Divisional
Court File No. 316/15
ONTARIO
SUPERIOR
COURT OF JUSTICE
DIVISIONAL
COURT
B E T W E E N:
ERROL
MASSIAH
Applicant
- and -
JUSTICES
OF THE PEACE REVIEW COUNCIL and THE LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR BY AND WITH THE ADVICE AND CONCURRENCE OF THE
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY FOR THE
PROVINCE OF ONTARIO and THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR ONTARIO
GOVERNOR BY AND WITH THE ADVICE AND CONCURRENCE OF THE
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY FOR THE
PROVINCE OF ONTARIO and THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR ONTARIO
Respondents
- and-
RAJ ANAND and WEIR FOULDS LLP
Intervenors
APPLICANT’S FACTUM
E. J. GUISTE
PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION
Trial & Appellate
Advocacy
2 County Court Blvd., Suite
494
Brampton, Ontario
L6W 3W8
Ernest J. Guiste (LSUC #
34970C)
Tel. (416) 364-8908
Fax (416) 364-0973 fax
E mail – ejguiste@yahoo.com
Counsel for the Applicant,
His Worship Massiah
BACKGROUND
1. The
Applicant, His Worship Errol Massiah, was removed from office by Order In
Council 546/2015 on April 29 2015 following a hearing under section 11.1 of the
Justices of the Peace Act(JPA Act) before a Hearing Panel of the Justices of the
Peace Review Council (JPRC – incorrectly identified in this Court’s October 4th,
2016 order as “the 2012 Panel”). In
fact, the 2012 Panel was the Panel chaired by Justice Vaillancourt which
concluded with a reprimand on or about March, 2012. The Notice of Hearing in the matter before
this court was issued on May 31st, 2013 and filed by Presenting
Counsel as Exhibits 1A and 1B in the initial set-date on July 4th,
2013 pursuant to paragraph 6(2) at page 20 of the JPRC Procedures Document –
thereby declaring that the “complaints process will become public”.
Order In Council 546/2015 (Relevant Docts Tab 3)
Divisional Court Reasons
(As above Tab 2)
Notice
of Hearing – Exhibit 1B (Applicant’s Motion Record
Supporting
Affidavit – Tab B)
JPRC
Procedures Document – (Relevant Docts Tab 8)
2. The
original Divisional Court Panel’s incorrect reference to the JPRC Panel which
issued the removal recommendation as “the 2012 Panel” may be understandable in
light of paragraph 14 of current Presenting Counsel’s Notice of Hearing which
asserted a “history of judicial misconduct of a similar nature at a different
courthouse” thereby subjecting the Applicant to liability for not only the
complaint filed against him by prior Presenting Counsel, Doug Hunt, but for the
“actual 2012” Panel’s disposition as well, thereby irreparably tainting the
liability portion of the hearing since the Hearing Panel would have no
jurisdiction to find liability on it – a point which was properly argued at
first instance before the 2013 JPRC Hearing Panel and arguably properly
conceded by Presenting Counsel but that the Applicant’s appellate counsel
before the Divisional Court failed to raise.
Applicant’s Written Submissions Part II
Paragraphs
11, 25-33 (Applicant’s Motion Record
-
Additional Relevant Documents Not Filed with
this
Honourable Court – Tab 3, para 11, p.47, p 65
Presenting
Counsel’s admission re para 14
(Applicant’s
Motion Record – Supporting Afd
-
Exhibit “F”)
JPRC
Hearing Panel - Decision, para 153-154
and
para 210
3. Following
a two day hearing, the original panel in this Honourable Court upheld the 2013
JPRC Hearing Panel’s decision on liability and penalty and remitted the
compensation issue back to the said panel for adjudication in accordance with
their reasons.
4. Although
counsel for the JPRC and the Applicant before this court were aware of the
“full retirement” of the chair of the 2013 Hearing Panel, Justice Livingstone,
a per diem judge of the Ontario Court of Justice, they failed to inform the
court of this material fact prior to the “taking out” or formal issuance of the
subject order of October. The following
statements by the Applicant’s appellate counsel in this court is both
instructive and relevant on this motion:
“I
spoke with Scott Hutchison about the fact Justice
Livingstone
had retired, and that Ernest’s complaint
against
her had been dismissed for that reason, so how
could
she chair the reconvened hearing ? He
did not know
about
the Guiste complaint; he suggested that
the SPPA
provision
about the remaining two panel members continuing
the
hearing would apply; but that he did not know (nor did I)
whether
that applies to this statute. He also said we could raise
that
before the panel when it reconvened. I told him I would
want
to put that before the Div. Ct., before we took out the
order,
because otherwise the hearing panel would think they
had
a binding direction to re-hear the costs issue.”
Affidavit of Raj Anand – Exhibit “W”
“Errol,
I wanted to confirm a number of things after our
telephone
conversation yesterday:
2. I have recommended that we agree to a
modification of
the
Divisional Court’s order so that it is re-heard by a
panel
of two that excludes Justice Livingstone because
she
has retired. I understand that Scott Hutchison will
agree
to this, and I have recommended this resolution
because
the Court of Appeal has ruled in similar
circumstances that the thre(sic)
member panel can
continue. Therefore, our written submission on this
point
are likely to be costly and unsuccessful.
Affidavit of Raj Anand – Exhibit “Y”
5. Twelve
months following this Honourable Court’s order, the two remaining members of
the 2013 Hearing Panel issued their No Unanimous Decision Regarding
Compensation on October 25th, 2017.
Instead of returning to this court to address the issue the Chief
Justice has appointed a new panel to hear the ordered re-hearing.
