Federal Court Decisions

Date: 20021009

Docket: T-1350-00

Neutral citation: 2002 FCT 1051

Between:

FOCUS MANUFACTURE INC.

Plaintiff

and

AMER SPORTS CANADA INC.

BURTON CORPORATION

EXCURSION EXTRÊME INC.

FORUM SNOWBOARDS INC.

FOUR STAR DISTRIBUTION (CANADA) LTÉE

GASTREM (1993) INC.

K2 CORPORATION OF CANADA

LES AGENCES MARIO LABELLE INC.

MONARK SPORTS LTÉE

NUBILE DISTRIBUTION INC.

OPTION SNOWBOARDS INC.

SALOMON CANADA SPORTS LTÉE

SKIS DYNASTAR CANADA LTÉE

Defendants

ASSESSMENT OF COSTS - REASONS

MICHELLE LAMY, ASSESSMENT OFFICER

[1]                 On October 26, 2000, the plaintiff completely discontinued its action for infringement initiated on July 25, 2000. Pursuant to Rule 402 of the Federal Court Rules (1998), assessment of the costs of the defendants Excursion Extrême Inc., Monark Sports Ltée and Skis Dynastar Canada Ltée went forward on September 24, 2002, with Isabelle Pillet as counsel for the plaintiff and Pascal Lauzon representing the defendants.

[2]                 As no defence had been filed on October 26, 2000, the costs claimed by the defendants were limited to the disbursements incurred by them, namely:

[3]                 The extra-judicial fees of counsel for the defendants, Brouillette, Charpentier, Fortin, amounting to $29,937.51 cannot be allowed since there is no order by the Court authorizing assessment of costs on a solicitor-client basis. Rule 407 states that unless the Court orders otherwise, party-and-party costs shall be assessed in accordance with column III of the table to Tariff B.

[4]                 The defendants' affidavit submitted in support of their memorandum mentions that the defendant Dynastar, a subsidiary of a French company, consulted its French experts on intellectual property to obtain an opinion on the infringement and validity of the plaintiff's patent. Between December 1, 1999, the date of the notification sent to the defendants, and the institution of the action, an exchange of correspondence ensued between counsel for the plaintiff and the intellectual property consultants Laurent & Charras. The fees of Laurent & Charras in the amount of $11,099.32 cannot be allowed as expert costs, since these expenses were actually incurred for professional services rendered in this case, in particular for legal advice and opinions. The plaintiff referred the Court to the rule stated in Crelinsten Fruit Co. v. Maritime Fruit Carriers Co. [1976] 2 F.C. 316 (T.D.), where it states:

Neither would it appear to be proper to [treat] learned counsel who are engaged as such by an attorney of record in an advisory capacity, who do not participate in the trial, in the same manner as expert witnesses and consider sums disbursed for these services as a disbursement proper to include in any party and party taxation of the bill of costs.

[5]                 The travel costs amounting to $11.00, namely a return trip from the offices of Brouillette, Charpentier, Fortin to the Federal Court, are not allowed as they were actually operating costs that are not usually recoverable in an assessment.

[6]                 Except for the bailiffs' fees incurred on September 6, 2000 ($6.90), the other claims are dismissed since the documents (letter and notice of discontinuance) could easily have been served by fax.

[7]                 The defendants' affidavit states that costs of $205.00 were billed to them for fax transmission, since counsel for the defendants are located in Montréal while the defendant Excursion Extrême Inc. is located in Beauport and the representatives for the co-defendant Skis Dynastar Canada Ltée are located in Bromont and in France. In these circumstances, I allow this expense in its entirety.

[8]                 The same applies to the costs of $230.05 for a credit check. It seems reasonable for a party against whom an action has been brought to want to make such a check.

[9]                 The charges for photocopies, long distance calls and research ($36.91) are allowed as such, as they were not disputed.

[10]            The parties agreed to the awarding of four units under item 26 of Tariff B for the assessment of costs in an amount of $506.11 (4 units x $110/unit + taxes).

