfeasors,
each possibly in fact responsible for the loss; and
b) P, through no fault of her own, is unable to show that any one of the possible tortfeasors in fact was the
necessary or “but for” cause of her injury, because each can point to one another as the possible “but for”
cause of the injury, defeating a finding of causation on a balance of probabilities against anyone.
“Material contribution does not signify a test of causation at all; rather it is a policy-driven rule of law designed to
permit plaintiffs to recover in such cases despite their failure to prove causation.”
o Pro-compensation policy
o Corrective justice – wrongdoer has disturbed the balance and the law must restore that equilibrium – “but
for” is satisfied if look at the wrongdoers as a pool
Reasoning – The trial judge erred in insisting on scientific reconstruction evidence as a necessary condition of finding “but for”
causation. Erred in applying a material contribution to risk test (this is a simple single-D case) should have used the but-for
test.
MULTIPLE CAUSES
First: determine if the injuries are divisible. Can the injuries be divided into distinct losses that are each readily attributable
to the conduct of a particular tortfeasor?
If there are other (insufficient) non-tortious causes, D will bear entire burden (Thin Skull Principle)
If the tort caused the injury but it would have happened in any event, D is liable for a percentage. If P has a 30% chance
of being injured in any event, D is only liable for 70% of the injury (Crumbling Skull Principle)
If the tort caused the injury, but other (sufficient) non-tortious factor also actually caused same injury, then damages are
reduced (Penner)
If the claim is about the loss of chance/gain, P recovers only upon proof that there was a better-than-even chance of
avoiding the loss (then P gets compensated for the whole loss)
MULTIPLE DEFENDANTS:
Separate Ds, one injury to P (injury could have been caused by either, but not both)
liability can be based on each D’s having materially contributed to the risk of injury, because holding each D
liable is better than P going uncompensated (only applies where the circumstances make it impossible to prove
which D’s tort in fact caused the injury)
Both D’s held liable (Cook v Lewis)
Joint Ds, one injury to P
Two or more Ds commit one tort acting together
Liability is joint and several and the court can apportion fault
If P gets judgment against one of several joint Ds, P is precluded from starting an action against any other joint
Ds because the tort is a single cause of action
“but for” the joint Ds –> would not have sustained injury
→ Thin Skull doctrine: Makes the tortfeasor liable for the plaintiff’s injuries even if the injuries are unexpectedly severe
owing to a pre-existing condition. The tortfeasor must take his or her victim as the tortfeasor finds the victim, and is therefore
liable even though the plaintiff’s losses are more dramatic than they would be for the average person
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→ Crumbling Skull doctrine: Recognizes that the pre-existing condition was inherent in the plaintiff’s original position. The
plaintiff need not put plaintiff in a position better than his original position; should not have to compensate for debilitating
effects of pre-existing condition that the plaintiff would have experienced anyway; the defendant is liable for additional
damage but not pre-existing damage.
In case at bar: No finding of measurable risk that the herniated disc would have occurred without the accident. What
happened at the gym was not a cause, it was an effect (it was the injury).
Applicable principles: If injuries in vehicle accident cause or contributed to the herniation, then defendant is fully liable.
Plaintiff must prove causation through but for or material contribution test. Trial judge indicated that it was necessary to have
both the pre-existing condition AND the injuries from accident to cause hernation. There may have been other causes, but
material contribution was sufficient.
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→ “Accident” also arises in non-culpable circumstances: Contingencies taken in to account in assessing prospective loss of
income should only include those that occur in non-culpable circumstances
→ The rule in Baker only applies to those contingencies which arise from culpable circumstances
Policy reasons: Not taking into account future contingencies arising in non-culpable circumstances would result in plaintiff
being overcompensated. Trail judge erred; plaintiff should not receive damages for those 3 months
→ This would constitute an award for a sum she would not have earned even if the motor accident had not occurred
Post-tort second tort (Baker v Willoughby leading case): It would be wrong for the tortfeasor to be exonerated by a second
tort (even though the 2nd tort would have happened anyway). Tort A and Tort B – how much did each of those torts cause?
You know what the total is at the end so calculation is: at the time you only had Tort A, damage was X; Tort B added Y amount
of added injury. 1st injury is broken leg, 2nd is amputated.
Possible that the amputation is indivisible damage. So D1 would be responsible for the broken leg, but D1 and D2 would both
be responsible for the amputation.