Applicant’s Further Supporting Affidavit –
Exhibit “I”
Presenting
Counsel’s Feb.1st, 2017 Submission
No
Unanimous Decision Re Compensation
PART I – THE MOTION AND JURISDICTION
6. The
Applicant judicial officer has brought this motion and a Notice of
Constitutional Question pursuant to Rule 59.06(1), (2)(a)(b) of the Rules of
Civil Procedure, s.6(1) and 10 of the Judicial Review Procedures Act and
s.20(d) of the Statutory Power Procedures Act and s.52(1) of the Constitution
Act, 1982, including the Constitutional Principle of Judicial
Independence. He seeks an order declaring
the JPA Act unconstitutional; An order amending, setting aside, varying or
suspending the Divisional Court’s order of October 4th, 2016
upholding the findings of judicial misconduct and the recommendation to the
Attorney General for the Applicant’s removal from judicial office by a Hearing
Panel of the Justices of the Peace Review Council and Order In Council 546/2015
dated April 29, 2015.
7. The
gravamen of the Applicant’s motion and Constitutional Question is that in order
to be removed from judicial office in Ontario and indeed elsewhere in Canada he
must have a fair and impartial hearing of the complaint of judicial misconduct
against him by an independent and impartial tribunal and that this right
continues when he asserts his right to seek judicial review of any such finding
in a Superior Court. Where this
fundamental right can reasonably be said or appear to be tainted by any of the
factors identified in his Notice of Motion, namely, a deficient record of
proceedings, whatever the cause, divided loyalty and or conflict of interest of
counsel acting for the Applicant or the tribunal, in the special circumstances
of this case, ineffective assistance of the Applicant’s counsel, ineffective
assistance of tribunal counsel, in the special circumstances of this case or
bias, this Honourable Court can not be said to have judiciously discharged its
Constitutional and statutory jurisdiction under the Judicial Review Procedures
Act to provide the Applicant with a fair and impartial hearing of his judicial
review application and any such order must be set aside.
PART II - THE FACTS:
Deficient Record Of
Proceedings Filed In
This Court:
8. A
Notice of Application for Judicial Review was issued on June 18th,
2015 challenging the legality of the said Order in Council in the following
words:
The
Decision, Penalty and Compensation Decision, and
all Related Interlocutory Orders should
be quashed
The Order in Council Should be
Quashed
(bb) The Order in Council is predicated on the
decisions in
the interlocutory motions, the
Decision and the Penalty
and
should accordingly be quashed as a result of the
errors
of the Hearing Panel.
Paragraph 4 of the said Notice of Application
listed the
following documentary evidence to be used at the hearing of the application:
following documentary evidence to be used at the hearing of the application:
(a) The record of proceedings before the
Hearing Panel;
(b) The affidavit of Sandra Noe, to be sworn
an filed;
(c) The Investigation Transcripts dated June
2, 2012 and November 1, 2012
(d) the letter from the JPRC to the applicant
dated January 2, 2013;
(e) Such further and other evidence as
counsel may advise and this Honourable Court may permit.
Notice of Application for Judicial Review
Applicant’s
Motion Record – Supporting Affidavit
Exhibit
“A” – Tab 1 A
9. Rather
than file its complete record of proceedings, the JPRC filed, through counsel,
a record in which “more than half of the record
formally acknowledged by the JPRC Panel on October 8th, 2014
including the Applicant’s answer to the allegations brought to his attention
and the five volume investigation transcripts both of which would show that he
was made to defend allegations of judicial misconduct at a public hearing not
first made to the JPRC in a “complaint” in writing and investigated by a
Complaints Committee contrary to the Court of Appeal’s decision in Hryciuk v. Ontario.”
As above para 38, 39 – Exhibit “V” – Tab V
March 15th, 2017 Confirmation
JPRC Retained The Record of
Proceedings:
10. By
way of e mail dated March 13, 2017 the Registrar of the JPRC was expressly asked
whether they have the record of proceedings in their possession and she
answered by way of letter dated March 15, 2017 – “This letter confirms that we
have retained the record.”
As above – Exhibit HH – Tab H
Hearing Panel Decisions
Clearly Cite Documents
Omitted from Record
Before Divisional Court:
Investigation
Transcripts
11. [66] Therefore, we find that the investigators
for the Complaints Committee had the authority to gather the Information about
the new allegations and to provide the results to the Committee. The
transcripts from the witness interviews conducted in 2012 during the
investigation were filed as part of the Record by His Worship.
Decision on Jurisdiction and Alleged Abuses
of Process
Applicant’s
Motion Record – Relevant Docts – Tab 4
Motion Records etc.
Identity of
Complainant
12. [33] ....The narrow interpretation favoured by
His Worship is inconsistent with the finding of the Divisional Court that the
section “is designed to ensure that the process is open and public.”We support
the view that complaints process is designed to be a funnel for concerns about
judicial misconduct, not a fence.
The
Hearing panel goes on to cite the following after the above passage:
Applicant’s
Motion Record, Tab 2, filed July 12, 2013;
Motion
Record of Presenting Counsel, Tab A, filed July
19, 2011(sic)
As
above
Decision on Jurisdiction and Alleged Abuses
of Process
Applicant’s Affidavit
Filed March 28, 2014
13. Paragraph
142 of the JPRC Hearing Panel’s Decision on Jurisdiction and Alleged Abuses of
Process clearly cites the “Applicant’s Supporting Affidavit, Exhibit F, filed
March 28th, 2014 yet this document was not in the record of
proceedings before the Divisional Court.
Decision on Jurisdiction and Alleged Abuses
of Process
Written Submissions of
The Parties on Jurisdiction
14. [3] The Hearing Panel has now received written
and oral submissions from His Worship and Presenting Counsel on these
remaining grounds.
As
above
Written Submissions of
The Parties on Liability
15. [6] Written and oral submissions
were provided by counsel, with submissions concluding on October 8, 2014.
