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Docket: T-898-02

Neutral citation: 2002 FCT 933

BETWEEN:

CHRISTINE MCKINNEY

Applicant

- and -

THE SOLICITOR GENERAL OF CANADA

Respondent

Let the attached certified transcript of my Reasons for Order delivered orally from the Bench at Edmonton, Alberta on the 6th day of August, 2002, now edited, be filed to comply with section 51 of the Federal Court Act.

                                                                                                                        "Eleanor R. Dawson"             

Judge

Vancouver, British Columbia

August 12, 2002


IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF CANADA

TRIAL DIVISION

____________________________________

Court Number T-898-02

BETWEEN:

CHRISTINE McKINNEY

Applicant

- and -

THE SOLICITOR GENERAL OF CANADA

Respondent

______________________________________________

DECISION

August 6, 2002

Held at the Federal Court of Canada

Edmonton, Alberta

Volume 1

_______________________________________________

TAKEN BEFORE:

The Honourable Madam Justice Eleanor R. Dawson


APPEARANCES

TAKEN BEFORE:

02

03

03

04        The Honourable Madam Justice Eleanor R. Dawson

04

05

05            --------------------------------------

06

06

07 On Her Own Behalf               Appeared for the Applicant

07

08 R. Nichwolodoff, Esq.          Appeared for the Respondent

08

09

09            --------------------------------------

10

10

11 Chantal St. Jean              Court Registrar

11

12 Susan J. Hedberg, CSR(A), RPR Realtime Reporter

12

13

13                  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

0003


01              (PROCEEDINGS RESUMED AT 9:45 A.M.)

02 THE REGISTRAR:             Court is now resumed.

03 THE COURT:                  Having taken time to review the

04       materials filed in support of this motion and having

05       heard the submissions of the applicant and counsel

06       for the respondent, I am now prepared to render my

07        decision and reasons for that decision.

08                               On this motion, the applicant

09       seeks leave for the late filing of her affidavit

10       evidence in support of the application for judicial

11       review which she has filed.

12                               As has been written on a number

13       of occasions, the time requirement set by the Federal

14       Court Rules are not merely deadlines to be attempted

15       to be met; they are Rules to be observed.

16                               Where an affidavit in support

17       of an application for judicial review is not filed on

18       time and an extension of time for the filing of the

19       affidavit is sought, the Court has established

20       criteria which are to be met by an applicant.

21                               The Court is to consider the

22       reasons for the delay in filing the affidavit

23       evidence and to consider whether the proposed

24       affidavit evidence contains evidence which is

25       relevant and admissible. Put another way, the Court

26       balances the length of delay against the intrinsic


01       worth of the proposed affidavit. As authority for

02       this see -- and I will spell the case name --

03       S-t-r-y-k-i-w-s-k-y v. Stony Mountain Institution

04       [2000] F.C.J. No. 1404 at paragraph 7 and 8. See

05       also Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society v. Canada

06       (Minister of the Environment) [1994] F.C.J. No. 603

07       at paragraph 13.

08                               In the present case, the

09       applicant has neither put the proposed affidavit

10       before the Court nor advised in any detail as to what

11       that evidence will be. In consequence, the Court is

12       unable to consider the intrinsic worth of the

13       affidavit. The applicant, Ms. McKinney, advises and

14       swears in her affidavit that the affidavit which she

15       proposes to file is now prepared and can be filed

16       within the week.

17                               The respondent seeks the

18       dismissal of this motion or, in the alternative, asks

19       that the motion be adjourned until cross-examination

20       of Ms. McKinney on her affidavit in support of the

21       motion for an extension can be arranged and

22       completed.

23                               In the result, my order is as

24       follows: This motion is adjourned to the general

25       sittings of this court to take place on October 7th,

26       2002, at 9:30 a.m. in Edmonton on the following


01       conditions: First, Ms. McKinney will serve and file

02       on or before Friday, August 9th, an affidavit which

03       identifies and attaches all of the proposed

04       affidavits and the exhibits which she wishes to file

05       in support of her application for judicial review. I

06       would encourage her to serve and file this material

07       as soon as possible.

08                               The second condition is that

09       Ms. McKinney will make herself available within the

10       next four weeks at a date, time, and place convenient

11       to counsel for the respondent and Ms. McKinney so

12       that she may be cross-examined on her affidavit in

13       support of the motion for an extension of time.

14                               The costs of this appearance

15       are to be dealt with by the judge who hears and

16       determines the motion for an extension of time.

17                               Does either party have any

18       question?

19 MR. NICHWOLODOFF:          No, Madam Justice.

20 MS. McKINNEY:              I have none.

21 THE COURT:                  You understand this order?

22 MS. McKINNEY:              Correct. To have that filed

23       and served by August 9th.

24 THE COURT:                  That's right.

25 MS. McKINNEY:             And to make myself available

26       for cross-examination.


01 THE COURT:                  Within the month.

02                               And you should make that

03       arrangement directly with counsel for the

04       respondent.

05 MS. McKINNEY:              Okay.

06 THE COURT:                  I would encourage you to not

07       leave this until the last minute so that you make

08       sure you meet this filing deadline before the

09       registry closes on Friday.

10 MS. McKINNEY:              Okay.

11 THE COURT:                  All right. Then this matter is

12       concluded. Thank you.

