Date: 20030205
Docket: A-412-00
Neutral citation: 2003 FCA 65
CORAM: ROTHSTEIN, J.A.
BETWEEN:
LAC LA RONGE INDIAN BAND,
Appellant
- and -
LARRY LALIBERTE,
Respondent
- and -
LAC LA RONGE INDIAN BAND,
Appellant
- and -
SOL CHARLES,
Respondent
- and -
LAC LA RONGE INDIAN BAND,
Appellant
- and -
ROBERT BALLANTYNE,
Respondent
Heard at Edmonton, Alberta, Wednesday, February 5th, 2003.
Judgment delivered from the Bench at Edmonton, Alberta, on February 5th , 2003.
REASONS FOR JUDGMENT OF THE COURT BY: EVANS, J.A.
CONCURRED IN BY: ROTHSTEIN, J.A.
MALONE, J.A.
Date: 20030205
Docket: A-412-00
Neutral citation: 2003 FCA 65
CORAM: ROTHSTEIN, J.A.
BETWEEN:
LAC LA RONGE INDIAN BAND,
Appellant
- and -
LARRY LALIBERTE,
Respondent
- and -
LAC LA RONGE INDIAN BAND,
Appellant
- and -
SOL CHARLES,
Respondent
- and -
LAC LA RONGE INDIAN BAND,
Appellant
- and -
ROBERT BALLANTYNE,
Respondent
REASONS FOR JUDGMENT OF THE COURT
(Delivered from the Bench at Edmonton, Alberta,
on February 5th, 2003.
[1] This is an appeal by the Lac La Ronge Band from a decision of Pelletier J. (as he then was), dated May 15, 2000, in which he dismissed the Band's application for judicial to set aside a decision of an Adjudicator, dated November 4, 1998. The Adjudicator had upheld the respondents' complaints under the Canada Labour Code, R.S.C. 1985, c. L-2, section 240, that they had been unjustly dismissed from their employment by the appellant. Counsel for the appellant did not satisfy us that the decision under appeal contained any error warranting the intervention of this Court.
[2] Counsel for the appellant's principal ground of appeal was that the Adjudicator had committed serious errors in her findings of fact, particularly with respect to the motives of the Band in dismissing the respondents. We would only note that, on an application for judicial review of a decision of an administrative tribunal, especially when, as in this case, its decisions are protected by a strong privative clause, an applicant has a very heavy burden to discharge who alleges that the decision should be set aside because it was based on a material finding of fact that cannot be supported on any rational view of the evidence. We are all of the opinion that counsel for the Appellants did not succeed in discharging that burden.
[3] For these reasons the appeals will be dismissed with a single award of costs in the lump sum of $4,000.00, inclusive of disbursements, payable by the appellant with respect to this appeal and A-640-00.
"John M. Evans"
J.A.
FEDERAL COURT OF APPEAL
NAMES OF COUNSEL AND SOLICITORS OF RECORD
DOCKET: A-412-00
STYLE OF CAUSE: Lac La Ronge Indian Band v. Larry LaLiberte
Lac La Ronge Indian Band v. Sol Charles
Lac La Ronge Indian Band v. Robert Ballantyne
PLACE OF HEARING: Edmonton, Alberta
DATE OF HEARING: February 05, 2003
REASONS FOR JUDGMENT BY: EVANS J.A.
CONCURRED IN BY: ROTHSTEIN J.A., MALONE J.A.
DATED: February 05, 2003
APPEARANCES:
Mr. Peter Abrametz FOR THE APPELLANT
Mr. Bruce Slusar FOR THE RESPONDENTS
SOLICITORS OF RECORD:
Eggum, Abrametz & Eggum FOR THE APPELLANT
Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
Mr. Bruce Slusar FOR THE RESPONDENTS
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan