T-938-95
The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
(Applicant)
v.
Johann Dueck (Respondent)
Indexed as: Canada (Minister of Citizenship and
Immigration)v. Dueck
(T.D.)
Trial Division, Noël J."Toronto, December 11 and 12;
Ottawa, December 23, 1997.
Citizenship and Immigration
"
Status in Canada
"
Citizens
" Reference under Citizenship Act, ss. 10, 18
as to whether respondent obtained citizenship by false
representation, fraud, concealing material circumstances
" Proceedings said to be prosecution for war crimes
under guise of citizenship reference "
Citizenship reference civil in nature without penal
consequence " Decision under Act, s. 18 factual
finding not determinative of legal rights "
Forfeiture of fruits of fraud not punishment per se
" No retribution involved " Act
imposing on citizenship applicants duty to be
truthful.
Constitutional law
"
Charter of Rights
" Respondent in Citizenship Act, ss. 10, 18
reference seeking Charter protection as person accused of war
crimes, "charged with an offence"
under Charter, s. 11 " Freedom not to be
forcibly moved said to be "liberty"
under Charter, s. 7 " Reference not
criminal, quasi-criminal proceeding " Taking
back of privilege acquired by fraud not punishment
" Proceedings intended to obtain removal of
inadmissible person not within Charter, s. 11.
Administrative law
"
Reference
" Minister seeking directions setting down
procedure to be followed in reference under Citizenship Act,
s. 18 " Party targeted by administrative
proceeding not shielded from pre-trial compulsion
" No void in rules prescribed for hearing of s. 18
reference " Application of relevant rules of
practice not diminishing respondent's right to be treated
fairly in compliance with principles of natural justice
" Procedure to be followed by reference to rules of
practice governing actions.
This was a motion for directions setting down the
procedure to be followed in respect of a reference under
section 18 of the Citizenship Act. In January 1995,
the Registrar of Canadian Citizenship sent a notice of
revocation to the respondent, advising him of the Minister of
Citizenship and Immigration's intention to submit a report to
the Governor in Council recommending that his citizenship be
revoked. The Minister then filed a notice of reference before
this Court, seeking a declaration that the respondent had
obtained his citizenship through false representation, fraud,
or by knowingly concealing material circumstances. The
respondent argued that the present proceedings involved
allegations of war crimes and that he was being prosecuted
for those crimes under the guise of a citizenship reference.
He was therefore of the view that being accused of war
crimes, he should be afforded the procedural, evidentiary and
Charter protection normally reserved to the criminal process.
Moreover, the respondent submitted that, for the purposes of
these proceedings, he was a "person charged with an offence"
under paragraph 11(c ) of the Charter and
alternatively, that these proceedings interfered with his
"liberty" as set out in section 7 of the Charter. Before
dealing with the applicant's motion for directions, the Court
had to rule on the respondent's arguments.
Held, the procedure to be followed should be set
down by reference to the rules of practice governing
actions.
Sections 10 and 18 of the Citizenship Act give the
Court a very precise statutory mandate. If the Court was to
operate within the parameters of this mandate, neither the
applicant's motive nor the nature of what underlies the
alleged fraud could have any impact on the character of the
proceedings. Whether the matter underlying the alleged fraud
pertained to war crimes or any other motive, the only issue
upon which the Court could adjudicate remained the same: has
the person concerned obtained citizenship by false
representation, fraud or by knowingly concealing material
circumstances? A reference conducted under section 18 of the
Citizenship Act is in the nature of a civil proceeding
in which the civil standard of proof applies. A decision made
on a section 18 reference constitutes a factual finding by
the Court and is not finally determinative of any legal
rights. A section 18 reference is not a criminal or
quasi-criminal proceeding and in itself, involves no penal
consequence. The forfeiture of the fruits of fraud is not
punishment per se. The return of something obtained by
fraud or deceit is a neutral event. A proceeding, the sole
purpose of which is to put an individual in the situation in
which he would have been if no fraud had been committed, is
civil in nature; no retribution is involved. A person who has
obtained Canadian citizenship by fraud knows or ought to know
that his status as a Canadian citizen is precarious. The
Citizenship Act imposes on citizenship applicants a
duty to answer questions truthfully and provides the state
with the right to obtain revocation if it can be shown that
the duty was not met. Section 11 of the Charter would not
apply even if citizenship revocation would necessarily result
from a positive determination in this reference. Deportation
is not punishment.
The respondent argued that paragraph 11(c) of the
Charter operates as a complete bar to those parts of the
applicant's motion that called for reciprocal pleadings,
pre-trial production of documents and discovery. There is no
case law establishing that a party targeted by an
administrative proceeding can effectively be shielded from
pre-trial compulsion. Rule 920 of the Federal Court
Rules is the only Rule that specifically addresses the
procedure to be followed in a reference made under section 18
of the Citizenship Act. Rule 919 incorporates Rule 5
(the gap rule) which in turn directs the Court to adopt a
procedure by reference to "the other provisions of these
Rules". There is no void in the rules prescribed for the
hearing of a reference under section 18 of the Citizenship
Act . The application of the relevant rules of practice
does not diminish the respondent's right to be treated fairly
in strict compliance with the principles of natural justice.