[11]            In view of the foregoing, the defendants' costs resulting from this case are assessed and allowed in the amount of $1,051.52 and a certificate is issued for that amount.

   

MONTRÉAL, QUEBEC

October 9, 2002

  

Certified true translation

Suzanne M. Gauthier, C. Tr., LL.L.

                                                    FEDERAL COURT OF CANADA

                                                                 TRIAL DIVISION

                                                          SOLICITORS OF RECORD

COURT FILE No.:                                                  T-1350-00

STYLE OF CAUSE:                                                FOCUS MANUFACTURE INC.

Plaintiff

and

AMER SPORTS CANADA INC.

BURTON CORPORATION

EXCURSION EXTRÊME INC.

FORUM SNOWBOARDS INC.

FOUR STAR DISTRIBUTION (CANADA) LTÉE

GASTREM (1993) INC.

K2 CORPORATION OF CANADA

LES AGENCES MARIO LABELLE INC.

MONARK SPORTS LTÉE

NUBILE DISTRIBUTION INC.

OPTION SNOWBOARDS INC.

SALOMON CANADA SPORTS LTÉE

SKIS DYNASTAR CANADA LTÉE

Defendants

PLACE OF ASSESSMENT:                                  Montréal, Quebec

DATE OF ASSESSMENT:                                    September 24, 2002

REASONS BY: MICHELLE LAMY, ASSESSMENT OFFICER

DATE OF REASONS:                                            October 9, 2002

  

APPEARANCES:

Isabelle Pillet                                                               for the plaintiff

Pascal Lauzon                                                             for the defendants Excursion Extrême Inc., Monark Sports Ltée and Skis Dynastar Canada Ltée

  

SOLICITORS OF RECORD:

De Man, Pilotte                                                           for the plaintiff

Montréal, Quebec

Brouillette, Charpentier, Fortin                                   for the defendants Excursion Extrême Inc.,

Montréal, Quebec                                                     Monark Sports Ltée and Skis Dynastar Canada Ltée

Gowling, Lafleur, Henderson                                      for the defendant K2 Corporation of Canada

Toronto, Ontario

Léger, Robic, Richard                                                 for the defendants Option Snowboards Inc. and

Montréal, Quebec                                                     Burton Corporation

Fasken, Martineau, DuMoulin                                    for the defendant Salomon Canada Sports Ltée

Montréal, Quebec

Leduc, Leblanc                                                            for the defendants Les Agences Mario Labelle

Montréal, Quebec                                                     Inc. and Gastrem (1993) Inc.

MacBeth & Johnson                                                   for the defendant Amer Sports Canada Inc.

Toronto, Ontario

Smart & Biggar                                                           for the defendants Forum Snowboards Inc.,

Vancouver, British Columbia                                      Nubile Distribution Inc. and Four Star Distribution Canada Ltée

  

Date: 20021009

Docket: T-1350-00

Between:

FOCUS MANUFACTURE INC.

Plaintiff

and

AMER SPORTS CANADA INC.

BURTON CORPORATION

EXCURSION EXTRÊME INC.

FORUM SNOWBOARDS INC.

FOUR STAR DISTRIBUTION (CANADA) LTÉE

GASTREM (1993) INC.

K2 CORPORATION OF CANADA

LES AGENCES MARIO LABELLE INC.

MONARK SPORTS LTÉE

NUBILE DISTRIBUTION INC.

OPTION SNOWBOARDS INC.

SALOMON CANADA SPORTS LTÉE

SKIS DYNASTAR CANADA LTÉE

Defendants

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CERTIFICATE OF ASSESSMENT OF COSTS

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I hereby certify that the costs of the defendants Excursion Extrême Inc., Monark Sports Ltée and Skis Dynastar Canada Ltée in the instant case have been assessed and allowed in the

amount of $1,051.52.

MONTRÉAL, QUEBEC                                                                      "Michelle Lamy"        

October 9, 2002                                                                                  Assessment officer

  

Certified true translation

Suzanne M. Gauthier, C. Tr., LL.L.