1st injury is broken leg, 2nd is broken arm.
Joint and several.
Structured settlement (Automobile Insurance Act): allows a Court to make an order of periodic payments. Not used very
often. From victims point of view it is not attractive to spend a lifetime yoked to an insurance company. D often is happier to
get it off the books in a lump sum.
If claim is about being deprived of a chance to not lose, P recovers only upon proof that there was a 50 + 1% chance of
avoiding the loss (the P gets compensated for the whole loss).
LEGISLATION says that the family can only recover under the Family Compensation Act for loss to them (in other jurisdiction
is Fatal Accidents Act). The estate of the victim can claim for lost earnings, but under s.59 Estate Administration Act (an
estate can sue for all loss and damage for the deceased) but in s.59(3) you can’t get damages in respect of physical
disfigurement or pain and suffering of the deceased. Pointless to compensate them when they are dead anyway.
REMOTENESS OF DAMAGE
NOT A CAUSATION QUESTION. The tort did result from the injury (that is causation). Somehow the damage is really unusual
given the nature of the tort. To what extent can the D say that they aren’t liable because of the remoteness of the damage.
Rule of “fairness”, policy considerations, LEGAL instead of factual link.
D is only liable for reasonably foreseeable consequences of his negligence (Wagon Mound 1). Have to decide whether the
damage suffered is different in kind from the foreseeable kind.
However, it is NOT necessary for the precise manner of the accident to be foreseeable. Instead foreseeability relates to the
type/kind of the harm suffered by P (Hughes).
Any foreseeable physical injury makes D liable for ALL physical injury, including psychiatric consequences that P suffers
(Marconto – change in personality).
If there is no physical injury at all, psychiatric injury is considered too remote if it is such that a person of reasonable fortitude
wouldn’t have suffered it (Mustapha, flies-in-water-bottle).
D is liable for all “possible consequences” if a reasonable person wouldhave taken it into account (Wagon Mound 2).
This means a serious risk will not be too remote even if there is statistically very small change of happening.
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Remoteness usually only succeeds where damage linked to a factual thing which the tortfeasor has no awareness of
(e.g. poisoning a well, which leads to a heart attack).
Foreseeeability of harm:
Duty kind - was ANY harm of any kind foreseeable?
Breach of the duty - was it foreseeable that being negligent in this particular way would cause this kind of harm? (focus on
the exact way that they were negligent)
Remoteness - was it foreseeable that this type of negligence would cause this type of harm (to a reasonably robust person)?
England: Paige v Smith - if you can foresee physical injury to him, he is a primary victim (the target of the physical risk) and
once you're a primary victim, there is no distinguishment between psychiatric injury and physical injury.
Canada: rejected concept of primary/secondary. Even for primary victims you have to be able to meet extra test of
foreseeability of psychiatric harm.
PC held that a party can only be held liable for damage that was reasonably foreseeable. Contributory negligence on the part
of the dock owners was also relevant in the decision, and was essential to the outcome, although not central to this case's
legal significance.
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have here. Therefore, the injury is not different in kind from what should have been expected. As long as you can foresee in a
general way the type of injury that occurs then you have proximate cause.
Parker does not think that the decision in Wagon Mound is relevant to this case. He states that the "thin skull" rule
differentiates the two cases, and that this is a case of "taking your plaintiffs as they come" rather than insufficient proximity.
Therefore, as it is found that the burn was a negligent action on the part of Leech Brain as they did not provide ample safety,
and it at least partially led to the development of the cancer, the defendants are liable.
The ruling in Wagon Mound does not apply to cases where the outcome was unforeseeable to a particular plaintiff because of
a condition that he or she had; rather it is used in situations when the foreseeable connection between the action and the
outcome is unreasonable.
For actions in tort, you take a plaintiff as he or she comes - the fact that they have a condition that led to more damages than
normal is not a factor in determining damages (the "thin skull" rule).
The plaintiff was predisposed by her personality to suffer the consequences which she did suffer as a result of the modest
physical injury caused by the accident; and it was that predisposition which brought on the unusual consequences of the
injury.
Assiniboine South School Divn. No 3 v Greater Winnipeg Gas Co (1971 Man CA, affd 1973 SCC)
THE TEST OF FORESEEABILITY OF DAMAGE IS A QUESTION OF WHAT IS POSSIBLE RATHER THAN WHAT IS PROBABLE.