Reasons for Decision dated January 12, 2015
Applicant’s
Motion Record – Relevant Docts – Tab5
Written Submissions of
The Parties on Penalty
16. [28] ...We have reviewed the report, dated June
7, 2012, contained in Tab 3 of Volume 1 of His Worship’s written submissions on
the Penalty Phase, which outlines the counselling in which His Worship was engaged
as the Chief Justice directed. We have
reviewed, also, the documents contained in Tab 7 (from the same volume as noted
above) which describes a one-to-one Remedial Human Rights session in which His
Worship voluntarily participated on April 3, 2012.
Decision on Disposition
Applicant’s
Motion Record – Relevant Docts – Tab 6
17. The
JPRC Hearing Panel expressly identified two reports which were involved in
determining and documenting allegations of judicial misconduct. The first the
Hunt Report which they determined to be the “complaint” and the second the
“Investigators Report” – a document submitted by the investigators to the
Complaints Committee and containing new allegations for their
consideration. They went on to conclude:
[67] We further conclude that the Complaints
Committee had the authority
to
consider the new allegations in those
transcripts within
its mandate under s.11(7) of the Act and pursuant to the ruling in
Sazant, (supra), as an extension of the complaint filed by
Mr. Hunt.
its mandate under s.11(7) of the Act and pursuant to the ruling in
Sazant, (supra), as an extension of the complaint filed by
Mr. Hunt.
Decision on Jurisdiction and Alleged Abuses
of Process
Applicant
Motion Record – Relevant Dotc. – Tab 4
Breach of October 8th, 2014
Agreement And
Open Court Principle:
18. A
letter dated August 19, 2015 from JPRC counsel, Mr. Gourlay to the Applicant’s
appellate counsel clearly acknowledges three additional documents to be added to the record,
including the “Investigation Transcripts”.
With respect to the inclusion of the “Investigation Transcripts”, Mr.
Gourlay writes, “The caveat is that
if these are to be put before the Court, they should be subject to a
sealing order to safeguard the requirement in s.1(8)(sic)of the Justices of
the Peace Act that “the investigation shall be conducted in private.” By this I mean an order that would
actually shield the materials from public access, not merely an order of
non-publication in respect of the contents.”
JPRC’S Counsel’s Letter dated August 19,
2015
Applicant’s
Motion Record – Relevant Docts – Exhibit “W”
JPRC Serves Fresh Evidence
Motions on
Eve of Hearing:
19. After
all of the facta and Books of Authorities of the parties were served and filed
with the Divisional Court the JPRC served two “Respondent’s Motion Records Re:
Fresh Evidence”. Although the Notice of Motion seeks the following orders: 1.
An order that the 5-volume “investigation transcripts” filed by the Applicant
at the hearing below be added to the Record of the Proceedings as Volumes 8, 9,
10, 11, and 12; and 2. An order that these five volumes be sealed and not
accessible to the public - the two supporting affidavits in the Motion Record deal
solely with a letter which the Registrar and Counsel to the JPRC deposed in an
affidavit was sent to Mr. Doug Hunt in satisfaction of part of the Complaint
Committee’s mandatory statutory obligation. The other motion record deals with
a letter the JPRC Registrar maintains was sent to Mr. Hunt to comply with a
mandatory statutory requirement in the Act.
JPRC Fresh Evidence Motion Records
Applicant’s
Motion Record – Part 3 – Tab 5, 6
20. The
only order rendered by the Divisional Court Panel on the Applicant’s judicial
review application is the order rendered on October 4th 2016. No order was made to admit any fresh
evidence.
Divisional Court Reasons for Judgement
Applicant’s
Motion Record – Relevant Doct. Tab 2
Evidence of Ineffective
Assistance of Counsel
On Record of
Proceedings:
Presenting
Counsel
21. Presenting
Counsel, Henein Hutchison LLP, drafted the subject Notice of Hearing and was
retained by the JPRC to present the case before the JPRC Hearing Panel against
the Applicant pursuant to Paragraphs 2-5 of the Procedural Code for Hearing
portion of the JPRC Procedures Document. They also served and filed the
deficient record of proceedings although they were a party to the agreement on
the scope of the record of proceedings on October 8th, 2014 before
the 2013 Hearing Panel and continue to defend.
Applicant’s Motion Record – Affidavit -
Notice
of Hearing – Exhibit “B”
October
8th Transcript – Exhibit “F”
Respondent’s Motion
Record Re: Fresh Evidence:
22. Counsel
for the JPRC acknowledged in their Notice of Motion that the five volume
investigation transcripts were filed with the Hearing Panel and they do not
oppose the position that they ought to be part of the record of
proceedings. They sought a sealing order
which was never acted upon on the basis of the assertion that s.11(8) of the
Justices of the Peace Act mandates hat an investigation by a Complaints
Committee be “conducted in private.”
JPRC Fresh Evidence Motion Record
Applicant’s
Motion Record – Part 3 – Tab 6
23. The
Registrar of the JPRC confirmed in writing in response to written
correspondence delineating the proper scope of the record of proceedings that
they have retained it.
JPRC Registrar’s Letter of March 15, 2017
Aplicant’s
Motion Record – Supporting Afd.
Exhibit
HH
24. Counsel
for the JPRC and the Attorney General for Ontario
were unable to fully assist the court on their customary function
of delineating whether or not the tribunal’s decisions and
Presenting Counsel’s discharge of their statutory duties were
within jurisdiction. In particular, neither of these key parties
informed this Honourable Court that in fact paragraphs 1-6
and 14 were not part of the complaint against the Applicant
and as such were never investigated by the Complaints Committee
and hence never ordered to a hearing by the Complaints Committee
to a hearing. In fact, the Complaints Committee failed to file a report
with the Review Council as appellate counsel, Mr. Anand pointed
out in his factum and consequently it is unknown precisely what the
Complaints Committee ordered a hearing on – if anything.
were unable to fully assist the court on their customary function
of delineating whether or not the tribunal’s decisions and
Presenting Counsel’s discharge of their statutory duties were
within jurisdiction. In particular, neither of these key parties
informed this Honourable Court that in fact paragraphs 1-6
and 14 were not part of the complaint against the Applicant
and as such were never investigated by the Complaints Committee
and hence never ordered to a hearing by the Complaints Committee
to a hearing. In fact, the Complaints Committee failed to file a report
with the Review Council as appellate counsel, Mr. Anand pointed
out in his factum and consequently it is unknown precisely what the
Complaints Committee ordered a hearing on – if anything.
