Frève c. Canada (Attorney General)

Frève c. Canada (Attorney General) Court (s) Database Federal Court of Appeal Decisions Date 2001-04-02 Neutral citation 2001 FCA 98 File numbers A-215-00 Decision Content Date: 20010402 Docket: A-215-00 Neutral reference: 2001 FCA 98 Coram: DESJARDINS J.A. DÉCARY J.A. NOËL J.A. Between: ANDREW FRÈVE Plaintiff AND ATTORNEY GENERAL OF CANADA (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada) Defendant Hearing held at Montréal, Quebec on Monday, April 2, 2001 Judgment from the bench at Montréal, Quebec on Monday, April 2, 2001 REASONS FOR JUDGMENT OF THE COURT BY: DESJARDINS J.A. Date: 20010402 Docket: A-215-00 Neutral reference: 2001 FCA 98 Coram: DESJARDINS J.A. DÉCARY J.A. NOËL J.A. Between: ANDREW FRÈVE Plaintiff AND ATTORNEY GENERAL OF CANADA (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada) Defendant REASONS FOR JUDGMENT OF THE COURT (Delivered from the bench at Montréal, Quebec on Monday, April 2, 2001) DESJARDINS J.A. [1] The plaintiff is seeking judicial review of a decision by the Public Service Staff Relations Board ("the Board"), cases 149-2-217 and 166-2-28643, Marguerite-Marie Galipeau, d.c., which dismissed a motion for an extension of time to file a grievance that the employer had not observed the Workforce Adjustment Directive (Treasury Board Secretariat, July 16, 1996). See Early Departure Incentive Program Order, P.C. 1995-1086, and Public Sector Compensation Act, S.C. 1991, c. 30, as amended by the Budget Implementation Act, 1995, S.C. 1995, c. 17. [2] The power to extend a deadline is set out in s. 63 of the Public Service Staff Relations Board Regulations and Rules of Procedure (1993), SOR/93-348, which reads as follows: 63. Notwithstanding anything in this Part, the times prescribed by this Part or provided for in a grievance procedure contained in a collective agreement or in an arbitral award for the doing of any act, the presentation of a grievance at any level or the providing or filing of any notice, reply or document may be extended, either before or after the expiration of those times (a) by agreement between parties; or (b) by the Board, on the application of an employer, an employee or a bargaining agent, on such terms and conditions as the Board considers advisable. 63. Par dérogation à toute autre disposition de la présente partie, les délais prévus aux termes de la présente partie, d'une procédure applicable aux griefs énoncée dans une convention collective ou d'une décision arbitrale, pour l'accomplissement d'un acte, la présentation d'un grief à un palier ou la remise ou le dépôt d'un avis, d'une réponse ou d'un document peuvent être prorogés avant ou après leur expiration: (a) soit par une entente entre les parties; (b) soit par la Commission, à la demande de l'employeur, du fonctionnaire ou de l'agent négociateur selon les modalités que la Commission juge indiquées. [3] This power is discretionary in nature and must be exercised judicially. (See Reza v. Canada, [1994] 2 S.C.R. 394, at 404). [4] There is nothing in the record to indicate that the deputy chairperson took irrelevant facts into account. On the contrary, she considered applicable factors, namely whether the grievance had a serious chance of succeeding and the reasons given by the plaintiff to justify his delay. [5] It is clear from the reasons for her decision that she was not persuaded either by the chances of success of the grievance or the reasons given by the plaintiff to justify his delay. [6] The application for judicial review will be dismissed with costs. Alice Desjardins J.A. Certified true translation Suzanne M. Gauthier, LL.L. Trad. a. FEDERAL COURT OF CANADA APPEAL DIVISION Date: 20010402 Docket: A-215-00 Between: ANDREW FRÈVE Plaintiff, AND ATTORNEY GENERAL OF CANADA (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada) Defendant REASONS FOR JUDGMENT OF THE COURT FEDERAL COURT OF CANADA APPEAL DIVISION NAMES OF COUNSEL AND SOLICITORS OF RECORD FILE: A-215-00 STYLE OF CAUSE: ANDREW FRÈVE Plaintiff AND ATTORNEY GENERAL OF CANADA (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada) Defendant PLACE OF HEARING: Montréal, Quebec DATE OF HEARING: April 2, 2001 REASONS FOR JUDGMENT BY: DESJARDINS J.A. DATED: April 2, 2001 APPEARANCES: Sean T. McGee FOR THE PLAINTIFF Marie-Claude Couture FOR THE DEFENDANT SOLICITORS OF RECORD: Nelligan, Power FOR THE PLAINTIFF Ottawa, Ontario Morris Rosenberg FOR THE DEFENDANT Deputy Attorney General of Canada Montréal, Quebec Date: 20010402 Docket: A-215-00 MONTRÉAL, QUEBEC, APRIL 2, 2001 Coram: DESJARDINS J. A. DÉCARY J.A. NOËL J.A. Between: ANDREW FRÈVE Plaintiff AND ATTORNEY GENERAL OF CANADA (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada) Defendant JUDGMENT The application for judicial review is dismissed with costs. Alice Desjardins J.A. Certified true translation Suzanne M. Gauthier, LL.L. Trad. a.