Filion v. Magnan

The respondents were convicted by a judge of the Court of the Sessions of the Peace of having, in violation of s. 367(a) of the Criminal Code, wrongfully dismissed four employees for the reason only that they were members of a lawful trade union. Prior to the date fixed for sentence, an appeal against conviction was taken by way of a new trial to a higher Court. The judge at the trial de novo dismissed the appeal and imposed a sentence. The conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal on the ground that there was no evidence to sustain the conviction. The Crown was granted leave to appeal to this Court pursuant to s. 41(3) of the Supreme Court Act.

Held: The appeal should be dismissed.

There was, as found by the Court below, no evidence to support the conviction. There was in fact no dismissal within the meaning of s. 367(a) of the Code.

Travail-Droit criminel-Congdiement illigal-Preuve ne supportant pas le verdict de culpabilit-Code criminel, 1958-54 (Can.), c. 51, arts. 367(a), 719-Loi sur la Cour suprdme, S.R.C. 1952, c. 259, s. 41(0). Les intimbs furent trouvis coupables par un juge de la Cour des Sessions de la Paix d'avoir, en violation de l'art. 36 (a) du Code criminel, cong6di6 illigalement quatre employds pour la seule raison qu'ils 6taient membres d'un syndicat ouvrier l6gitime. Avant le jour fix6 pour le prononc6 de la sentence, les intim6s en appelbrent de ce verdict devant un juge de la Cour sup6rieure par voie de procks nouveau. Le juge au procks de novo rejeta l'appel et imposa une sentence. Le verdict de culpabiliti fut cass6 par la Cour d'Appel pour le motif qu'il n'y avait Taschereau

C.J. and

Fauteux, Abbott,

Ritchie and Spence JJ.

S.C.R.

[19651