Date: 20010622
Docket: T-2655-89
Neutral Citation: 2001 FCT 690
BETWEEN:
ELIZABETH BERNADETTE POITRAS
Plaintiff
- and -
WALTER PATRICK TWINN, THE COUNCIL OF THE
SAWRIDGE BAND, THE SAWRIDGE BAND and
HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN as Represented by THE
MINISTER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS AND NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT
Defendants
Facts
[1] I have before me two motions: the first, by the defendant Band, is to strike the statement of claim; the second, by the plaintiff, is for summary judgment. Although each will necessarily result in a separate order, it is convenient to deal with them together in a single set of reasons.
[2] The plaintiff is the daughter of Albert and Jennie Potskin and was born on March 17, 1944. Her name and that of her parents appear at Band No. 36 on the membership list of the Sawridge Band prepared in response to the provisions of the 1951 amendments to the Indian Act.
[3] On October 6, 1965, she married Homer Poitras, a person not an Indian and was accordingly enfranchised by Order in Council No. 1966-268. Pursuant to the provisions of the Indian Act as it then read, she lost both her Band membership in the Sawridge Band and her Indian status.
[4] The plaintiff's father died in December 1981 and was, at that time, listed on the Band list maintained by the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. The plaintiff's mother resides on the Sawridge Reserve as a Sawridge Band member and her name is on the Band List.
[5] In 1985, the Indian Act was amended. On July 12, 1985, the applicant applied for reinstatement to Indian status and of her membership in the Sawridge Band. On September 17, 1985, the applicant was advised that the Registrar had reinstated her to the General Register maintained by the Department but that she would have to apply to the Band for membership, as the Band had submitted a proposal to take control of its membership effective July 8, 1985, pursuant to the provisions of the Indian Act.
[6] The present action was launched in 1988. It seeks a declaration that the plaintiff is a member of the Sawridge Band, damages, an accounting and various other consequential relief.
Motion to strike
[7] The grounds for the motion to strike are set out in the notice of motion. They read as follows:
1 . the statement of claim amounts to a claim for declaratory and prerogative relief against a Band Council which is a Federal Board within the definition provided by section 2 of the Federal Court Act. By virtue of section 18(3) of that Act, such relief may only be sought against a Federal Board on an application for judicial review under section 18.1;
2 . the statement of claim does not disclose a reasonable cause of action against the defendants Walter Patrick Twinn and the Sawridge Band.
[8] The provisions of the present section 18 of the Federal Court Act are as follows:
| 18 . (1) Subject to section 28, the Trial Division has exclusive original jurisdiction (a) to issue an injunction, writ of certiorari, writ of prohibition, writ of mandamus or writ of quo warranto, or grant declaratory relief, against any federal board, commission or other tribunal; and (b) to hear and determine any application or other proceeding for relief in the nature of relief contemplated by paragraph (a), including any proceeding brought against the Attorney General of Canada, to obtain relief against a federal board, commission or other tribunal. (2) The Trial Division has exclusive original jurisdiction to hear and determine every application for a writ of habeas corpus ad subjiciendum, writ of certiorari, writ of prohibition or writ of mandamus in relation to any member of the Canadian Forces serving outside Canada. (3) The remedies provided for in subsections (1) and (2) may be obtained only on an application for judicial review made under section 18.1. |
18 . (1) Sous réserve de l'article 28, la Section de première instance a compétence exclusive, en première instance, pour: a) décerner une injonction, un bref de certiorari, de mandamus, de prohibition ou de quo warranto, ou pour rendre un jugement déclaratoire contre tout office fédéral; b) connaître de toute demande de réparation de la nature visée par l'alinéa a), et notamment de toute procédure engagée contre le procureur général du Canada afin d'obtenir réparation de la part d'un office fédéral. (2) La Section de première instance a compétence exclusive, en première instance, dans le cas des demandes suivantes visant un membre des Forces canadiennes en poste à l'étranger : bref d'habeas corpus ad subjiciendum, de certiorari, de prohibition ou de mandamus. (3) Les recours prévus aux paragraphes (1) ou (2) sont exercés par présentation d'une demande de contrôle judiciaire. |
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[9] Section 18 in its present form is new law and only came into effect in February 1992. Prior to that time, section 18 read as follows:
| 18. The Trial Division has exclusive original jurisdiction (a) to issue an injunction, writ of certiorari, writ of prohibition, writ of mandamus or writ of quo warranto, or grant declaratory relief, against any federal board, commission or other tribunal; and (b) to hear and determine any application or other proceeding for relief in the nature of relief contemplated by paragraph (a), including any proceeding brought against the Attorney General of Canada, to obtain relief against a federal board, commission or other tribunal. |