Facta Filed by the Parties in this Court
Applicant’s
Motion Record – part 3 – Tabs1 - 3
Applicant’s
Motion Record – Part 1 – Investigation Transcripts
Evidence of Ineffective
Assistance Of Counsel
On Record of Proceedings:
Appellate Counsel
25. Appellate
counsel was expressly notified of the Applicant’s concerns with respect to the
sufficiency of the JPRC record of proceedings well in advance of him drafting
and issuing the Notice of Application for Judicial Review and prior to
perfecting the application – as he mentored the Applicant’s lead counsel on the
first instance proceedings before the JPRC.
Applicant’s Responding Affidavit – para
33-35
Exhibits
“E” and “H”
Applicant’s
Further Supporting affidavit – para 2
Opinion
– Sufficiency of Tribunal Record –
Raj
Anand Affidavit – Exhibit “O”
26. On
review of the Notice of Application for Judicial Review, the Draft Factum
prepared for the Applicant, the Application Record filed by Mr. Anand and Mr. Anand’s e mail to the Applicant on the eve
of the hearing before this court three points are crystal clear. 1. He initially intended to have the
investigation transcripts as part of the record of proceedings whether or not
the JPRC included them and 2. He later
left it to the JPRC to be filed in their Record as Vol. VII to XII. 3. He
was not sold on the privacy view which his junior and Ms. Henein’s junior
reasoned was a basis for at a minimum having them sealed from public view. He wrote, “I told him it was debatable
whether they are private at this point, given the rules of the JPRC and the
letter that went to the witnesses.”
Notice of Application for Judicial Review –
para 4
Applicant’s
Application Record – Exhibit “X”
Applicant’s
Motion Record – Supporting Afd – Tab A
Draft
Factum – Raj Anand Affidavit – Exhibit “GG”
E
mail to Applicant fr Raj Anand – Raj Anand Affidavit
Exhibit
“S”
Facta Prematurely
Filed:
27. The
following facta were submitted by the parties before the Divisional Court as
follows:
1. Applicant’s Factum – dated January 13,
2016
2. JPRC’s Factum – dated June 2nd,
2016 (almost 5 months later)
3. Attorney General for Ontario – dated
June 28th, 2016 ( 5 plus months later)
4. Applicant’s Reply Factum – July 29th,
2016.
Applicant’s Motion Record – Affidavit –
para 48
28. A
review of all of the facta filed by the parties before the Divisional Court
reveals that they failed to address the
crucial legal issue raised by the Applicant before the JPRC Hearing Panel,
namely, whether the Hearing Panel exceeded its jurisdiction by finding
liability based on allegations which were not first made to the JPRC in a
written complaint and investigated by a Complaints Committee pursuant to
Hryciuk v. Ontario and thereby failed to
adjudicate the question which the statute authorized them to adjudicate as Independent Counsel Mr.
Gover advised them in his opinion.
As above – at para 49
Independent
Counsel’s Opinion – (Exhibit “H”- Nov.22nd/17 afd)
Applicant’s
Motion Record – Part 3 – facta
29. After
this court upheld the 2013 Hearing Panel’s decisions on liability and penalty
appellate counsel initiated a motion seeking leave to appeal from the Court of
Appeal for Ontario based on that court’s authority in Hryciuk v. Ontario [1996] 31 O.R. (3d) 1 although he
failed to raise it here without objection by counsel for the JPRC.
Appellate Counsel’s Leave to Appeal Facta
Applicant’s
Further Supporting Affidavit
Exhibits
“J” and “K”
30. In
addressing this anomaly in his affidavit appellate counsel deposed that he did
not refer to Hryciuk supra in this court because it was distinguishable and he
felt that a professional discipline case, Sazant v. College of Physicians and Surgeons of
Ontario 2013 ONCA 727, argued by Ms. Henein and presented by Mr. Hutchison was
more on point than a binding authority from the Court of Appeal on judicial
misconduct which the 2013 JPRC Hearing Panel erred in applying. Mr. Anand deposed that the conflict in these
two Court of Appeal cases “would be a basis for granting leave to appeal.”
Raj Anand Affidavit - para 46-50
31. However,
Mr. Anand does not expressly argue in his facta that there was a conflict between
these two Court of Appeal cases which needed to be resolved by that court.
Raj Anand’s Facta at ONCA
Applicant’s
Further Supporting Afd
Exhibits
“J” and “K”
32. Under
cross-examination on his affidavit, Mr. Anand conceded that Presenting
Counsel’s seven general allegations touching on the Human Rights Code concepts
of vexatious, unwelcome and poisoned work environment were never pre-screened
by the Complaints Committee. He stated
correctly, “They were not there to be pre-screened, “ and “The argument was
that that was inconsistent with Hryciuk”.
He also properly conceded that Hryciuk was not in his factum in this
court.
