Federal Court of Appeal Decisions

Decision Information

Bouloud v. Canada (Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness)

Court (s) Database Federal Court of Appeal Decisions
Date 2016-02-08
Neutral citation 2016 FCA 41
File numbers A-116-15

Decision Content

Date: 20160208

Docket: A-116-15

Citation: 2016 FCA 41

CORAM:

NOËL C.J.

SCOTT J.A.

DE MONTIGNY J.A.

 

 

BETWEEN:

JEAN-MARC POULIN DE COURVAL
acting as bankruptcy trustee for Ergün Bouloud

Appellant

and

MINISTER OF PUBLIC SAFETY
AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

Respondent

Heard at Montréal, Quebec on February 8, 2016.

Judgment delivered from the bench at Montréal, Quebec, on February 8, 2016.

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT OF THE COURT BY:

NOËL C.J.

 

Date: 20160208

Docket: A-116-15

Citation: 2016 FCA 41

CORAM:

NOËL C.J.

SCOTT J.A.

DE MONTIGNY J.A.

 

 

BETWEEN:

JEAN-MARC POULIN DE COURVAL
acting as bankruptcy trustee for Ergün Bouloud

Appellant

and

MINISTER OF PUBLIC SAFETY
AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

Respondent

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT OF THE COURT

(Delivered from the bench at Montréal, Quebec, on February 8, 2016.)

NOËL C.J.

[1]               This is an appeal from a decision rendered by Justice Bédard, a member of the Federal Court (2015 FC 186) at the time, dismissing the motion for judicial review initially presented by Ergün Bouloud (the bankrupt) and subsequently pursued by Jean-Marc Poulin de Courval, acting as Mr. Bouloud's bankruptcy trustee (the trustee), of a decision rendered by the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness (the Minister), disallowing the refund of the currency seized as forfeit under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act, S.C. 2000, c. 17 (the Act).

[2]               Given the principle propounded by this Court in Sellathurai v. Canada (Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness), 2008 FCA 255, [2008] F.C.J. No. 1267 at paragraph 50, as confirmed and applied in Canada (Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness) v. Huang, 2014 FCA 228, [2014] F.C.J. No. 1010 at paragraphs 22, 55 and 59, our intervention is not warranted.

[3]               As stated in these cases, the Ministers' discretion under section 29 is limited. The only question which arises under this provision is whether the evidence submitted regarding the forfeited currency satisfactorily shows that it does not represent the proceeds of crime. The trustee, by replacing the bankrupt in this proceeding, could not claim greater rights and was therefore subject to the same restrictions.

[4]               The bona fide owner of forfeited property is, however, not left unprotected, as the remedy provided for under section 32 ultimately allows the Superior Court to order restitution of the forfeited property, provided that the claimant's bona fide interest as owner is shown.

[5]               The appeal will be dismissed with costs.

“Marc Noël”

Chief Justice

Translation

FEDERAL COURT OF APPEAL

SOLICITORS OF RECORD

DOCKET:

A-116-15

 

 

STYLE OF CAUSE:

JEAN-MARC POULIN DE COURVAL ACTING AS BANKRUPTCY TRUSTEE FOR ERGÜN BOULOUD v. MINISTER OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

 

 

PLACE OF HEARING:

Montréal, QuEbec

 

DATE OF HEARING:

February 8, 2016

 

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT OF THE COURT BY:

NOËL C.J.

SCOTT J.A.

DE MONTIGNY J.A.

 

DELIVERED FROM THE BENCH BY:

NOËL C.J.

 

APPEARANCES:

Jean-Philippe Gervais

 

For the appellant

 

Maguy Hachem

 

For the respondent

 

SOLICITORS OF RECORD:

Jean-Philippe Gervais

Montreal, Quebec

 

For the appellant

 

William F. Pentney

Deputy Attorney General of Canada

 

For the respondent

 

 

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