18. La Section de première instance a compétence exclusive, en première instance, pour: a) décerner une injonction, un bref de certiorari, de mandamus, de prohibition ou de quo warranto, ou pour rendre un jugement déclaratoire contre tout office fédéral; b) connaître de toute demande de réparation de la nature visée par l'alinéa a), et notamment de toute procédure engagée contre le procureur général du Canada afin d'obtenir réparation de la part d'un office fédéral. |
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[10] Former Rule 603 of the Federal Court Rules is also relevant. It used to read:
| 603. Proceedings under section 18 of the Act for any of the relief described therein, other than a proceeding against the Attorney General of Canada or a proceeding for declaratory relief, may be brought either (a) by way of an action under Rule 400; or (b) by way of an application to the Court under Rules 319 et seq. |
603. Les procédures prévues par l'article 18 de la Loi en vue d'obtenir l'un quelconque des redressements qui y sont mentionnés, à l'exception d'une procédure contre le procureur général du Canada ou d'une procédure faite dans le but d'obtenir un jugement déclaratoire, peuvent être engagées soit a) sous forme d'action en vertu de la Règle 400; ou b) par demande faite à la Cour en vertu des Règles 319 et suivantes. |
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[11] A reading of this text together with former Rule 400 resulted in the case law developing a constant jurisprudence to the effect that declaratory relief against the Crown could be obtained only by way of an action[1].
[12] Since the present action was started in 1988 and took a form which was not only permitted but required by the law as it stood at that time. Thus, the 1992 amendments not having retroactive effect, it follows that the motion to strike must be dismissed with costs.
[13] I would add that I am not at all sure that the new subsection 18(3) has the reach contended for it by the Band. While it no doubt requires that a claim for declaratory relief simpliciter must be by way of an application for judicial review, it seems to me that where other remedies are also sought against a defendant there is no policy reason clearly discernable to me why such relief should not be sought by way of action. As I have indicated that is the case here: the Band, while no doubt a ‘federal board' is not the Crown and is not represented by the Attorney General and the remedies sought go well beyond a simple declaration. There is also no decision attacked as would normally be the case in an application for judicial review.
Summary judgment
[14] In both his written and his oral representations, counsel for the plaintiff placed his motion on very narrow grounds, namely that the plaintiff, as the child of persons both of whom had had their names on the Band List, was entitled to be registered under the provision of paragraph 3(b) of the Band's Membership Rules; he expressly disavowed any claim in this motion to the plaintiff's asserted right to claim membership under paragraph 3(a) of those rules. He seeks summary judgment only for the declaratory relief sought in the statement of claim, leaving other related and consequential matters to a later date. Rules 3 and 5 of the Band's Membership Rules read as follows:
3. Each of the following persons shall have a right to have his or her name entered in the Band List:
(a) any person who, but for the establishment of these rules, would be entitled pursuant to subsection 11(1) of the Act to have his or her name entered in the Band List required to be maintained in the Department and who, at any time after these rules come into force, either
(i) is lawfully resident on the reserve; or
(ii) has applied for membership in the band and, in the judgment of the Band Council, has a significant commitment to, and knowledge of, the history, customs, traditions, culture and communal life of the Band and a character and lifestyle that would not cause his or her admission to membership in the Band to be detrimental to the future welfare or advancement of the Band;
(b) a natural child of parents both of whose names are entered on the Band List;
(c) with the consent of the Band Council, any person who
(i) has applied for membership in the Band;
(ii) is entitled to be registered in the Indian Register pursuant to the Act;
(iii) is the spouse of a member of the Band, and
(iv) is not a member of another band;
(d) with the consent of the Band council, any person who
(i) has applied for membership in the Band,
(ii) was born after the date these rules come into force, and
(iii) is the natural child of a member of the Band, and
(e) any member of another band admitted into membership of the Band with the consent of the council of both bands and who thereupon ceases to be a member of the other band.
5. In considering an application under section 3, the Band Council shall not refuse to enter the name of the applicant in the Band List by reason only of a situation that existed or an action that was taken before these Rules came into force.