Transcript of Cross-Exam of Mr. Anand – at
p.65-66
Prejudice to Applicant:
33. The
following prejudice is suffered by the Applicant and the administration of
justice as a result of the deficient record and the absence of the
investigation transcripts from the record of proceedings:
1. Removal from judicial office contrary
to natural justice and
fairness
where the excluded evidence shows unequivocally
that
the Notice of Hearing drafted by Presenting Counsel
exceeded
the complaint determined by the Hearing Panel,
and
the 2013 Hearing Panel failed to adjudicate the statutory
issue
they were authorized by the Act to adjudicate;
2. The Applicant was made to face a set of
new allegations in
the
Notice of Hearing which were not investigated by the
Complaints
Committee – involving allegations that his
conduct
was “vexatious”, “unwelcome” and created a
“poisoned
work environment”;
3. Even putting aside the jurisdictional
point raised above, the
Applicant’s
removal from judicial office is tainted by an
interpretation
and application of legal concepts from the
Ontario
Human Rights Code which departed in a material
way
from both the Divisional Court and the Court of Appeal
for
Ontario;
4. Before the JPRC Hearing Panel made a
finding that Mr. Hunt
was
the “complainant” and his report was the “complaint” as
those
terms are used in the Act, the very allegations which the
Applicant
was challenging since June, 2013 were receiving
widespread
publicity in the press – the panel having denied
his
request for an interim publication ban until the legal point
was
adjudicated depriving him of any objective semblance of
a
fair hearing; and
5. Public confidence in the proceedings
which resulted in this
judicial officer’s
removal from office is prima facie
tainted by the fact that members of the public can not
review the five volume investigation transcripts and the
litany of other documents not filed with this Honourable
Court to satisfy themselves that he was properly removed
from office.
tainted by the fact that members of the public can not
review the five volume investigation transcripts and the
litany of other documents not filed with this Honourable
Court to satisfy themselves that he was properly removed
from office.
Bias:
34. Reasonable
Apprehension of Bias and the denial of the right to a fair hearing was a
consistent complaint advanced by the Applicant before the 2013 Hearing Panel
and one which he specifically instructed Mr. Anand to advance before this
Honourable Court.
Applicant’s Supporting Afd (Nov.22/17)
(p.2-24)
Raj
Anand Affidavit – para 10-13
L.S.U.C
Nominee
35. The
Law Society Nominee on the 2013 Hearing Panel, Ms. Margot Blight, sat on the
Hearing Panel for over five months – July 4th, 2013 to November 19th,
2013 before disclosing that she sat on a Complaints Committee which dealt with
a complaint filed by the Registrar and Counsel to the JPRC, Ms. Marilyn King
alleging he gave perjured evidence before the 2012 Hearing Panel.
Notice of Motion(Bias) – Tab B
Decision
on Bias – Tab A
Applicant’s
Motion Record – Relevant Docts
Admission by
Presenting
Counsel
36. “As
you are aware, Mr. Guiste is bringing a motion for recusal
of
Ms. Blight from the Hearing Panel on the basis of a claim
that
there is a reasonable apprehension of bias. While I do not
agree
with the assertion that there is any basis for actual bias,
having
considered the legislative framework and the JPRC
Procedures,
Presenting Counsel does agree that there may be
a
potential concern about the risk of an appearance of bias
if
Ms. Blight remains on the Panel.”
Exhibit 17 at JPRC Hearing – Tab 10 p.277
Applicant’s
Motion Record – Relevant Docts
37. The
Applicant properly brought a motion before the 2013 Hearing Panel asserting
various claims of bias, including Hryciuk Error on the face of the Notice of
Hearing, the Poisoned Well Theory of Bias on account of Ms. Blight’s tenure in
sitting with the Hearing Panel from June 2013 to November 2013.(she actually
stepped down in February 2014 and that the Chief Justice exceeded her
jurisdiction in appointing a substitute for Ms. Blight rather than appointing a
fresh new panel. The Hearing Panel adjudicated the motion – ruling on the issue
of the jurisdiction of the Chief Justice to replace Ms. Blight, dismissing the
Hryciuk point and failing to adjudicate on the Poisoned Well Theory of Bias
referenced in Roberts v. College of Nurses of Ontario 1999 Canlii
18725 (Div Crt) and cited at paragraph 41 of the Applicant’s factum on the said
motion.
Notice of Motion (Bias) – Tab B
Panel’s
Decision on Bias Motion – Tab A
Applicant’s
Motion Record (Relevant Docts)
Applicant’s
Factum (Bias) (Docts Not Filed) – Tab 11
38. Mr. Anand deposed in his January 3rd, 2018 affidavit that he did not argue the Poisoned Well Theory of Bias with respect to Ms. Blight’s tenure on the 2013 Hearing Panel because “I explained that this issue could not be raised on judicial review because it was not raised before the Hearing Panel.” This advice to the Applicant was clearly wrong and not borne out by the record cited above.
Raj
Anand’s affidavit – at para 12
39. By
letter dated February 1st, 2017 Presenting Counsel, Ms. Henein and
Mr. Gourlay abandoned the 2013 Hearing Panel’s interpretation of s.4.2.1(2)
which they relied upon to conclude on the bias motion that the Chief Justice
had the jurisdiction to appoint a replacement for the Law Society of Upper
Canada nominee, Ms. Blight. In his e
mail dated October 6th, 2016 – two days following the release of
this Honourable Court’s order, Mr. Anand wrote to his junior that neither he or Mr. Hutchison knew whether the SPPA
provision allowing the two remaining members of the Hearing Panel to adjudicate
the compensation claim applied to the Justices of the Peace Act.
Presenting
Counsel’s Feb.1st/17 Admission
Applicant’s
Further Supporting Afd. – Exhibit “I”
40. Another
aspect of a reasonable apprehension of bias which the Applicant consistently
advanced before the 2013 Hearing Panel was related to Presenting Counsel’s
discharge of her statutory role pursuant to the JPRC Procedures Document. The Applicant strongly argued consistently
that Presenting Counsel exceeded her jurisdiction and these arguments are
clearly reflected in the 2013 Hearing Panel’s decisions on bias and
jurisdiction and abuse of process – starting as early as June, 2013.
Bias Decision – para 53-55 – Tab 3A
Decision
on Jurisdiction and Abuse of Process
Para
69-73 – Tab 4
Applicant Motion Record – Relevant Docts
41. Mr.
Anand acknowledges that it was the Applicant’s wish to argue in this court that
Presenting Counsel exceeded her jurisdiction in the discharge of her
appointment and that in so doing her acts and omissions impaired the
Applicant’s fair hearing rights. In
moving in this direction, Mr. Anand’s
junior lawyer prepared a thorough memorandum delineating the excesses of
Presenting Counsel.