These rules give the respondent the means to obtain full
disclosure of the applicant's case together with all relevant
documents and information. However, the principles of natural
justice do not operate to prevent the respondent from being
compelled to give evidence.
statutes and regulations judicially considered
Canadian Bill of Rights, R.S.C., 1985, Appendix
III, s. 2(e).
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, being Part
I of the Constitution Act, 1982, Schedule B, Canada
Act 1982, 1982, c. 11 (U.K.) [R.S.C., 1985, Appendix II,
No. 44], ss. 6, 7, 11.
Canadian Citizenship Act (The), S.C. 1946, c. 15,
s. 21
Citizenship Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. C-29, ss. 10,
18.
Criminal Code, R.S.C., 1985, c. C-46, ss. 7(3.71)
(as enacted by R.S.C., 1985 (3rd Supp.), c. 30, s. 1), (3.72)
(as enacted idem), (3.73) (as enacted idem;
S.C. 1992, c. 1, s. 58), (3.74) (as enacted by R.S.C., 1985
(3rd Supp.), c. 30, s. 1), (3.75) (as enacted idem),
(3.76) (as enacted idem), (3.77) (as enacted
idem), 446(2).
Federal Court Rules, C.R.C., c. 663, RR. 1, 2 (as
am. by SOR/90-846, s. 1; 92-43, s. 1), 3 (as am. by
SOR/94-41, s. 1), 4, 5, 408, 409(b), 413, 448 (as am.
by SOR/90-846, s. 15), 452 (as am. idem), 919,
920.
Immigration Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. I-2.
cases judicially considered
applied:
Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) v.
Tobiass, [1997] 3 S.C.R. 391; (1997), 151 D.L.R. (4th)
119; 118 C.C.C. (3d) 443; 10 C.R. (5th) 163; 40 Imm. L.R.
(2d) 23; 218 N.R. 81; Canada (Secretary of State) v.
Delezos, [1989] 1 F.C. 297; (1988), 22 F.T.R. 135; 6 Imm.
L.R. (2d) 12 (T.D.); R. v. Wigglesworth, [1987] 2
S.C.R. 541; (1987), 45 D.L.R. (4th) 235; [1988] 1 W.W.R. 193;
61 Sask. R. 105; 28 Admin. L.R. 294; 37 C.C.C. (3d) 385; 60
C.R. (3d) 193; 81 N.R. 161; Benner v. Canada (Secretary of
State), [1997] 1 S.C.R. 358; (1997), 143 D.L.R. (4th)
577; 42 C.R.R. (2d) 1; 37 Imm. L.R. (2d) 195; 208 N.R. 81;
Rudolph v. Canada (Minister of Employment and
Immigration), [1992] 2 F.C. 653; (1992), 91 D.L.R. (4th)
686; 73 C.C.C. (3d) 442; 14 C.R. (4th) 169; 142 N.R. 62
(C.A.); Chiarelli v. Canada (Minister of Employment and
Immigration), [1992] 1 S.C.R. 711; (1992), 90 D.L.R.
(4th) 289; 2 Admin. L.R. (2d) 125; 72 C.C.C. (3d) 214; 8
C.R.R. (2d) 234; 16 Imm. L.R. (2d) 1; 135 N.R. 161; Canada (Minister of
Citizenship and Immigration) v. Copeland, [1998] 2 F.C.
493 (T.D.); Luitjens v. Canada (Secretary of
State) (1992), 9 C.R.R. (2d) 149; 142 N.R. 173
(F.C.A.).
distinguished:
Vidéotron Ltée v. Industries Microlec
Produits Électroniques Inc., [1992] 2 S.C.R. 1065;
(1992), 96 D.L.R. (4th) 376; 76 C.C.C. (3d) 289; 141 N.R.
281.
considered:
Nguyen v.
Canada (Minister of Employment and Immigration), [1993] 1
F.C. 696; (1993), 100 D.L.R. (4th) 151; 14 C.R.R. (2d)
146; 18 Imm. L.R. (2d) 165; 151 N.R. 69 (C.A.); R. v.
Amway of Canada Ltd., [1987] 1 F.C. 3; (1986), 21 C.R.R.
238; 18 C.P.C. (2d) 226; [1986] 2 C.T.C. 148; 3 F.T.R. 248
(T.D.).
referred to:
Canada
(Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) v. Tobiass,
[1997] 1 F.C. 828; (1997), 142 D.L.R. (4th) 270; 208 N.R.
21 (C.A.); Canada (Minister of
Citizenship and Immigration) v. Tobiass, [1996] 2 F.C.