[15] For a proper understanding of the discussion which follows, it is necessary to have in mind sections 6, 7, 10 and 11 of the Indian Act as they were enacted by the 1985 legislation, often commonly referred to as Bill C-31. These texts read:
| Persons entitled to be registered 6. (1) Subject to section 7, a person is entitled to be registered if (a) that person was registered or entitled to be registered immediately prior to April 17, 1985; (b) that person is a member of a body of persons that has been declared by the Governor in Council on or after April 17, 1985 to be a band for the purposes of this Act; (c) the name of that person was omitted or deleted from the Indian Register, or from a band list prior to September 4, 1951, under subparagraph 12(1)(a)(iv), paragraph 12(1)(b) or subsection 12(2) or under subparagraph 12(1)(a)(iii) pursuant to an order made under subsection 109(2), as each provision read immediately prior to April 17, 1985, or under any former provision of this Act relating to the same subject-matter as any of those provisions; (d) the name of that person was omitted or deleted from the Indian Register, or from a band list prior to September 4, 1951, under subparagraph 12(1)(a)(iii) pursuant to an order made under subsection 109(1), as each provision read immediately prior to April 17, 1985, or under any former provision of this Act relating to the same subject-matter as any of those provisions; (e) the name of that person was omitted or deleted from the Indian Register, or from a band list prior to September 4, 1951, (i) under section 13, as it read immediately prior to September 4, 1951, or under any former provision of this Act relating to the same subject-matter as that section, or (ii) under section 111, as it read immediately prior to July 1, 1920, or under any former provision of this Act relating to the same subject-matter as that section; or (f) that person is a person both of whose parents are or, if no longer living, were at the time of death entitled to be registered under this section. 6(2) Idem (2) Subject to section 7, a person is entitled to be registered if that person is a person one of whose parents is or, if no longer living, was at the time of death entitled to be registered under subsection (1). 6(3) Deeming provision (3) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(f) and subsection (2), (a) a person who was no longer living immediately prior to April 17, 1985 but who was at the time of death entitled to be registered shall be deemed to be entitled to be registered under paragraph (1)(a); and (b) a person described in paragraph (1)(c), (d), (e) or (f) or subsection (2) and who was no longer living on April 17, 1985 shall be deemed to be entitled to be registered under that provision. R.S., 1985, c. I-5, s. 6; R.S., 1985, c. 32 (1st Supp.), s. 4, c. 43 (4th Supp.), s. 1.
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Personnes ayant droit à l'inscription 6. (1) Sous réserve de l'article 7, une personne a le droit d'être inscrite si elle remplit une des conditions suivantes_: a) elle était inscrite ou avait le droit de l'être le 16 avril 1985; b) elle est membre d'un groupe de personnes déclaré par le gouverneur en conseil après le 16 avril 1985 être une bande pour l'application de la présente loi; c) son nom a été omis ou retranché du registre des Indiens ou, avant le 4 septembre 1951, d'une liste de bande, en vertu du sous-alinéa 12(1)a)(iv), de l'alinéa 12(1)b) ou du paragraphe 12(2) ou en vertu du sous-alinéa 12(1)a)(iii) conformément à une ordonnance prise en vertu du paragraphe 109(2), dans leur version antérieure au 17 avril 1985, ou en vertu de toute disposition antérieure de la présente loi portant sur le même sujet que celui d'une de ces dispositions; d) son nom a été omis ou retranché du registre des Indiens ou, avant le 4 septembre 1951, d'une liste de bande, en vertu du sous-alinéa 12(1)a)(iii) conformément à une ordonnance prise en vertu du paragraphe 109(1), dans leur version antérieure au 17 avril 1985, ou en vertu de toute disposition antérieure de la présente loi portant sur le même sujet que celui d'une de ces dispositions; e) son nom a été omis ou retranché du registre des Indiens ou, avant le 4 septembre 1951, d'une liste de bande_: (i) soit en vertu de l'article 13, dans sa version antérieure au 4 septembre 1951, ou en vertu de toute disposition antérieure de la présente loi portant sur le même sujet que celui de cet article, (ii) soit en vertu de l'article 111, dans sa version antérieure au 1er juillet 1920, ou en vertu de toute disposition antérieure de la présente loi portant sur le même sujet que celui de cet article; f) ses parents ont tous deux le droit d'être inscrits en vertu du présent article ou, s'ils sont décédés, avaient ce droit à la date de leur décès. 6(2) Idem (2) Sous réserve de l'article 7, une personne a le droit d'être inscrite si l'un de ses parents a le droit d'être inscrit en vertu du paragraphe (1) ou, s'il est décédé, avait ce droit à la date de son décès. 6(3) Présomption (3) Pour l'application de l'alinéa (1)f) et du paragraphe (2)_: a) la personne qui est décédée avant le 17 avril 1985 mais qui avait le droit d'être inscrite à la date de son décès est réputée avoir le droit d'être inscrite en vertu de l'alinéa (1)a); b) la personne visée aux alinéas (1)c), d), e) ou f) ou au paragraphe (2) et qui est décédée avant le 17 avril 1985 est réputée avoir le droit d'être inscrite en vertu de ces dispositions. L.R. (1985), ch. I-5, art. 6; L.R. (1985), ch. 32 (1er suppl.), art. 4, ch. 43 (4e suppl.), art. 1.