Hoffer’s snowmobile ran out of control, striking a gas-riser pipe installed by Greater Winnipeg Gas (GWG). A pipe fractured
and gas leaked into the boiler room of the Assiniboine school. The gas in the school ignited, and an explosion and fire occurred
caused damage to the school. Was the damage reasonably foreseeable and therefore recoverable?
At trial: Court allowed damages to the school against the owners of the autotobaggan (the Hoffers) and GWG (damages
allocation was 50% for each defendant).
Are they responsible for fire at school? Unusual that it hits a gas pipe, but it is all part of the broad category of what was
foreseeable. Test is whether one can foresee in a general way the thing that happened.
P MUST SHOW THAT IT WAS FORESEEABLE THAT A PERSON OF ORDINARY FORTITUDE WOULD SUFFER SERIOUS INJURY.
UNUSUAL OR EXTREME REACTIONS TO EVENTS CAUSED BY NEGLIGENCE ARE IMAGINABLE BUT NOT REASONABLY
FORESEEABLE.
Water bottle had dead flies in it and Mustapha suffered a major depressive disorder as a result.
Law of tort imposes obligation to compensate for any harm (including psychiatric) done on the basis of reasonable foresight,
not as insurance
Law of negligence seeks to impose a result that is both fair to the P and D - draws the line at compensability of damage at
reasonable foreseeability.
TJ erred in applying a subjective standard (considered P's previous history, particular circumstances, cultural factors).
INTERVENING CAUSES
Not strictly speaking a remoteness issue, but there is a foreseeability component to it.
When P's loss is caused by Ds breach and a subsequent intervening act
Intervening act = act that causes or contributes to P's loss after original D's breach has taken effect
Ex: blocked sidewalk forces pedestrians to walk on road and one is struck by negligent driver
Both contractor and driver causally contributed to the situation that resulted in P's injuries - should the contractor be held
liable for the injuries that were caused by the driver?
Traditionally intervening cause was said to have severed the causal link between original breach and the intervening cause
Last wrongdoer was held responsible
That doctrine were replaced - intervening acts were then divided into three categories:
1. Intervening acts that were naturally occurring or non-culpable held not to break chain of causation
2. Negligent intervening acts were held to break chain of causation, absolving original tortfeasor of liability
3. Deliberately wrongful or illegal acts broke chain of causation unless original tortfeasor had a duty to prevent the act
Now: general principle --> "within the scope of the risk" test
Two approaches:
1. analyze the issue to see whether the loss caused by the intervening act was within the scope of the risk created by
the original tortfeasor
2. was the intervening act within the scope of the risk created by the original tortfeasor?
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Fires injure people foreseeable that they cause havoc end result is the foreseeable type of damage that she would suffer
from a grease fire.
Supports the argument that the general rule of foreseeability still applies. If the actions of the third party is foreseeable,
even if it is intentional, D is still liable. In a failing-to-prevent case, foreseeability of the third party's act decides the three
elements of the breach, causation and remoteness of damage all at once.
CA later reversed - said TJ said there was no evidence of any risk (disagreed on fact, not law so this case still stands).
Can be liable for damage by third party IF the third party's actions were something that you could foresee and that a RP
would have attempted to prevent.
DEFENCES IN NEGLIGENCE
Even if P proves that he was negligently injured by D, damages may be reduced or denied on the basis of a defence.
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Defence can only operate when the integrity of the legal system is threatened by the claim (i.e. where P is attempting to
profit from his illegal conduct, or when a tort claim is used to circumvent, subvert, or negate a criminal penalty.)
Doctrine of ex turpi causa can only be used as a defence and cannot be used to negate a duty of care, because it would
inappropriately place an onus on the plaintiff to show absence of illegal or immoral conduct
The duty of care cannot be selectively applied to heads of damage; and the consideration of illegal or immoral conduct in
duty of care would raise procedural problems where there are concurrent claims.
Construed as contributory negligence, not ex turpi causa
P was not seeking to profit from his illegal conduct (drinking and driving), nor was he circumventing the criminal law.
However, he was contributorily negligent - therefore the damages were reduced to 50 percent.