729; (1996), 41 Admin. L.R. (2d) 272; 116 F.T.R. 69
(T.D.); Hurd v. Canada (Minister of Employment and
Immigration), [1989] 2 F.C. 594; (1988), 90 N.R. 31
(C.A.); R. v. Vermette, [1988] 1 S.C.R. 985; (1988),
14 Q.A.C. 161; 41 C.C.C. (3d) 523; 64 C.R. (3d) 82; 84 N.R.
296; Operation Dismantle Inc. et al. v. The Queen et
al., [1985] 1 S.C.R. 441; (1985), 18 D.L.R. (4th) 481; 12
Admin. L.R. 16; 13 C.R.R. 287; 59 N.R. 1; R. v. S.
(R.J.), [1995] 1 S.C.R. 451; (1995), 121 D.L.R. (4th)
589; 96 C.C.C. (3d) 1; 36 C.R. (4th) 1; 26 C.R.R. (2d) 1; 177
N.R. 81; 78 O.A.C. 161; Singh et al. v. Minister of
Employment and Immigration, [1985] 1 S.C.R. 177; (1985),
17 D.L.R. (4th) 422; 12 Admin. L.R. 137; 14 C.R.R. 13; 58
N.R. 1; Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration)
v. Oberlander, [1997] F.C.J. No. 1828 (T.D.) (QL);
Reference as to the effect of the Exercise by His
Excellency the Governor General of the Royal Prerogative of
Mercy upon Deportation Proceedings, [1933] S.C.R. 269;
[1933] 2 D.L.R. 348; (1933), 59 C.C.C. 301; R. v.
Stinchcombe, [1995] 1 S.C.R. 754; (1995), 162 A.R. 269;
96 C.C.C. (3d) 318; 38 C.R. (4th) 42; 178 N.R. 157; 83 W.A.C.
269; R. v. A, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 995; (1990), 55 C.C.C.
(3d) 562; 77 C.R. (3d) 219; 47 C.R.R. 225; 36 Q.A.C. 144;
Tyler v. M.N.R., [1991] 2 F.C. 68; (1990), 4 C.R.R.
(2d) 348; [1991] 1 C.T.C. 13; 91 DTC 5022; 120 N.R. 140
(C.A.); Quebec Association of Protestant School Boards et
al. v. Attorney-General of Quebec et al. (1983), 140
D.L.R. (3d) 33; 3 C.R.R. 114 (Que. S.C.); affd on other
grounds (1983), 1 D.L.R. (4th) 573; 7 C.R.R. 139 (Que. C.A.);
affd [1984] 2 S.C.R. 66; (1984), 10 D.L.R. (4th) 321; 9
C.R.R. 133; 54 N.R. 196; Canada v. Amway of Canada
Ltd., [1987] 2 F.C. 131; (1986), 34 D.L.R. (4th) 190; 13
C.E.R. 138; 27 C.R.R. 305; [1987] 1 C.T.C. 97; 72 N.R. 211
(C.A.).
MOTION for directions setting down the procedure to be
followed in respect of a reference conducted under section 18
of the Citizenship Act. Procedure to be followed by
reference to the rules of practice governing actions.
counsel:
Donald A. MacIntosh and Cheryl D. E.
Mitchell for applicant.
Donald B. Bayne and Michael Code for
respondent.
solicitors:
Deputy Attorney General of Canada for
applicant.
Bayne, Sellar, Boxall, Ottawa, for respondent.
The following are the reasons for order rendered in
English by
Noël J.: The applicant moves for directions setting
down the procedure to be followed in respect of this
reference. Before I address the particulars of the
applicant's motion I will briefly set out the history of this
case in order to give the matter some perspective.
In January of 1995 the Registrar of Canadian Citizenship
sent a notice of revocation to the respondent. The purpose of
the notice was to advise the respondent of the Minister of
Citizenship and Immigration's (the applicant) intention to
submit a report to the Governor in Council recommending that
the respondent's citizenship be revoked. The notice also
advised the respondent of his right to have the matter
referred to the Federal Court"Trial Division.
At the respondent's behest the applicant then filed a
notice of reference before this Court, seeking a declaration
that the respondent obtained his citizenship through false
representation, fraud, or by knowingly concealing material
circumstances. A short time later, in May of 1995, the
applicant filed a notice of motion for procedural
directions.