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| 7(1) Persons not entitled to be registered 7. (1) The following persons are not entitled to be registered: (a) a person who was registered under paragraph 11(1)(f), as it read immediately prior to April 17, 1985, or under any former provision of this Act relating to the same subject-matter as that paragraph, and whose name was subsequently omitted or deleted from the Indian Register under this Act; or (b) a person who is the child of a person who was registered or entitled to be registered under paragraph 11(1)(f), as it read immediately prior to April 17, 1985, or under any former provision of this Act relating to the same subject-matter as that paragraph, and is also the child of a person who is not entitled to be registered. 7(2) Exception (2) Paragraph (1)(a) does not apply in respect of a female person who was, at any time prior to being registered under paragraph 11(1)(f), entitled to be registered under any other provision of this Act. 7(3) Idem (3) Paragraph (1)(b) does not apply in respect of the child of a female person who was, at any time prior to being registered under paragraph 11(1)(f), entitled to be registered under any other provision of this Act. R.S., 1985, c. I-5, s. 7; R.S., 1985, c. 32 (1st Supp.), s. 4. |
7(1) Personnes n'ayant pas droit à l'inscription 7. (1) Les personnes suivantes n'ont pas le droit d'être inscrites_: a) celles qui étaient inscrites en vertu de l'alinéa 11(1)f), dans sa version antérieure au 17 avril 1985, ou en vertu de toute disposition antérieure de la présente loi portant sur le même sujet que celui de cet alinéa, et dont le nom a ultérieurement été omis ou retranché du registre des Indiens en vertu de la présente loi; b) celles qui sont les enfants d'une personne qui était inscrite ou avait le droit de l'être en vertu de l'alinéa 11(1)f), dans sa version antérieure au 17 avril 1985, ou en vertu de toute disposition antérieure de la présente loi portant sur le même sujet que celui de cet alinéa, et qui sont également les enfants d'une personne qui n'a pas le droit d'être inscrite. 7(2) Exception (2) L'alinéa (1)a) ne s'applique pas à une personne de sexe féminin qui, avant qu'elle ne soit inscrite en vertu de l'alinéa 11(1)f), avait le droit d'être inscrite en vertu de toute autre disposition de la présente loi. 7(3) Idem (3) L'alinéa (1)b) ne s'applique pas à l'enfant d'une personne de sexe féminin qui, avant qu'elle ne soit inscrite en vertu de l'alinéa 11(1)f), avait le droit d'être inscrite en vertu de toute autre disposition de la présente loi. L.R. (1985), ch. I-5, art. 7; L.R. (1985), ch. 32 (1er suppl.), art. 4. |
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| 10(1) Band control of membership 10. (1) A band may assume control of its own membership if it establishes membership rules for itself in writing in accordance with this section and if, after the band has given appropriate notice of its intention to assume control of its own membership, a majority of the electors of the band gives its consent to the band's control of its own membership. 10(2) Membership rules (2) A band may, pursuant to the consent of a majority of the electors of the band, (a) after it has given appropriate notice of its intention to do so, establish membership rules for itself; and (b) provide for a mechanism for reviewing decisions on membership.10(3) Exception relating to consent (3) Where the council of a band makes a by-law under paragraph 81(1)(p.4) bringing this subsection into effect in respect of the band, the consents required under subsections (1) and (2) shall be given by a majority of the members of the band who are of the full age of eighteen years. 10(4) Acquired rights (4) Membership rules established by a band under this section may not deprive any person who had the right to have his name entered in the Band List for that band, immediately prior to the time the rules were established, of the right to have his name so entered by reason only of a situation that existed or an action that was taken before the rules came into force. 10(5) Idem (5) For greater certainty, subsection (4) applies in respect of a person who was entitled to have his name entered in the Band List under paragraph 11(1)(c) immediately before the band assumed control of the Band List if that person does not subsequently cease to be entitled to have his name entered in the Band List. 10(6) Notice to the Minister (6) Where the conditions set out in subsection (1) have been met with respect to a band, the council of the band shall forthwith give notice to the Minister in writing that the band is assuming control of its own membership and shall provide the Minister with a copy of the membership rules for the band. 10(7) Notice to band and copy of Band List (7) On receipt of a notice from the council of a band under subsection (6), the Minister shall, if the conditions set out in subsection (1) have been complied with, forthwith (a) give notice to the band that it has control of its own membership; and (b) direct the Registrar to provide the band with a copy of the Band List maintained in the Department. 