Date: 20010815
Docket: T-1754-96
Neutral citation: 2001 FCT 895
BETWEEN:
THE CHASE MANHATTAN CORPORATION
Plaintiff
- and -
3133559 CANADA INC.
Defendant
(Delivered from the Bench at Ottawa, Ontario
on Wednesday, August 15, 2001)
[1] This is a motion for default judgment brought pursuant to Rule 210. That rule reads as follows:
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Rule 210 (1) Where a defendant fails to serve and file a statement of defence within the time set out in rule 204, or any other time fixed by an order of the Court, the plaintiff may bring a motion for judgment against the defendant on the statement of claim. (2) Subject to section 25 of the Crown Liability and Proceedings Act, a motion under subsection (1) may be brought ex parte and in accordance with rule 369. (3) A motion under subsection (1) shall be supported by affidavit evidence. (4) On a motion under subsection (1), the Court may (a) grant judgment; (b) dismiss the action; or (c) order that the action proceed to trial and that the plaintiff prove its case in such a manner as the Court may direct. |
Règle 210 (1) Lorsqu'un défendeur ne signifie ni ne dépose sa défense dans le délai prévu à la règle 204 ou dans tout autre délai, fixé par ordonnance de la Cour, le demandeur peut, par voie de requête, demander un jugement contre le défendeur à l'égard de sa déclaration. (2) Sous réserve de l'article 25 de la Loi sur la responsabilité civile de l'État et le contentieux administratif, la requête visée au paragraphe (1) peut être présentée ex parte et selon la règle 369. (3) La preuve fournie à l'appui de la requête visée au paragraphe (1) est établie par affidavit. (4) Sur réception de la requête visée au paragraphe (1), la Cour peut: a) accorder le jugement demandé; b) rejeter l'action; c) ordonner que l'action soit instruite et que le demandeur présente sa preuve comme elle l'indique. |
[2] In this Court, unlike under some other systems of procedure, allegations which are not admitted are deemed to be denied. Rule 184 reads in part:
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Rule 184 (1) All allegations of fact in a pleading that are not admitted are deemed to be denied. |
Règle 184 (1) Les allégations de fait contenues dans un acte de procédure qui ne sont pas admises sont réputées être niées. |
[3] This means that the allegations of a statement of claim, if not admitted, remain just that, namely, allegations and there is no evidence of their truth or correctness absent the filing of an affidavit. Where there is no statement of defence, judgment cannot be obtained simply "on the pleadings".
[4] That, of course, is why Rule 210 refers to allowing evidence to be made by affidavit. Normally, evidence on final judgment is by viva voce evidence but by exception, where a default judgment is being sought, the Rules allows the Court to receive evidence by affidavit.
[5] The upshot is that on a motion for default judgment, the Court has two questions before it. First, is the defendant in default and second, is there evidence to support the plaintiff's claim. In the present case, there is absolutely no question with regard to the first point; Madame Prothonotary Aronovitch gave an order sometime ago striking out the statement of defence and counterclaim and that order is now final and beyond question.
[6] With regard to the second point, however, there is at present no evidence in the record and the affidavit filed in support of the motion for default judgment does not go to the merits of the case. I will adjourn this motion and am quite prepared to accept one or more affidavits setting forth the evidence which the plaintiff wishes to urge in support of its claim.
ORDER
The present motion is adjourned sine die with leave to the plaintiff to file further affidavit evidence and to bring the matter on again on request.
Judge
Ottawa, Ontario
August 15, 2001