Applicant’s Motion Record – Supporting Afd
– para 3-8
Raj
Anand’s Affidavit – para 93-99
Applicant’s
Further Supporting Afd – para 13 – Exhibit “B”
42. Mr.
Anand deposed in his affidavit dated January 3rd, 2018 that he did
not raise this argument in this court on account of his concern “that the
argument would be ill-received by the Court and that it could have negative
consequences for the application.”
Mr. Raj Anand’s affidavit at para 97
43. The
Applicant deposed in his affidavit and later at the cross-examination on his
affidavits that neither Mr. Anand or his associate took the time to candidly
explain to him the legal implications and consequences that would result if he
asserted the legal claims he wanted advanced which would have permitted him to
make an informed decision on their advice.
Applicant’s Responding Afd – para 27-29
Transcript
of Cross-Exam of Errol Massiah – p.171 -191
Human Rights
Code:
44. Presenting
Counsel exceeded the ambit of her office by raising allegations in her Notice
of Hearing which were never made to the Review Council, never investigated by
the Complaints Committee and consequently the Applicant received no notice of
those specific allegations until he received the Notice of Hearing which was
issued May 31st, 2013 and filed with the Review Council on the first
set date on July 4th, 2013.
Factum filed by Applicant on Bias Motion – Tab
11
Applicant’s
Motion Record (Docts Not Filed)
45. Mr.
Anand acknowledges that the Applicant wanted him to argue the points raised
regarding the Human Rights Code before the Hearing Panel in this Honoruable
Court. However, he maintains that he
advised the Applicant that these arguments had no merit and he confirmed his
advice in an opinion dated September 25th, 2015 – Exhibit “F” to his
affidavit.
46. This
opinion fails to address the point raised on behalf of the Applicant before the
Hearing Panel that his acts and omissions were not “vexatious”, “unwanted” and
did not create a “poisoned work environment” – points which Presenting Counsel
argued were present and on which the Hearing Panel did not adjudicate.
Presenting
Counsel’s Written Subs on Liability
(Not
Filed on Judicial Review) – para 1, 2016
47. Although
Presenting Counsel conceded that paragraph 14 of the Notice of Hearing she
drafted was flawed in that this paragraph was intended to address disposition
Mr. Anand decided not to raise this admission as a breach of natural justice or
bias in attacking the liability decision in this Honourable Court.
Excerpt of July 29, 2014 transcript –
Exhibit “F”
Applicant’s
Motion Record – Supporting Affidavit
48. Mr.
Anand and his junior had communications with the Law Society of Upper Canada’s
investigator regarding the complaint filed by the JPRC’s Registrar and
instructing counsel,
Ms.
Marilyn King for which they billed the applicant.
49.
Mr. Anand asserts in his affidavit that these contacts were merely to update
The Law Society of Upper Canada on what stage the proceedings were at and
nothing more.
50. The
contacts took place after the memorandum on Presenting Counsel’s conduct and
the draft factum wherein he asserts at para 61 that “the complaint, the “Investigators
Report” and the NOH did not match and prior to the filing of the Applicant’s
factum and Application Record in this Honourable Court.
51. Mr.
Anand’s account dated January 29, 2016 shows that one of the contacts involved
a Weir & Foulds lawyer who once acted for the subject of the Law Society’s
investigation on an appeal. On December 1st, 2015 following a
telephone call from the Law Society investigator, Ms. A. Kirsh; and an e mail
to R. Annd the factum is revised and a call is placed to M. Gourlay. On
December 11, 2015 Ms. Peglar dockets a telephone call with R.Anand and the Law
Society investigator, Ms. A. Kirsh. Four
days later on December 15th, 2015 Ms. Peglar revised the factum and
instructed a junior for 2.8 hrs.
Weir Foulds Account – Entry 30/11/15
(p.265)
Entry
04/12/15, 11/12/15; 15/12/15; 13/01/16;
14/10/16
52. Mr.
Anand says in his affidavit that he has been counsel on more than 50 applications
for judicial review in this court yet he failed to resolve the issue of the
scope of the record of proceedings before drafting and filing his facta.
Raj Anand’s affidavit - para 1
53. The
Investigation Transcript of the person whom the Applicant is said to have
touched in the Notice of Hearing shows that this person could not remember any
touching.
Investigation Transcripts – Vol 3 – Tab 19
– Vol. 4 – Tab 28
54. The
following witnesses interviewed in the investigation did not witness any
improper behaviour from the Applicant: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O and P*.
Investigation Transcripts – Vol. 1-5
55. The
issues of “vexatious”, “unwelcome” and “poisoned work environment” were not
probed on the investigation.
As above
56. On
April 14th, 2017 the Applicant learned from a publication on the
internet that “current Presenting Counsel, Ms. Henein’s spouse was a law
partner of the complainant in my removal case, former Presenting Counsel, Mr.
Dough Hunt in and around the material time as Mr. Hunt acting as Presenting
Counsel on my proceedings before Justice Vallencourt.
Applicant’s sworn affidavit at para 60 –
Exhibit “BB”
Applicant’s
Motion Record – Supporting Afd.
57. At
the same time the Applicant learned that Mr. Hunt was once the Assistant Deputy
Attorney General for Ontario.
As above – at para 61 – Exhibt “CC”
58. In
response to a clear question as to who is the complainant in the proceeding
before the JPRC Hearing Panel Presenting Counsel expressly advised counsel for
the Applicant in writing that the witnesses who she would call to testify are
the complainants and the Applicant relied upon this representation to his
detriment.