10(8) Effective date of band's membership rules (8) Where a band assumes control of its membership under this section, the membership rules established by the band shall have effect from the day on which notice is given to the Minister under subsection (6), and any additions to or deletions from the Band List of the band by the Registrar on or after that day are of no effect unless they are in accordance with the membership rules established by the band. 10(9) Band to maintain Band List (9) A band shall maintain its own Band List from the date on which a copy of the Band List is received by the band under paragraph (7)(b), and, subject to section 13.2, the Department shall have no further responsibility with respect to that Band List from that date. 10(10) Deletions and additions (10) A band may at any time add to or delete from a Band List maintained by it the name of any person who, in accordance with the membership rules of the band, is entitled or not entitled, as the case may be, to have his name included in that list. 10(11) Date of change (11) A Band List maintained by a band shall indicate the date on which each name was added thereto or deleted therefrom. R.S., 1985, c. I-5, s. 10; R.S., 1985, c. 32 (1st Supp.), s. 4. |
10(1) Pouvoir de décision 10. (1) La bande peut décider de l'appartenance à ses effectifs si elle en fixe les règles par écrit conformément au présent article et si, après qu'elle a donné un avis convenable de son intention de décider de cette appartenance, elle y est autorisée par la majorité de ses électeurs. 10(2) Règles d'appartenance (2) La bande peut, avec l'autorisation de la majorité de ses électeurs_: a) après avoir donné un avis convenable de son intention de ce faire, fixer les règles d'appartenance à ses effectifs; b) prévoir une procédure de révision des décisions portant sur l'appartenance à ses effectifs. 10(3) Statut administratif sur l'autorisation requise (3) Lorsque le conseil d'une bande prend, en vertu de l'alinéa 81(1)p.4), un règlement administratif mettant en vigueur le présent paragraphe à l'égard de la bande, l'autorisation requise en vertu des paragraphes (1) et (2) doit être donnée par la majorité des membres de la bande âgés d'au moins dix-huit ans. 10(4) Droits acquis (4) Les règles d'appartenance fixées par une bande en vertu du présent article ne peuvent priver quiconque avait droit à ce que son nom soit consigné dans la liste de bande avant leur établissement du droit à ce que son nom y soit consigné en raison uniquement d'un fait ou d'une mesure antérieurs à leur prise d'effet. 10(5) Idem (5) Il demeure entendu que le paragraphe (4) s'applique à la personne qui avait droit à ce que son nom soit consigné dans la liste de bande en vertu de l'alinéa 11(1)c) avant que celle-ci n'assume la responsabilité de la tenue de sa liste si elle ne cesse pas ultérieurement d'avoir droit à ce que son nom y soit consigné. 10(6) Avis au ministre (6) Une fois remplies les conditions du paragraphe (1), le conseil de la bande, sans délai, avise par écrit le ministre du fait que celle-ci décide désormais de l'appartenance à ses effectifs et lui transmet le texte des règles d'appartenance. 10(7) Transmission de la liste (7) Sur réception de l'avis du conseil de bande prévu au paragraphe (6), le ministre, sans délai, s'il constate que les conditions prévues au paragraphe (1) sont remplies_: a) avise la bande qu'elle décide désormais de l'appartenance à ses effectifs; b) ordonne au registraire de transmettre à la bande une copie de la liste de bande tenue au ministère. 10(8) Date d'entrée en vigueur des règles d'appartenance (8) Lorsque la bande décide de l'appartenance à ses effectifs en vertu du présent article, les règles d'appartenance fixées par celle-ci entrent en vigueur à compter de la date où l'avis au ministre a été donné en vertu du paragraphe (6); les additions ou retranchements effectués par le registraire à l'égard de la liste de la bande après cette date ne sont valides que s'ils sont effectués conformément à ces règles. 10(9) Transfert de responsabilité (9) À compter de la réception de l'avis prévu à l'alinéa (7)b), la bande est responsable de la tenue de sa liste. Sous réserve de l'article 13.2, le ministère, à compter de cette date, est dégagé de toute responsabilité à l'égard de cette liste. 10(10) Additions et retranchements (10) La bande peut ajouter à la liste de bande tenue par elle, ou en retrancher, le nom de la personne qui, aux termes des règles d'appartenance de la bande, a ou n'a pas droit, selon le cas, à l'inclusion de son nom dans la liste. 10(11) Date du changement (11) La liste de bande tenue par celle-ci indique la date où chaque nom y a été ajouté ou en a été retranché. L.R. (1985), ch. I-5, art. 10; L.R. (1985), ch. 32 (1er suppl.), art. 4. |