The applicant's motion for directions soon became
submerged in a number of procedural disputes which, for a
variety of reasons, persisted for almost a year's time. By
reason of events unrelated to the present motion a stay of
proceedings was granted in this file [[1996] 2 F.C. 729
(T.D.)]. This stay was subsequently overturned by the Federal
Court of Appeal [[1997] 1 F.C. 828]; a
decision which was affirmed by the Supreme Court of Canada on
September 25, 1997.1
Approximately one month following the Supreme Court's
lifting of the stay in this matter, the applicant withdrew
the original motion for directions and filed the amended
motion for directions presently before the Court.2
The applicant again seeks directions with respect to the
procedure to be followed in this reference. In particular the
applicant seeks an order:
(1) Requiring the Respondent to serve and file a
summary of facts and evidence on which he intends to rely at
the hearing of the case;
(2) Requiring both parties to deliver a list of
documents containing:
(a) sufficient description of all documents relevant to
any matter in issue that:
(i) are in the possession, power or control of the party
and for which no privilege is claimed;
(ii) are in the possession, power or control of the party
and for which privilege is claimed;
(b) a statement that the party is not aware of any
relevant documents other than those that are set out in the
list;
(3) Requiring either party that upon becoming aware
that the list of documents served and filed by the party is
inaccurate or deficient, to serve and file a supplementary
list, correcting the inaccuracy and deficiency without
delay;
(4) Requiring both parties to allow the other party
to inspect all documents, described in the list of documents,
except those for where privilege is claimed, during business
hours, at a mutually convenient time, no sooner than fifteen
days after the service of the list of documents and to make
copies of any such documents, at the inspecting parties
expense;
(5) Providing that both parties may conduct an oral
examination for discovery of the other party, but in the case
of the Applicant, the person discovered shall be a
representative of the Applicant selected by her;
(6) Providing that either party may by notice (Form
23, Federal Court Rules), require that the other party admit
any documents and where such notice has been served, if the
party served has not within twenty days of the date of
service, or such further period as the party serving the
notice or the Court may allow, served upon the other an
affidavit either denying that the document is genuine, or
setting forth the grounds for not admitting it, the party
served shall be deemed to have admitted that that document is
genuine;
(7) Providing that any party may not less than
thirty days before the commencement of the trial by notice
(Form 24, Federal Court Rules), request the other party to
admit, for the purpose of the hearing of this case only, any
specific facts mentioned in such notice;
(8) Providing that any party who intends to adduce
expert evidence at the hearing of this case, shall serve and
file an affidavit setting out the substance of the proposed
evidence of each expert witness, at least thirty days prior
to the commencement of the hearing;
(9) Fixing of dates for the completion of each of
the steps referred to in subparagraphs (1), (2) and (5)
above;
(10) Fixing the date for the hearing of this case.
The respondent resists those parts of the applicant's
motion calling for the kind of pre-trial exchange of
information normally coincident to a civil action. In
particular, the respondent takes exception to the applicant's
request for reciprocal pleadings, pre-trial production of
documents and discovery, as set out in paragraphs 1 through 5
of the motion. At the same time, the respondent maintains
that the extent of the disclosure which the applicant is
prepared to give him is insufficient.
In support of his position, the respondent has advanced a
very extensive argument which I will endeavour to summarize
over the following paragraphs. This task is rendered more
difficult by the fact that the respondent, in addition to
advancing his own argument, has wholly adopted the equally
extensive, but not altogether complementary argument put
forth by the respondent in Canada (Minister of Citizenship
and Immigration) v. Oberlander, [1997] F.C.J. No. 1828
(T.D.) (QL). Bearing this in mind, the following represents
what in my view are the salient features of the respondent's
position.
The respondent recounts in some detail the events
surrounding the enactment of subsection 7(3.71) of the
Criminal Code [R.S.C., 1985, c. C-46 (as enacted by
R.S.C., 1985 (3rd Supp.), c. 30, s. 1)].3 He
contends that subsection 7(3.71) represents Parliament's
"promise" to "deal with alleged war criminals" by way of
criminal prosecution. The respondent observes that the
present proceedings involve allegations of war crimes and
infers that he is being prosecuted for war crimes under the
guise of a citizenship reference. In the respondent's view,
the "substance" of the applicant's case in these proceedings
is proof of individual criminality, as opposed to proof of
fraud, false representation or concealment of material
circumstances as set out in the relevant provisions of the
Citizenship Act [R.S.C., 1985, c. C-29]. The
respondent is therefore of the view that he stands accused as
a war criminal and that, at least in so far as the litigation
of war crimes in these proceedings is concerned,4
he should be afforded the procedural, evidentiary and Charter
[Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, being Part I
of the Constitution Act, 1982, Schedule B, Canada
Act 1982, 1982, c. 11 (U.K.) [R.S.C., 1985, Appendix II,
No. 44]] protection normally reserved to the criminal
process.
Despite the respondent's contention that this is a
criminal prosecution being conducted under the guise of a
citizenship reference, he nevertheless identifies these
proceedings as an attempt by the state to strip him of
Canadian citizenship. Having regard to the latter
characterization, the respondent opposes the applicant's
motion on four broad grounds:
1. That the applicant's proposed procedure violates
paragraph 11(c) of the Charter.
2. That the procedure proposed by the applicant
contravenes section 7 of the Charter.
3. That the applicant's proposed procedure is in conflict
with paragraph 2(e) of the Canadian Bill of
Rights [R.S.C., 1985, Appendix III].
4. That the applicant's proposed procedure violates the
rules of natural justice and fairness.
In keeping with the respondent's characterization of these
proceedings as an attempt to strip him of his citizenship,
and eventually deport him, the respondent claims that he is a
person "charged with an offence" within the meaning of
section 11 of the Charter. The respondent further argues that
paragraph 11(c ) operates as a complete bar to those
parts of the applicant's motion that call for pre-trial
compellability.
To that effect, the respondent relies on the dictum
of Wilson J. in R. v. Wigglesworth5 where
she held that the protection afforded by section 11 extends
beyond purely criminal matters. In the course of rendering
her decision, Wilson J. formulated two alternative tests in
order to determine whether a particular proceeding engages
section 11.