PROOF OF NEGLIGENCE
Municipalities have been held under a duty of care in respect of their inspection of buildings under construction, and their
enforcement of the bylaws once defects are found. The duty is owed to any occupier of the building who is forced to spend
money to remedy the construction defect. The leading case is Kamloops v Nielsen which was negligent failure to enforce. The
BC Legislature responded by giving municipalities immunity for failing to enforce building bylaws Local Government Act. The
Vancouver Charter goes further and absolves the city of any duty of care. Defected building defects can also be noted in the
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land title registry under s.57 of the Community Charter in the supplement after s.695 of the Local Government Act, which
makes it applicable to regional districts as well as municipalities.
Sask Wheat Pool: Yes, we did deliver infested wheat but we weren’t negligent [terminal operator—got the grain from
farmers, infestation wasn’t our fault—only going after us because of section in Canada Grain Act]
Where A has breached a statutory duty causing injury to B, does B have a civil cause of action against A? If so, is As liability
absolute, in the sense that it exists independently of fault, or is A free from liability if the failure to perform the duty is
through no fault of his? Claim of Canada is on the basis that there is a breach of statute.
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Breaches of some statutory rules are bound to be negligent—but negligence is a fault-based system—Wheat Board was trying
to get negligence wo fault. No evidence here—couldn’t have anticipated the infestation
NOTE: Ryan v City of Victoria: Ryan riding his bike, wheel fell into the divot to accommodate the railway wheel on the track.
By regulation under the Railway Act, had to be a certain size, guys thrown off his bicycle, injured in public nuisance.
Was wi a permitted range using the Statute as a defence—we were within the rules and that proves we weren’t negligence.
Being outside the rules is some evidence of negligence [Wheat Pool]; but being inside the rules isn’t exculpatory of negligence
—the rule wasn’t designed to prove whether or not you were negligent
NUISANCE
Private: what you do that affects people while they are on their own property
Public: what you do that affects people while they are on public property
If the harm or annoyance is suffered by one or a particular group of people, it is a private nuisance.
Public nuisances are those suffered by citizens generally or by a "substantial" number of members of the public. Hence, a
public nuisance is really just a multiplication of private nuisances.
Farm Practices Act deals with right to farm (neighbours can’t sue for nuisance when the practices are general farming)
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PRIVATE NUISANCE
430909 Ontario Ltd v Huron Steel Products (Windsor) Ltd (1990 ONT HC)
WHAT CONSTITUTES UNREASONABLE INTERFERENCE INCLUDES: SEVERITY, CHARACTER OF LOCALE, UTILITY OF D’S
CONDUCT, SENSITIVITY OF THE USE INTERFERED WITH.
D had a stamping plant that had been in operation since 1947. P had bought an apartment building nearby in 1977, in 1979 D
purchased a press and installed it across the street. P complained of noise and vibrations and brought action for nuisance
claiming loss of rental income and loss of value of the building.
Question is NOT: is the defendant using his property in what would be a reasonable manner if he had no neighbour?
Question IS: is the defendant using it reasonably, having regard to the fact that he has a neighbour?
No defence to the nuisance creator if you moved to the nuisance (being there first doesn’t make a difference)
Have to be able to say that the character of this neighbourhood is not what it was – neighbourhoods change
The primary remedy for nuisance is an injunction
No negligence at play – storm sewers back up from time to time. Sued in nuisance (because it was interference with your
property, even if it’s not permanent and ongoing)
Municipality operates sewage system, it malfunctioned, a few people were inconvenience with flooded basements: what
is there recourse?
But they operate the system under a statute and the judges split three ways
Majority (Sopinka) view:
If you are doing something under statute, and there is no practical way to avoid the nuisance, then there is no liability
The test is: is it practically impossible to avoid the nuisance when you are carrying out the thing you are mandated by
statute to do (so have to read the statute to see what it authorizes and how you can comply with that authorization)
Yes, they could show that they operating under statute BUT St John’s couldn’t show that it was practically impossible to
avoid sewer backups (onus was on them to show that it was practically impossible)
Recognizes tension between private rights and an expectation that they be sacrificed for the public good.
Given that, the onus has to be on defendant to make the statutory authority argument, and that there will be an
incredibly high threshold for it to be successful.
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→ Followed by Ryan v City of Victoria (1999): Def of statutory authority applies only if the def proves that it was
practically impossible to avoid creating the nuisance.
Another example was the Canada Line case in nuisance – also under statute to build
1. La Forest:
→ Stat authority as a defence should be overridden by policy reasons.
2. Wilson et al:
→ Disagreed with La Forest.
→ If statutory authority defence is to be gotten rid of, that is for the legislature.