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| 11(1) Membership rules for Departmental Band List 11. (1) Commencing on April 17, 1985, a person is entitled to have his name entered in a Band List maintained in the Department for a band if (a) the name of that person was entered in the Band List for that band, or that person was entitled to have it entered in the Band List for that band, immediately prior to April 17, 1985; (b) that person is entitled to be registered under paragraph 6(1)(b) as a member of that band; (c) that person is entitled to be registered under paragraph 6(1)(c) and ceased to be a member of that band by reason of the circumstances set out in that paragraph; or (d) that person was born on or after April 17, 1985 and is entitled to be registered under paragraph 6(1)(f) and both parents of that person are entitled to have their names entered in the Band List or, if no longer living, were at the time of death entitled to have their names entered in the Band List. 11(2) Additional membership rules for Departmental Band List (2) Commencing on the day that is two years after the day that an Act entitled An Act to amend the Indian Act, introduced in the House of Commons on February 28, 1985, is assented to, or on such earlier day as may be agreed to under section 13.1, where a band does not have control of its Band List under this Act, a person is entitled to have his name entered in a Band List maintained in the Department for the band (a) if that person is entitled to be registered under paragraph 6(1)(d) or (e) and ceased to be a member of that band by reason of the circumstances set out in that paragraph; or (b) if that person is entitled to be registered under paragraph 6(1)(f) or subsection 6(2) and a parent referred to in that provision is entitled to have his name entered in the Band List or, if no longer living, was at the time of death entitled to have his name entered in the Band List. 11(3) Deeming provision (3) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(d) and subsection (2), (a) a person whose name was omitted or deleted from the Indian Register or a band list in the circumstances set out in paragraph 6(1)(c), (d) or (e) and who was no longer living on the first day on which the person would otherwise be entitled to have the person's name entered in the Band List of the band of which the person ceased to be a member shall be deemed to be entitled to have the person's name so entered; and (b) a person described in paragraph (2)(b) shall be deemed to be entitled to have the person's name entered in the Band List in which the parent referred to in that paragraph is or was, or is deemed by this section to be, entitled to have the parent's name entered. 11(4) Where band amalgamates or is divided (4) Where a band amalgamates with another band or is divided so as to constitute new bands, any person who would otherwise have been entitled to have his name entered in the Band List of that band under this section is entitled to have his name entered in the Band List of the amalgamated band or the new band to which that person has the closest family ties, as the case may be. R.S., 1985, c. I-5, s. 11; R.S., 1985, c. 32 (1st Supp.), s. 4, c. 43 (4th Supp.), s. 2. |
11(1) Règles d'appartenance pour une liste tenue au ministère 11. (1) À compter du 17 avril 1985, une personne a droit à ce que son nom soit consigné dans une liste de bande tenue pour cette dernière au ministère si elle remplit une des conditions suivantes_: a) son nom a été consigné dans cette liste, ou elle avait droit à ce qu'il le soit le 16 avril 1985; b) elle a le droit d'être inscrite en vertu de l'alinéa 6(1)b) comme membre de cette bande; c) elle a le droit d'être inscrite en vertu de l'alinéa 6(1)c) et a cessé d'être un membre de cette bande en raison des circonstances prévues à cet alinéa; d) elle est née après le 16 avril 1985 et a le droit d'être inscrite en vertu de l'alinéa 6(1)f) et ses parents ont tous deux droit à ce que leur nom soit consigné dans la liste de bande ou, s'ils sont décédés, avaient ce droit à la date de leur décès. 