As above – para 62 – Exhibit “DD”
Divisional Court Decision:
59. The
Divisional Court did not hear from the Applicant on the following issues:
constitutionality of the Justices of the Peace Act and Procedures Document,
bias, jurisdiction of the Chief Justice to substitute the Law Society nominee,
Ms. Blight, whether Presenting Counsel exceeded her jurisdiction in presenting
the case against the Applicant, the interpretation and application of
Hryciuk v. Ontario and the Ontario Human
Rights Code.
PART
III - THE ISSUES & LAW:
60.
1. Did
the failure of the JPRC and Mr. Anand to ensure that this
court had a full and proper record of the proceedings below
impact the Applicant’s and the public’s trial fairness rights ?
court had a full and proper record of the proceedings below
impact the Applicant’s and the public’s trial fairness rights ?
2. Did
this failure amount to incompetence in light of the
October 8th, 2014 agreement on the scope of the record of proceedings ?
October 8th, 2014 agreement on the scope of the record of proceedings ?
3. Would
the filing of a full and proper record have expanded the
nature and quality of legal errors which the Applicant could benefit
from ?
nature and quality of legal errors which the Applicant could benefit
from ?
4. Was
appellate counsel’s failure to raise bias and Presenting Counsel’s
exceeding her jurisdiction detrimental to the Applicant ?
exceeding her jurisdiction detrimental to the Applicant ?
5. Can
this failure amount to incompetence ?
6. Could
any of appellate counsel’s divided loyalty issues have
impacted his representation or at the very least give the appearance
of having done so ?
impacted his representation or at the very least give the appearance
of having done so ?
PART III - THE LAW:
Primacy of Constitution
of
Canada:
61. The
Constitution of Canada is the supreme law of Canada, and
any
law that is inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution
is,
to the extent of the inconsistency, of no force or effect.
Constitution
Act, 1982. s. 52(1)
62. Any
person charged with an offence has the right
(d) to be presumed innocent until proven
guilty according to law
in
a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial
tribunal;
Canadian Charter or Rights and Freedoms,
s.11(d)
Record
to be filed:
63. When
notice of an application for judicial review of
a
decision in the exercise or purported exercise of a
statutory
power of decision has been served on the
person
making the decision, such person shall forthwith
file
in the court for use on the application the record of
the
proceedings in which the decision was made.
Judicial
Review Act, R.S.O. ch J.1 s.10
Content of Record:
64. A
tribunal shall compile a record of any proceedings in which a
hearing
has been held which shall include,
(a) any application, complaint, reference or
other document, if any,
by which the proceeding was commenced;
(d) all documentary evidence filed with the
tribunal, subject to any
limitation
expressly imposed by any other Act on the extent to
or
the purposes for which any such documents may be used in
evidence
in any proceeding.
Statutory
Power Procedures Act, s.20
Right of Judicial Independence
65. The Supreme Court of Canada left no doubt that as a Justice of
the Peace the Applicant’s office is protected by the constitutional principle
of judicial independence and that he has security of tenure – the essence of
which mandates that his removal from office not be arbitrary or discretionary. The existing conflict between the JPA and the
Procedures Document which resulted in Presenting Counsel being able to draft a
NOH which bears no relation to the complaint deprived this Justice of the Peace
and indeed all Justices of the Peace in Ontario of security of tenure and
financial security. The fact that there
is no obligation on the Attorney General to indemnify justices of the peace for
the costs of defending their office in the same manner as their Provincial
Court judge colleagues also makes the legislation prima facie unconstitutional.
Ell
v. Alberta [2003] 1 S.C.R. 857
66. It can not be the case that the Applicant’s constitutional
right to a fair and impartial hearing of his removal from judicial office ends
at the hearing conducted before the JPRC Hearing Panel which triggered his
right to review under the Judicial Review Procedures Act. That Act provides no
right of appeal and has no privative clause. As such, all that they are
empowered to do they must do so in accordance with the law of the land and the
Divisional Court is the court mandated by statute to sit in review of the
discharge of their statutory function.
Constitution Act, 1982, s.52(1)
Charter
s.11(d)
Justices
of the Peace Act, s.11.2
Judicial
Review Procedures Act. s.6(1)
67. Where a tribunal fails to dispose of a
matter before it in a manner permitted by the enabling legislation it is not
functus officio. When the said tribunal
files a record of proceedings before a reviewing court which is incomplete for
whatever reason neither the tribunal who fails to properly dispose of the
matter or the reviewing court can be said to be functus officio – particularly
in light of Rule 59 of the Rules of Civil Procedure. Parties can not consent to make that which is
relevant to the restoration of public confidence in the judicial removal process
disappear.
Chandler
v. Alta Assoc. of Architects
[1989] 2 S.C.R. 848
68 The Applicant and the public’s right to access to a
tribunal’s record of proceedings in a judicial removal case in our system of
justice is akin to the public’s right to inspect a search warrant and the
information upon which it is issued after it has been executed. Curtailment of public accessibility is
justified only where the need to protect other social values is of superordinate
importance. The need for confidentiality disappears once the warrant has been
executed and in the judicial removal case once the Notice of Hearing is filed
with the Hearing Panel as per the
Procedures Document in this case.
Nova Scotia (AG) v. MacIntyre [1982] 1 S.C.R. 175
69. This Honourable Court’s jurisprudence of holding that parties
are to file their facta only after the resolution of the scope of the record of proceedings is well established
and there is no justifiable reason to depart from it.
Siera Club Ontario v.
Ontario 2011 ONSC 4086
Rowse v. WPD Canada Corp. 2016 ONSC 5299
70. A denial of a right to a fair hearing cannot be cured by the
tribunal’s subsequent decision. A decision of a tribunal which denied the
parties of a fair hearing cannot be simply voidable and rendered valid as a
result of the subsequent decision of the tribunal. The damage created by the apprehension of
bias can not be remedied. The hearing,
and any subsequent order resulting from it, must be void.
Nfld Telephone v.
Nfld Public Utilities [1992] 1 S.C.R. 626
71. “A reasonable apprehension of bias in one member of a tribunal
is sufficient to disqualify the whole tribunal, even though that member merely
sat at the hearing without taking an active role in either it or subsequent
deliberations. Mere presence is
generally enough.”