→ Sets out process of analysis starting with the recognition that the flooded basement does interfere with the use and
enjoyment of the property.
⇒ Once that’s recognized, then check to see if there is a statutory authority that is relevant
⇒ Looks at provisions and their permissive language.
⇒ Nuances statutory authority: Recovery in nuisance should be allowed unless you can show that there was either express
language in the statute allowing interference with P’s space; if there isn’t express language, it may be a necessary implication
from the language of the stat plus a factual finding that the damages is an inevitable consequences of the stat powers.
⇒ Because language of stat is permissive, it had to be done in conformity of private rights; Not done here, so no defence of
stat authority.
PUBLIC NUISANCE
Hickey v Electric Reduction Co (1970 Nfld SC)
PRIVATE ACTION FOR PUBLIC NUISANCE IS ONLY SUSTAINABLE WHERE THE PRIVATE DAMAGE IS PECULIAR, PARTICULAR,
AND DISTINCT FROM THAT OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
Fishermen (Hickey: P) seek a private nuisance action against phosphorous plant (D) for pollution of waters, killing fish. P
claimed that it wasn’t just fishers, but that the nuisance applied to everyone. When is a plaintiff permitted to maintain a
private action for public nuisance?
Analysis:
Furlong CJ: → Yes, there could be a public action for private nuisance, but this isn’t one of those situations.
⇒ Public right to fish in the sea: any interference is a public nuisance.
⇒ Pollution is a public nuisance, so this should not be dealt with as a private tort action. You have to suffer a DIFFERENT injury
than everyone else. Different in TYPE, not just different in EXTENT.
Very few successful claims in public nuisance. One example is injunction that AG (BC) applied for against prostitutes in the
West End (blocked prostitution West of Granville). When Chateau Granville complained, McLachlin CJ said that it was up to
the AG to determine the area – an individual property owner could not. Private interests could not be considered (Stein v
Gonzales) (note 3 page 880).
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If escape is result of the act of a third party, or an act of God, there is no liability.
There is no liability (acc. to later cases) if what you were keeping was a “non-natural” use of the land.
Modern courts now term “non-natural use” as “inconsistent land use” [buildings are natural, but a race track wouldn’t be,
neither is a reservoir.]
VICARIOUS LIABILITY
Rule is not tied to showing that the employer did anything wrong. Not about failing to supervise the employee. Joint and
several liability with the employee.
Is this an employer/employee relationship; have to show that the activity was within the scope of the work. Employee
relationships have to be distinguished from independent contractor [no vicarious liability for what the independent contractor
so can be a defence]. No single/perfect test but there are factors to determine:
Extent of control
Business arrangements between them (did they pay benefits, withhold tax)
Within the scope of the employment
Vicarious liability is typically used where the P is injured by an employee. An example of liability without fault.
Puts the risk on the person who was in the best position to minimize the risk [watching, instructing, supervising their
employees].
Justice McLachlin (as she then was) points out that vicarious liability is a form of strict liability, or no-fault liability. The court
was very openly concerned with policy in this decision as vicarious liability can be used by litigants to "sue into deeper
pockets" even though they may be suing an employer who is not at fault. McLachlin surveyed a number of possible policy
reasons for the imposition of vicarious liability, and adopted two of J. G. Fleming's policy rationales:
(1) providing a just and practical remedy, and
(2) deterring future harm.
The link between what an employee was doing and the “risk created by the employer’s enterprise”. Must be said that the
employer significantly increased the risk. On the facts of this case they found liability on the part of the Children’s
Foundation. Facility was set up to take care of children. Tort was committed by someone who had been hired to be in charge
of children. [Another case where the janitor abused children and the school was not found liable because the janitor was not
hired to interact with children.] An employer has to bear the risks attached to the employer’s enterprise; the risk of
employee’s intentional tort attached is included.
In determining if an employer can be found vicariously liable, the courts will often use the Salmond test, which will find an
employer liable for the actions of an employee, which are:
(1) acts authorized by the employer or
(2) acts which are not authorized by the employer, but are so connected to authorized acts that they may be
considered "modes" of acts authorized by the employer.
The Supreme Court here seems to express frustration at this test. It is possible to view Curry's actions either completely
independently, or as a mode of performing an authorized act. The Salmond test does not give clear criterion for how
differentiate these two. As such, the court clarified the test, saying that the court should consider:
(1) policy reasons in determining that vicarious liability should or should not apply
(2) whether the wrongful act is sufficiently related to the employment to justify imposing vicarious liability.