11(2) Règles d'appartenance supplémentaires pour les listes tenues au ministère (2) À compter du jour qui suit de deux ans la date de sanction de la loi intitulée Loi modifiant la Loi sur les Indiens, déposée à la Chambre des communes le 28 février 1985, ou de la date antérieure choisie en vertu de l'article 13.1, lorsque la bande n'a pas la responsabilité de la tenue de sa liste prévue à la présente loi, une personne a droit à ce que son nom soit consigné dans la liste de bande tenue au ministère pour cette dernière dans l'un ou l'autre des cas suivants_: a) elle a le droit d'être inscrite en vertu des alinéas 6(1)d) ou e) et elle a cessé d'être un membre de la bande en raison des circonstances prévues à l'un de ces alinéas; b) elle a le droit d'être inscrite en vertu de l'alinéa 6(1)f) ou du paragraphe 6(2) et un de ses parents visés à l'une de ces dispositions a droit à ce que son nom soit consigné dans la liste de bande ou, s'il est décédé, avait ce droit à la date de son décès. 11(3) Présomption (3) Pour l'application de l'alinéa (1)d) et du paragraphe (2)_: a) la personne dont le nom a été omis ou retranché du registre des Indiens ou d'une liste de bande dans les circonstances prévues aux alinéas 6(1)c), d) ou e) et qui est décédée avant le premier jour où elle a acquis le droit à ce que son nom soit consigné dans la liste de bande dont elle a cessé d'être membre est réputée avoir droit à ce que son nom y soit consigné; b) la personne visée à l'alinéa (2)b) est réputée avoir droit à ce que son nom soit consigné dans la même liste de bande que celle dans laquelle le parent visé au même paragraphe a ou avait, ou est réputé avoir, en vertu du présent article, droit à ce que son nom y soit consigné. 11(4) Fusion ou division de bandes (4) Lorsqu'une bande fusionne avec une autre ou qu'elle est divisée pour former de nouvelles bandes, toute personne qui aurait par ailleurs eu droit à ce que son nom soit consigné dans la liste de la bande en vertu du présent article a droit à ce que son nom soit consigné dans la liste de la bande issue de la fusion ou de celle de la nouvelle bande à l'égard de laquelle ses liens familiaux sont les plus étroits. L.R. (1985), ch. I-5, art. 11; L.R. (1985), ch. 32 (1er suppl.), art. 4, ch. 43 (4e suppl.), art. 2. |
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[16] These provisions replaced the former provisions of the Indian Act in virtue of which the plaintiff had been deprived of her Indian status and Band membership by reason of her marriage to a non-Indian. On their coming into force the plaintiff became an "acquired rights" person and entitled to membership under subsections 6(1)(c) and 11(1)(c) (supra). The constitutionality of these provisions has been attacked by the Band in a part of this action which has been severed for trial purposes.
[17] In my view, the sole question raised by this motion for summary judgment is a very narrow one of legal interpretation : in the light of the facts as stated above, is the plaintiff a person described in paragraph 3(b) so as to entitle her to claim Band membership under that provision? Since there can be no dispute about those facts and the issue is simply one of the construction of the applicable Rules, the matter is one which is entirely appropriate for determination by summary judgment.
[18] That is not to say, however, that the question is a simple one ; it is not. While superficially the plaintiff may appear to meet the requirements of Rule 3(b) it requires only a brief consideration to realize that there are serious problems to the analysis.
[19] To begin with, it is clear that both the plaintiff's parents are not now, nor were they at the time the Rule came into force in 1985, entered on the Band List. By reason of his death in 1981 the name of plaintiff's father was removed from that list. Likewise, although it is likely that at the time of her birth, the plaintiff's parents were both entered on the Band List or its predecessor, there is no conclusive evidence on this motion to that effect. And if the Rule is viewed as having retrospective effect as of either the date of her birth or the date of the creation of the 1951 Band List, that effect has now been spent for the plaintiff was indeed accepted as a band member and entered on the Band List up to the time of her marriage to a non-Indian.
[20] Even if, as plaintiff's counsel urges, we should ignore the effect of plaintiff's father's death as being an "event" happening prior to the coming into force of the Rules (see Rule 5), the situation is still not clear for we are still left with the position that the plaintiff is seeking to benefit twice from the application of the provisions of Rule 3(b) : once, when she was first entered on the Band List and again today. This cannot be a correct reading of the Rules for it would mean that persons who had voluntarily resigned from the Band, or been properly expelled from it, could seek re-admission as of right.