The first test described by Wilson J. is the "by nature"
test. A matter will fall within section 11 pursuant to the
"by nature" test if it is intended to promote public order
within a public sphere of activity. According to the
respondent, these proceedings meet Wilson J.'s "by nature"
test given that they are of a public nature intended to
redress a wrong done to society at large.
The second test proposed by Wilson J. is the "penal
consequence" test. A matter is said to have penal
consequences if the magnitude of the sanction imposed
suggests that its purpose is to redress a wrong done to
society. The respondent argues that these proceedings meet
this second test as well, given that their purpose is to
obtain the "forfeiture" of his citizenship on the basis of a
fraud on the public and eventually deport him.
In the event that paragraph 11(c) is found not to
apply to these proceedings, the respondent claims that he may
nevertheless resist the contested parts of the applicant's
motion by virtue of section 7 of the Charter. According to
the respondent, reciprocal pleadings, pre-trial production of
documents and discovery, in the context of these proceedings,
violate the "residual protection" against self-incrimination
provided by section 7.
In support of the notion that section 7 applies to these
proceedings the respondent relies on case law where the
protection afforded to the individual by virtue of the
"liberty" component of section 7 has been interpreted to
encompass not only freedom from physical restraint, but also
freedom of physical movement. In the respondent's view, the
concept of freedom of physical movement includes the freedom
not to be forcibly moved. The respondent notes that section 7
is to be interpreted by reference to the other provisions of
the Charter, and that subsection 6(1) of the Charter
guarantees to Canadian citizens a right to choose whether to
"enter, remain in and leave Canada". On that basis, the
respondent concludes that a citizen's right to choose whether
to remain in or leave the country is a component of the right
to "liberty" under section 7, and that subsection 6(1) of the
Charter is a further indication that the freedom not to be
forcibly moved constitutes a "liberty" within the meaning of
section 7.
The respondent then argues that an examination of the
denaturalization process reveals two threats to this broadly
defined right to "liberty" sufficient to engage section 7 in
these proceedings. First, the decision to revoke citizenship
results in the loss of the subsection 6(1) right to choose
whether to remain in or to leave Canada, which in turn
results in a deprivation of "liberty" as defined above.
Second, the possibility of deportation following a decision
to revoke the respondent's citizenship presents an
apprehended interference with his right not to be forcibly
moved, which again results in a deprivation of "liberty".
The respondent insists that his section 7 "liberty" is
engaged in these proceedings despite the fact that the Court
does not make the ultimate decision whether to revoke his
citizenship or to deport him from Canada. According to the
respondent, the applicability of section 7 of the Charter to
these proceedings must be viewed in light of certain
government policy statements that indicate that the decisions
to revoke and to deport can be presumed following a positive
finding from the Court.
Paragraph 2(e) of the Canadian Bill of
Rights stipulates that any hearing that is determinative
of a person's "rights and obligations" must respect the
principles of fundamental justice. The respondent recognizes
that the principles of fundamental justice under paragraph
2(e ) of the Bill of Rights are limited to procedural
considerations. The respondent maintains, however, that the
procedural considerations that underlay the principles of
fundamental justice under section 7 of the Charter, namely
the principle against self-incrimination, apply equally to
the principles of fundamental justice under paragraph
2(e) of the Bill of Rights. The respondent claims that
these proceedings will determine his rights and obligations
under the Citizenship Act and that the same analysis
set out in relation to the effect of section 7 on the
applicant's motion, applies to paragraph 2(e) of the
Bill of Rights.
Finally, the respondent argues that in the absence of a
specific provision in the Citizenship Act or in the
Federal Court Rules [C.R.C., c. 663] providing for
pre-hearing compulsion in citizenship references, the Court
should craft a procedure consistent with the principles of
natural justice in the administrative law context. In this
respect, the respondent claims that the modern rule in terms
of disclosure is premised not on civil standards but on the
criminal standard as established by the landmark case of
R. v. Stinchcombe.6
Disposition
I turn first to the respondent's contentions regarding the
character of these proceedings. The respondent expresses the
view that the applicant's reference to this Court is a
disguised means of mounting a war crimes prosecution against
him. This perception is based in large part on the
respondent's understanding of the reasons underlying the
applicant's attempt to revoke his citizenship. According to
the respondent, the applicant is motivated not by concerns
relating to the Citizenship Act, but by the belief
that he has participated in war crimes.7
The litigation of war crimes thus becomes the true
focus or "substance" of these proceedings and the question as
to whether the respondent made a false declaration in the
course of obtaining his citizenship is merely backdrop. In
the respondent's view, this imparts a criminal character to
these proceedings and insulates him from the contested parts
of the applicant's motion.
