Pellerin v. The Queen

Pellerin v. The Queen

Where a child is born alive and viable, Quebec law treats that child as retroactively a person and—where beneficial to the child—as a beneficiary from conception; Article 5.1 did not negate that fiction and could be read consistently with Quebec law; the 24‑month requirement in s.110.6(1)(b) applies to ownership...

Source-derived case information.

Citation
2015 TCC 130
Parties
Appellant: Mika Pellerin; Respondent: Her Majesty the Queen
Court
Tax Court of Canada
Jurisdiction
Canada
Judgment Date
22 May 2015
Procedural Posture
Tax Court Appeal (income Tax Act) / Judgment (informal Procedure)
Outcome
Appeal allowed; reassessments set aside and matter referred back to Minister for reconsideration and reassessment; costs awarded to appellant.
Legal Topics
Capital Gains Exemption, Qualified Small Business Corporation Shares, Personal Trust, Legal Personality of Unborn Child, Statutory Interpretation
Source Language
en
Tax Law Trusts Quebec Civil Law Income Tax Act Interpretation Capital Gains Exemption Qualified Small Business Corporation Shares Personal Trust Legal Personality of Unborn Child +1 more

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Parties

Mika Pellerin

Appellant

Her Majesty the Queen

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Tax Court Appeal (income Tax Act) / Judgment (informal Procedure)

  1. 1 Whether shares sold by a taxpayer under two years old qualified as qualified small business corporation shares under s.110.6 given that shares had been held by a related personal trust during the 24 months prior to disposition
  2. 2 Whether a child conceived but not yet born is to be treated as a beneficiary of a trust for the 24‑month period under applicable Quebec law once born alive and viable
  3. 3 Whether Article 5.1 of the trust deed overrides the Civil Code fiction that a child born viable is retroactively a person/beneficiary from conception

Ratio Decidendi

Where a child is born alive and viable, Quebec law treats that child as retroactively a person and—where beneficial to the child—as a beneficiary from conception; Article 5.1 did not negate that fiction and could be read consistently with Quebec law; the 24‑month requirement in s.110.6(1)(b) applies to ownership throughout the period and it is sufficient that at the determination time the other owner was related to the taxpayer who disposed of the shares; therefore the shares qualified as QSBCS and the appeal is allowed.

Court Disposition

Appeal allowed; reassessments set aside and matter referred back to Minister for reconsideration and reassessment; costs awarded to appellant.

Orders

  • Appeal from reassessments for 2008, 2009 and 2010 allowed
  • Reassessments referred back to the Minister of National Revenue for reconsideration and reassessment in accordance with the Reasons for Judgment