[21] But quite apart from the rule against the retrospective application of statutes and the strange consequences of its breach in the present case, there is an even stronger argument against the interpretation of Rule 3(b) proposed by the plaintiff. It is trite law that context is an integral part of any exercise in interpretation. In the case of the Band's Membership Rules, that context importantly includes the fact that those Rules were adopted as a consequence of and in purported implementation of the 1985 amendments to the Indian Act.
[22] For the interpretation of Rule 3(b), in particular, that context of course includes the remainder of the Rules of which it forms but a part. As explained above, the plaintiff became entitled to the restoration of her Indian status and to be re-admitted to the Band as a result of the 1985 legislation. In particular, she was and is a person contemplated by section 11(1)(c) and to whom section 6(1)(c) applied having lost her status and Band Membership by reason of the former provisions of section 12 of the Act.
[23] Paragraph 3(a) of the Rules specifically contemplates such persons and purports to apply to them additional conditions which must be fulfilled before they can claim membership. It is not part of the issue on this summary judgment motion (whatever may be the case with regard to the main action of which it forms an incident) to decide whether the Rule is valid and in compliance with the underlying legislation. But valid or not, a reading of 3(a) is essential to an understanding of the true meaning and intent of 3(b). It is in my view, simply inconceivable that the draft person of both those Rules intended to give to 3(b) the scope contented for by the plaintiff.
[24] Many, if not most of the acquired rights persons contemplated by the new section 11(1) must have been born to parents who would have been members of the Band from which their child was subsequently excluded by the operation of the former section 12. The addition of the detailed conditions to the provisions of Rule 3(a) is quite simply incompatible with the reading of 3(b) which would have it grant unconditional membership to all such persons.
[25] Since it is quite possible logically to interpret Rule 3(b) as being only prospective in scope and as not applying to an acquired rights person contemplated in section 11(1) of the Act, I conclude that that is the proper way to construe it.
[26] To sum up on this aspect of the matter: the death of the plaintiff's father in 1981 is irrelevant to her claim to membership. Rule 5 would prevent it from being used to defeat that claim because it occurred before the coming into force of the Membership Rules. But the plaintiff's claim is not improved by her father's death and would fail even if he were alive. The plaintiff is a person who "would be entitled pursuant to subsection 11(1) of the Act to have his or her name entered in the Band List." As such, her case is comprehensively dealt with by Rule 3a and Rule 3b simply does not apply to her.
[27] This brings me to the question of costs on the motion for summary judgment. Normally they would follow the event and be awarded to the defendant Band. However, in my consideration, counsel for the Band has been entirely unhelpful on the hearing of this motion. He failed to seize on or deal with the problem of interpretation raised by the motion and did not put forward any of the arguments which ultimately found favour with the Court.
[28] Furthermore, he argued at length matters which were not in issue on the motion. In particular :
1. I was treated to lengthy argument and reference to irrelevant affidavit evidence attempting to show that the plaintiff was not entitled to claim membership under the provisions of Rule 3(a). As I have stated, plaintiff's counsel in both written and oral submissions had clearly abandoned any claim of this sort on summary judgment.
2. It was also urged upon me that I should give some weight to affidavits by a Band Counsellor and the present Chief (who was not even a member of the Band at the time) giving what they thought the intention of the Band Council had been at the time when the Membership Rules were adopted. In my view, this evidence is simply not to be accepted. Declarations by legislators made after the fact and after litigation has been engaged as to what were their intentions at the time they adopted legislation are simply self-serving and of no value.
3. It was urged upon me that the plaintiff and her parents had not been properly entered in the Band List of 1951 and evidence was led which might arguably support this view. However, there is no question that the Band List exists and no suggestion that it has ever been corrected by competent authority. Unless and until that is done, the Band List, which is the reference document for the application of Rule 3(b), must be taken at its face value and not subjected to collateral attacks of this sort.
4. It was finally suggested (in evidence which I found to have very little persuasive value) that the 1951 Band List had not been posted in the manner required by the legislation then in force. Here again, there is no suggestion that the 1951 Band List has ever been competently attacked and I am not prepared to simply treat it as a nullity on such a casual and insubstantial basis.
[29] For these reasons there will be no costs on the motion for summary judgment.
Conclusion
[30] For all the above reasons, the motion to strike will be dismissed with costs and the motion for summary judgment will be dismissed without costs.
Judge
Ottawa, Ontario
June 22, 2001
[1] Rothmans of Pall Mall Canada Ltd. v. Canada (Minister of National Revenue - M.N.R. [1976] 2 F.C. 512 (FCA); see also Robert George Wison v. Minister of Justice [1985] 1 F.C. 586 (FCA).