Roberts
v. College of Nurses of Ontario
1999 Canlii 18725 (Div Crt)
72. This court along with the Court of Appeal for Ontario’s
jurisprudence is well established with respect to the test to establish
harassment as “vexatious”, “unwelcome” and creating a “poisoned work
environment”. It is an objective test.
Crepe it Up ! v.
Hamilton 2014 ONSC 6721 (Div Crt)
Thames Valley District School
Board v. Elementary
Teacher’s Federation of Ontario 2011 ONSC 1021 (Div Crt)
Teacher’s Federation of Ontario 2011 ONSC 1021 (Div Crt)
General
Motors of Canada Ltd. v. Johnson 2013 ONCA 502 (ONCA)
73. “I
agree that the conduct must be unwelcome.
Some
conduct will be acceptable regardless of
the
reaction of an oversensitive complainant.
Conversely,
some conduct will be harassment
even
though there is no overt objection by a
stoic
or unresponsive complainant. In the
middle
is
conduct where the reaction of the complainant will
be
largely determinable of whether it is harassment.”
Raj Anand’s Advice during Hearing – Exhibit
“D”
Exhibit
D – Applicant’s Further Supporting Affidavit
74. All defendants are entitled to effective assistance of
counsel. Effective assistance of counsel
is a principle of fundamental justice – the denial of which renders a trial
finding unreliable. An allegation of
ineffective assistance of counsel only succeeds if counsel’s acts or omission
constitute incompetence and miscarriage
of justice resulted in an unreliable verdict or procedural unfairness. Unreliability of a verdict is made out if the
appellant can prove there is a reasonable probability the verdict would have
been different if effective legal assistance had been received.
R
v. G.D.B. 2000 SCC 22 at para
24-28
R v. McKellar 1994 Canlii 1402 (ONCA)
PART
IV - ORDER REQUESTED
75 The Applicant requests an order
declaring the Justices of the Peace Act unconstitutional and his removal from
office based on it null and void.
Alternatively, an Order setting aside the order of October 4th,
2016 pursuant to Rule 59.
ALL
OF WHICH IS RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED.
February 28th, 2018
_________________________
E.
J. Guiste, for the Applicant
SCHEDULE
A
1. Chandler v.
Alta Assoc. of Architects [1989] 2 S.C.R.848 (S.C.C.) (Headnote only)
2. Ell v.
Alberta [2003] 1 S.C.R. 857
(S.C.C.) (Headnote only)
3. Nova
Scotia (AG) v. MacIntyre [1982] 1 S.C.R.
175 (Headnote only)
4. R v.
McKellar 1994 Canlii 1402 (ONCA) (Headnote only)
5. R v.
G.D.B. [2000] 1 S.C.R. 520 (Headnote only)
6. Hryciuk v. Ontario (Headnote only)
7. Crepe
it Up ! v. Hamilton 2014 ONSC 6721 (Div Crt)
8. Thames
Valley District School Board v. Elementary Teacher’s
Federation of Ontario 2011 ONSC 1021 (Div Crt) (Headnote only)
Federation of Ontario 2011 ONSC 1021 (Div Crt) (Headnote only)
9. General
Motors of Canada Ltd. v. Johnson 2013 ONCA 502
10. Rowse v. WPD
Canada Corp 2016 ONSC 5299 (Div Crt)
11. Siera
Club Canada v. Ontario 2011 ONSC 4086
SCHEDULE
– B
1. Justices
of the Peace Act, R.S.O. 1990 ch.J.4 , s.11(18)
2. Judicial
Review Procedures Act, R.S.O. 1990 – s.10
3. Statutory
Power Procedures Act, R.S.O. 1990 – s.20
4. Constitution
Act, 1982, s.52(1)
5. Canadian
Charter of Rights and Freedoms, s.11(d)
6. Rule
59.06(1), 59.06(2)(a)(b) of the Rules of Civil Procedure
7. JPRC
Procedures Document – Role of Presenting Counsel –
Notice of Hearing – Open Court Principle – Public Hearing
NOTE: This factum was filed with the Divisional Court in support of JP Massiah's Rule 59 Motion heard on April 3rd, 2018. It is published here as a public service. All Ontarians are entitled to know what went on at that legal proceeding as it is a matter of public interest.
*I have used letters rather than names simply to avoid any allegation by anyone that I have misconducted myself by naming anyone who they may believe ought not to be named even though my reading of the JPRC Procedures suggests that the Open Court Doctrine is clearly in play once Presenting Counsel files the Notice of Hearing - "the complaints process will become public, subject to any orders by the hearing panel." The publication ban - issued by the Hearing Panel was limited to witness names of all witnesses which appear in the facta or motion materials in this hearing shall not be published." The June 11th, 2014 publication ban ordered by the JPRC Hearing Panel did not touch the names of persons who were not referenced in the facta or motion materials in the hearing.
Notice of Hearing – Open Court Principle – Public Hearing
NOTE: This factum was filed with the Divisional Court in support of JP Massiah's Rule 59 Motion heard on April 3rd, 2018. It is published here as a public service. All Ontarians are entitled to know what went on at that legal proceeding as it is a matter of public interest.
*I have used letters rather than names simply to avoid any allegation by anyone that I have misconducted myself by naming anyone who they may believe ought not to be named even though my reading of the JPRC Procedures suggests that the Open Court Doctrine is clearly in play once Presenting Counsel files the Notice of Hearing - "the complaints process will become public, subject to any orders by the hearing panel." The publication ban - issued by the Hearing Panel was limited to witness names of all witnesses which appear in the facta or motion materials in this hearing shall not be published." The June 11th, 2014 publication ban ordered by the JPRC Hearing Panel did not touch the names of persons who were not referenced in the facta or motion materials in the hearing.
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