13 MS. McKINNEY:              Thank you.

14             (PROCEEDINGS CONCLUDED AT 9:57 A.M.)

15

16                  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26


0001

01

01

02                 IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF CANADA

02                         TRIAL DIVISION

03

03             ____________________________________

04                      Court Number T-898-02

04

05

05 BETWEEN:

06

06

07                       CHRISTINE McKINNEY

07

08                                        Applicant

08

09                              - and -

09

10

10                 THE SOLICITOR GENERAL OF CANADA

11

11                                        Respondent

12

12

13

13

14

14        ______________________________________________

15

15

16                           DECISION

16

17                         August 6, 2002

17

18              Held at the Federal Court of Canada

18                        Edmonton, Alberta

19

19                           Volume 1                    

20

20        _______________________________________________

21

21

22

22

23

23

24

24

25 TAKEN BEFORE:

25

26        The Honourable Madam Justice Eleanor R. Dawson


26


0002

01                           APPEARANCES

01

02 TAKEN BEFORE:

02

03

03

04        The Honourable Madam Justice Eleanor R. Dawson

04

05

05             --------------------------------------

06

06

07 On Her Own Behalf              Appeared for the Applicant

07

08 R. Nichwolodoff, Esq.          Appeared for the Respondent

08

09

09            --------------------------------------

10

10

11 Chantal St. Jean              Court Registrar

11

12 Susan J. Hedberg, CSR(A), RPR Realtime Reporter

12

13

13                  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26


0003

01              (PROCEEDINGS RESUMED AT 9:45 A.M.)

02 THE REGISTRAR:             Court is now resumed.

03 THE COURT:                  Having taken time to review the

04       materials filed in support of this motion and having

05       heard the submissions of the applicant and counsel

06       for the respondent, I am now prepared to render my

07       decision and reasons for that decision.

08                               On this motion, the applicant

09       seeks leave for the late filing of her affidavit

10       evidence in support of the application for judicial

11       review which she has filed.

12                               As has been written on a number

13       of occasions, the time requirement set by the Federal

14       Court Rules are not merely deadlines to be attempted

15       to be met; they are Rules to be observed.

16                               Where an affidavit in support

17       of an application for judicial review is not filed on

18       time and an extension of time for the filing of the

19       affidavit is sought, the Court has established

20       criteria which are to be met by an applicant.

21                               The Court is to consider the

22       reasons for the delay in filing the affidavit

23       evidence and to consider whether the proposed

24       affidavit evidence contains evidence which is

25       relevant and admissible. Put another way, the Court

26       balances the length of delay against the intrinsic


0004

01       worth of the proposed affidavit. As authority for

02       this see -- and I will spell the case name --

03       S-t-r-y-k-i-w-s-k-y v. Stony Mountain Institution

04       [2000] F.C.J. No. 1404 at paragraph 7 and 8. See

05       also Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society v. Canada

06       (Minister of the Environment) [1994] F.C.J. No. 603

07       at paragraph 13.

08                               In the present case, the

09       applicant has neither put the proposed affidavit

10       before the Court nor advised in any detail as to what

11       that evidence will be. In consequence, the Court is

12       unable to consider the intrinsic worth of the

13       affidavit. The applicant, Ms. McKinney, advises and

14       swears in her affidavit that the affidavit which she

15       proposes to file is now prepared and can be filed

16       within the week.

17                               The respondent seeks the

18       dismissal of this motion or, in the alternative, asks

19       that the motion be adjourned until cross-examination

20       of Ms. McKinney on her affidavit in support of the

21       motion for an extension can be arranged and

22       completed.

23                               In the result, my order is as

24       follows: This motion is adjourned to the general

25       sittings of this court to take place on October 7th,

26       2002, at 9:30 a.m. in Edmonton on the following



0005

01       conditions: First, Ms. McKinney will serve and file

02       on or before Friday, August 9th, an affidavit which

03       identifies and attaches all of the proposed

04       affidavits and the exhibits which she wishes to file

05       in support of her application for judicial review. I

06       would encourage her to serve and file this material

07       as soon as possible.

08                               The second condition is that

09       Ms. McKinney will make herself available within the

10       next four weeks at a date, time, and place convenient

11       to counsel for the respondent and Ms. McKinney so

12       that she may be cross-examined on her affidavit in

13       support of the motion for an extension of time.

14                               The costs of this appearance

15       are to be dealt with by the judge who hears and

16       determines the motion for an extension of time.

17                              Does either party have any

18       question?

19 MR. NICHWOLODOFF:          No, Madam Justice.

20 MS. McKINNEY:              I have none.

21 THE COURT:                  You understand this order?

22 MS. McKINNEY:             Correct. To have that filed

23       and served by August 9th.

24 THE COURT:                  That's right.

25 MS. McKINNEY:              And to make myself available

26       for cross-examination.



0006

01 THE COURT:                  Within the month.

02                               And you should make that

03       arrangement directly with counsel for the

04       respondent.

05 MS. McKINNEY:              Okay.

06 THE COURT:                  I would encourage you to not

07       leave this until the last minute so that you make

08       sure you meet this filing deadline before the

09       registry closes on Friday.

10 MS. McKINNEY:              Okay.

11 THE COURT:                  All right. Then this matter is

12       concluded. Thank you.

13 MS. McKINNEY:              Thank you.

14             (PROCEEDINGS CONCLUDED AT 9:57 A.M.)

15

16                  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26


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