It is useful at this point to examine the statutory
provisions that give rise to the present proceedings,
sections 10 and 18 of the Citizenship Act. These
sections provide:
10. (1) Subject to section 18 but notwithstanding
any other section of this Act, where the Governor in Council,
on a report from the Minister, is satisfied that any person
has obtained, retained, renounced or resumed citizenship
under this Act by false representation or fraud or by
knowingly concealing material circumstances,
(a) the person ceases to be a citizen, or
(b) the renunciation of citizenship by the person
shall be deemed to have had no effect,
as of such date as may be fixed by order of the Governor
in Council with respect thereto.
(2) A person shall be deemed to have obtained citizenship
by false representation or fraud or by knowingly concealing
material circumstances if the person was lawfully admitted to
Canada for permanent residence by false representation or
fraud or by knowingly concealing material circumstances and,
because of that admission, the person subsequently obtained
citizenship.
. . .
18. (1) The Minister shall not make a report under
section 10 unless the Minister has given notice of his
intention to do so to the person in respect of whom the
report is to be made and
(a) that person does not, within thirty days after
the day on which the notice is sent, request that the
Minister refer the case to the Court; or
(b) that person does so request and the Court
decides that the person has obtained, retained, renounced or
resumed citizenship by false representation or fraud or by
knowingly concealing material circumstances.
(2) The notice referred to in subsection (1) shall state
that the person in respect of whom the report is to be made
may, within thirty days after the day on which the notice is
sent to him, request that the Minister refer the case to the
Court, and such notice is sufficient if it is sent by
registered mail to the person at his latest known
address.
(3) A decision of the Court made under subsection (1) is
final and, notwithstanding any other Act of Parliament, no
appeal lies therefrom.
Thus sections 10 and 18 give the Court a very precise
statutory mandate. The Court must make a determination as to
whether an individual has obtained, retained, renounced or
resumed citizenship by either fraud, false representation or
by knowingly concealing material circumstances. If the Court
is to operate within the parameters of this mandate it is
clear that neither the applicant's motive, nor the nature of
what underlies the alleged fraud can have any impact on the
character of the proceedings. Sections 10 and 18 do not
confer upon the Court an unascertained jurisdiction
susceptible to changes and adaptations depending on the
nature and gravity of the circumstances giving rise to the
hearing before it. Whether the matter which underlies the
alleged fraud pertains to war crimes or something as mundane
as marital status, the only issue upon which the Court may
adjudicate remains exactly the same: has the person concerned
obtained citizenship by false representation, fraud or by
knowingly concealing material circumstances?
I note that the respondent's perception of the character
of these proceedings is also based on certain comments made
by the Supreme Court in Tobiass. In that case, the
Court qualified the acts which the applicant maintains were
concealed by the respondent in the course of obtaining
citizenship as "the most wicked kinds of criminal activity
. . . among the most heinous in
history".8 Certainly, these are damning comments.
However, in my view it is important that these comments be
examined in the context in which they were made.
In Tobiass, the issue before the Court was whether
a stay of proceedings was warranted. In balancing the
competing values involved in the granting of a stay, the
Court took into account society's interest in assuring that
measures are taken to deal with persons suspected of having
participated in war crimes. It was that consideration that
prompted the Court to make the following remarks: "Canada's
interest in not giving shelter to those who concealed their
wartime participation in acts of atrocities outweighs any
foreseeable harm that might be done to the appellants", and,
"What is at stake here, in however small a measure, is
Canada's reputation as a responsible member of the community
of nations".9
That is the context in which the Court commented on the
nature of the acts the applicant claims were concealed by the
respondent. At no time did the Supreme Court intimate that
the character of these proceedings varies according to the
nature of the acts which are said to underlie the alleged
fraud, or suggest that this Court, on a section 18 reference,
should concern itself with anything other than that which it
is authorized to decide under the statute. In that
perspective, the gravity of the crimes alleged is relevant
but only in so far as it serves to establish the alleged
fraud.
Read in the context, the above-quoted remarks of the
Supreme Court do however lend credence to the notion that the
Citizenship Act and the Immigration Act
[R.S.C., 1985, c. I-2] are complementary in nature and are
constituent parts of a broader scheme. As McGillis J.
observed in Copeland:10
A review of the Immigration Act and the
Citizenship Act reveals that the laws pertaining to
immigration and citizenship are complementary in nature, and
collectively embody the legislative scheme which enables an
immigrant to enter and to remain in Canada and to obtain
citizenship. In that regard, the Immigration Act
governs the admission, exclusion and removal of non-citizens,
while the Citizenship Act regulates, among other
things, the circumstances under which an immigrant may secure
the right to obtain citizenship. In that sense, the
Citizenship Act controls the final phase of a person's
immigration to this country. The complementary nature of the
two Acts becomes very clear in circumstances in which the
statutory cessation of citizenship under paragraph
10(1)(a) of the Citizenship Act takes effect in
relation to a person. In such a situation, the person's
status in Canada and the question of potential removal from
the country are governed by the provisions of the
Immigration Act. It is also useful to note that both
the Immigration Act and the Citizenship Act
contain reference proceedings, including section 40.1 and
section 18 respectively, requiring a judge of this Court to
make factual findings for the purpose of assisting the
Minister and the Governor in Council in discharging their
statutory responsibilities concerning whether certain persons
ought to be permitted to remain in Canada, as citizens or
otherwise.
