Hyperlawhypertext legal database Nissan Automobile Co. (Canada) Ltd. et al. v. Pelletier et al. [1981] 1 SCR 67

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Nissan Automobile Co. (Canada) Ltd. et al. v. Pelletier et al.

[1981] 1 SCR 67 Court SCC Decision date 1981-02-04 English

PartiesNissan Automobile Company (Canada) Ltd. and Elegant Motors Inc. (Applicants) Appellants·Serge Pelletier Respondent·The Bar of Quebec Mis en cause·The Attorney General of the Province of Quebec Mis en cause

Counsel (8)
Kelvin J. MacDougall, Q.C., for the applicants, appellants.
David Appel, for the respondent.
Henri Brun and Odette Laverdière, for the mis en cause, the Provincial Court, Mr. Justice Laganière, the Clerk of the Provincial Court and the Attorney General of the Province of Quebec.
Viateur Bergeron, Q.C., and Richard Gaudreau, for the mis en cause, the Bar of Quebec.
Solicitors for the appellants: Bronstetter, Wilkie, Penhale, Donovan, Giroux & Charbonneau, Montréal.
Solicitors for the respondent: Appel, Golfman, Lehrer & Castonguay, Montréal.
Solicitors for the Attorney General for Quebec: Henri Brun, Louis Crête and Odette Laverdière, Quebec.
Solicitors for the Bar of Quebec: Bergeron & Gaudreau, Hull, and Bergeron, Cain, Lamarre, Casgrain & Wells, Chicoutimi.

Judges Laskin, Bora; Martland, Ronald; Ritchie, Roland Almon; Dickson, Robert George Brian; Beetz, Jean; Estey, Willard Zebedee; McIntyre, William Rogers; Chouinard, Julien; Lamer, Antonio

Delivered by Majority

On appeal from Quebec

Subjects Constitutional law

Contents

The judgment of the Court was delivered orally by

THE CHIEF JUSTICE—We are all of the opinion that this appeal fails. The respondent was not called upon to answer the appeal with respect to the jurisdiction of the Small Claims Division of the Provincial Court of Quebec. As to the constitutional question reading as follows:
Is it competent for the National Assembly of Quebec to exclude representation by Counsel before the Small Claims Division of the Quebec Provincial Court pursuant to articles 955, 956 and 985 of the Quebec Code of Civil Procedure, S.Q. 1965, c. 80, as amended by L.Q. 1971, c. 86, L.Q. 1975, c. 83, art. 57 and L.Q. 1977, c. 73, art. 36?
we do not accept the contentions of counsel for the appellants and counsel for the Bar of Quebec. Accordingly, we answer the constitutional question in the affirmative.
The respondent is entitled to his costs throughout. There will be no costs to or against the Bar of Quebec or the Attorney General of Quebec.
Appeal dismissed with costs.
Solicitors for the appellants: Bronstetter, Wilkie, Penhale, Donovan, Giroux & Charbonneau, Montréal.
Solicitors for the respondent: Appel, Golfman, Lehrer & Castonguay, Montréal.
Solicitors for the Attorney General for Quebec: Henri Brun, Louis Crête and Odette Laverdière, Quebec.
Solicitors for the Bar of Quebec: Bergeron & Gaudreau, Hull, and Bergeron, Cain, Lamarre, Casgrain & Wells, Chicoutimi.

Footnotes

  1. [1] (1980), 97 D.L.R. 277.
  2. [2] [1976] S.C. 296.