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(3) subsidiary factors: opportunity that employment afforded the employee to abuse his power; extent to which
wrongful act may have furthered employer's aims; vulnerability of potential victims to wrongful exercise of
employee's power.
Many cases where it isn’t necessary to go the vicarious liability route – can go straight to a negligence claim against the
employer. Has to be a duty of care owed to the P (but if it is foreseeable physical injury, then it is easy to show). Had reason to
know what employee was doing, so no need to use vicarious liability (although often the two claims are joined), can go
straight to negligence claim. Can make joint actions – that the employer was responsible in vicarious liability, and in the
alternative that they were negligent.
DEFAMATION
DEFENCES
Williams v Reason (1983 CA)
P a rugby player; D a sports journalist, P accused of shamateurism, that is accepted $$ while playing as an amateur. P
successful at trial and on appeal tried to adduce new evidence regarding boot money he had accepted from Addidas
The sting of the libel is the shamateurism; boot money would not be irrelevant to this claim.
QUALIFIED PRIVILEGE
Hill v Church of Scientology (1995 SCC)
Scientology alleged Hill has essentially engaged in professional misconduct, Manning read out the notice of motion, passed it
out in a dramatic fashion. Hill was exonerated and brought a defamation proceeding. Accused that Hill had violated a court
order by conniving to allow someone to see sealed documents that had been taken from the Church of Scientology.
The legal effect of the defence of QP is that it rebuts the inference that they were spoken with malice
Qualified privilege attaches
Where the occasion is shown to be privileged, BF of the defendant is presumed and the D is free to publish w impunity
remarks which can be defamatory –will be defeated if dominant purpose is malice
Claimed qualified privilege wrt to the reporting of court documents—defeated by the fact he went way beyond what was
necessary; attacking professional responsibility of Hill before an investigation was complete, grandeur on the courthouse
steps
FAIR COMMENT
WIC Radio Ltd v Simpson (2008 SCC)
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Torts Exam Summary J. Martin
P was against teaching children about homosexuality in schools. Rafe Mair (on the air) imputed that P would condone violence
toward gay people (Defamatory because it lowers her in the esteem of the community). Were WIC and Rafe protected by the
defence of fair comment?
The test is not whether Mair actually believed what he said, the test is whether the comment is legitimate – could a person
honestly hold those views.
TEST: for fair comment: could any man honestly express that opinion on the proven facts (not a particularly high threshold)
A 2006 B.C. Court of Appeal decision written by then-justice Mary Southin, concluded that Mair defamed Simpson and
couldn't rely on the defence of fair comment. In 2008, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that Mair had, in fact, defamed
Simpson. However, the Supreme Court used this case to re-define defamation in Canada. Because the old legal test no longer
applied, the Supreme Court found for the appellants Mair and WIC Radio Ltd.
TEST: The publication must be on a matter of public interest—judge must consider the subject matter of the publication as a
whole (can’t scrutinize Defamatory statement in isolation)—must affect the welfare of citizens not merely be of interest.
Was the publication of the defamatory communication responsible?
Relevant factors:
Seriousness of the allegation—need to measure the degree of the sting degree of diligence requires should increase
in proportion to the effects on the defamed individual
Public importance of the matter
Urgency of the matter—did the public’s need to know require the D to publish it when it did? Considered in light of
what the D knew or ought to have known at the time of publication
Status and reliability of the source--less trustworthy the source, greater impetus for verification
Whether the P’s side of the story was sought and accurately reported
Whether inclusion of the defamatory statement was justifiable
Whether the defamatory statement’s public interest lay in the fact it was made rather than its truth (reportage)—
repetition rule does not apply to fairly made statements
Tone of the article may also be relevant
REMEDIES
Hill v Church of Scientology (1995 SCC)
General damages ($300K) were awarded against Manning and Scientology jointly because Manning’s activity was on behalf of
the Church.
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Professor Blom 2014-2015
Torts Exam Summary J. Martin
Aggravated ($500K) and punitive ($800K) was against the Church alone. They had made things much worse – plenty of
evidence that Church had acted maliciously. Claim of justification was maintained long after they realized they had no
evidence. Their persistence in pleading justification added to their aggravated and punitive damages.
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Professor Blom 2014-2015