In the circumstances, I am satisfied that the basic
interpretive principles enunciated in Ahani v. Canada,
supra, are applicable to citizenship matters. I have
therefore concluded that the scope of the proceedings under
section 18 of the Citizenship Act must be analysed in
the context of principles and policies underlying immigration
and citizenship law, and not in the criminal law context.
Indeed, as indicated earlier, a judge conducting a reference
under section 18 of the Citizenship Act makes only a
factual finding concerning the circumstances under which a
person obtained his Canadian citizenship. To paraphrase my
words in Ahani v. Canada, supra, that factual
finding is purely and simply a citizenship matter. In the
circumstances, I agree with Collier J. in Canada
(Secretary of State) v. Luitjens, supra, that a
reference conducted under section 18 of the Citizenship
Act is in the nature of a civil proceeding in which the
civil standard of proof applies.
I agree with McGillis J.'s interpretation of the
administrative framework in which a citizenship reference
operates and with her conclusion that such a proceeding is
civil in nature. The respondent's argument that having regard
to the character of these proceedings he is entitled to
resist certain parts of the applicant's motion must fail.
As noted earlier, the respondent also challenges the
applicant's motion on the ground that it is inconsistent with
the principles against self-incrimination embodied in
sections 7 and 11 of the Charter. Specifically, the
respondent maintains that for the purposes of these
proceedings he is a "person charged with an offence" pursuant
to paragraph 11(c ), and alternatively, that these
proceedings interfere with his "liberty" as set out in
section 7.
In Canada (Secretary of State) v.
Delezos,11 Muldoon J. in a reference under
section 18 [then section 17] was confronted with the argument
that the respondent in that matter stood in the same position
as a person charged with an offence. The argument was that,
as the respondent had already been convicted of the offence
of uttering false documents in the course of obtaining
Canadian citizenship, he could not be tried for the same
offence again in the course of the reference proceeding.
Paragraph 11(h) of the Charter was being relied
upon.
Muldoon J. after noting that the respondent stood in no
jeopardy of any penal consequence in the reference
proceedings concluded that the enquiry was entirely civil in
nature. Muldoon J.'s decision was subsequently cited with
approval by the Court of Appeal in Hurd v. Canada
(Minister of Employment and
Immigration).12
That a reference under section 18 carries no penal
consequence was in effect reaffirmed by the Court of Appeal
in Luitjens v. Canada (Secretary of
State).13 In that case, Linden J.A., writing
for the Court, stated that the decision made on a section 18
reference constitutes a factual finding by the Court which is
not finally determinative of any legal rights. Linden J.A.
stated:14
Although the decision followed a hearing at which much
evidence was adduced, it was merely a finding of fact by the
court, which was to form the basis of a report by the
minister and, eventually, a decision by the Governor in
Council, as described by ss. 10 and 18(1). The decision did
not finally determine any legal rights.
This passage was cited with approval by the Supreme Court
of Canada in Tobiass. More particularly, the Supreme
Court adopted this dictum as reflecting "the type of
determination that the Court is called upon to make under
subsection 18(1)" of the Citizenship Act in contrast
with decisions which determine rights and obligations with
finality and from which an appeal lies.15
Later in Luitjens, Linden J.A. relying on the logic
underlying the above-quoted passage went on to explain why
the absence of a right of appeal from a decision reached on a
reference did not result in a breach of section 7 of the
Charter. He said:16
I am of the view that s. 7 does not render s. 18(3) of no
force and effect. First, at the time of the decision of
the court, at least, s. 7 was not engaged in that there
was not yet any deprivation of Mr. Luitjens' "life, liberty
and security of the person". All that was decided by the
trial judge was the fact that Mr. Luitjens obtained his
Canadian citizenship by false representations. This finding
may well form the basis of decisions by others, which
may interfere with those rights at some future
time, but this decision does not do so. Therefore, it is
merely one stage of a proceeding which may or may not result
in a final revocation of citizenship and deportation or
extradition. There may be a right of review or appeal at a
later stage, which is usually the
case . . . . [Emphasis in
original.]17
Counsel for the respondent suggests that this passage in
so far as it relates to section 7 of the Charter is
obiter and is inconsistent with the "settled"
authority of the Supreme Court.18 I do not accept
either suggestion. First, the statement is clearly ratio
decidendi as it disposes of the very issue which the
Court of Appeal was called upon to decide. Second, I do not
believe that the case law referred to by the
respondent19 constitutes "settled" authority for
the proposition that the reasoning expressed by Linden J.A.
is bad law. If anything, the recent decision of the Supreme
Court in Tobiass confirms that a decision under
section 18 is not finally determinative of any legal rights
thereby lending strong support for the conclusion reached by
Linden J.A. with respect to section 7 of the Charter.
Further, I do not believe that the decision of the Court
of Appeal in Nguyen v. Canada (Minister of Employment and
Immigration)20 is at odds with the decision in
Luitjens. In Nguyen, the applicant had already
been made the subject of a danger to the public opinion
issued by the Minister, and the section 7 challenge was
directed against the scheme provided for under the
Immigration Act for dealing with such persons. That is
the context in which Marceau J.A. said on behalf of the
Court:21
A legislative scheme may be denounced even if its parts
are in themselves acceptable. The interaction between the
parts may create a completely new context and force a new
approach. This, I believe, is the attitude that the Supreme
Court adopted in Chiarelli . . . .
Here, there is no attack on the legislative scheme as a
whole. All that is advanced is that section 7 of the Charter
is engaged when a notice of revocation reaches the stage of a
reference before this Court. The decision of the Court of
Appeal in Luitjens decides otherwise and in my view,
disposes of the argument based on section 7.22
Turning back to paragraph 11(c) of the Charter, it
is clear on the basis of the authorities which I have cited
that these proceedings meet neither the "by nature" test nor
the "penal consequence" test enunciated by Wilson J. in
Wigglesworth , supra. A section 18 reference is
not a criminal or quasi-criminal proceeding and in itself, it
involves no penal consequence.
Even if I were to look beyond the present proceedings and
assume, as the respondent suggests, that revocation would
necessarily result from a positive determination in this
reference, I do not believe that section 11 could be said to
apply.
The forfeiture of the fruits of fraud is not punishment
per se. Looked upon on its own, the return of
something obtained by fraud or deceit is a purely neutral
event.23 A proceeding, the sole purpose of which
is to put an individual in the situation in which he would
have been if no fraud had been committed is civil in nature;
no retribution is involved.
The case of R. v. Amway of Canada Ltd.24
relied upon extensively by the respondent for the proposition
that the forfeiture of his citizenship constitutes a penal
consequence in actual fact illustrates just the opposite.
Reed J. in concluding that the monetary forfeiture was
punishment, pointed out that the forfeiture in question was
not aimed at the payment of duties and taxes which had been
evaded but called for substantial payments over and beyond
the amounts properly owing. This finding of fact formed the
basis of the reasoning which led her to conclude that
punishment was sought. Her conclusion would necessarily have
been different if all that was sought had been the payment of
duties and taxes which had been the subject of the fraud. The
Court of Appeal came to the same conclusion as Reed J. by
reference to the same reasoning.25
The decision of the Supreme Court in Vidéotron
Ltée26 also relied upon extensively by
the respondent, is of no more assistance as the potential
sanction of one year's imprisonment in that case was
unequivocally punitive.
It is also important to note that in Benner v. Canada
(Secretary of State), the Supreme Court referred to
Canadian citizenship as a "valuable privilege".27
A person who has obtained Canadian citizenship by fraud knows
or ought to know that his status as a Canadian citizen is
precarious. Our Citizenship Act has always imposed on
citizenship applicants the duty to answer questions
truthfully and, since at least 1946,28 the Act has
provided that where the Minister of Citizenship can establish
that citizenship was obtained by fraud, it stands to be
revoked. The Act therefore imposes on citizenship applicants
a duty to be truthful and provides the state with the right
to obtain revocation if it can be shown that the duty was not
met. That is part of the social contract which binds anyone
who chooses to become a Canadian citizen.
The taking back by the state of a privilege on the ground
that it was originally acquired by fraud based on a remedy
provided by statute for that sole purpose is not punishment.
The remedy involved is no more punitive than would be, for
instance, the one pursued by an insurance company which sues
an insured to obtain the cancellation of a policy on the
ground that it was originally obtained by fraud,
misrepresentation, or as a result of the willful omission of
a material fact. In both cases, the remedy is limited to
taking back that to which there was never any
entitlement.
Looking yet beyond the possible revocation of the
respondent's citizenship, and assuming for purposes of
discussion that removal will necessarily result from a
positive determination in this reference, I still do not
believe that this would amount to a penal consequence for the
purposes of section 11.
The question as to whether the removal of an inadmissible
person from Canada under the terms of the Immigration
Act constitutes a form of punishment or whether
proceedings intended to obtain such a person's removal
otherwise come within section 11 of the Charter has been
authoritatively decided.
In Rudolph v. Canada (Minister of Employment and
Immigration), Hugessen J.A. said on behalf of the Court
of Appeal:29
. . . the applicant is not before this Court as
A person slated for deportation does not stand before "person
charged with an offence".
In Hurd v. Canada (Minister of Employment and
Immigration), MacGuigan J.A. writing for a different
bench came to the same conclusion for essentially the same
reasons.30
Finally, in Chiarelli v. Canada (Minister of Employment
and Immigration), Sopinka J. expressed the Court's view
that deportation is not punishment.31
The respondent also resists the applicant's motion on the
ground that the procedure sought is inconsistent with the
principles of natural justice and fairness as they apply to
administrative proceedings lying at the high end of the
judicial spectrum. The respondent maintains that the modern
principles of administrative law require full disclosure from
the applicant and at the same time virtually insulate him
from pre-trial compulsion.
I am unaware of any case law that establishes that a party
targeted by an administrative proceeding can effectively be
shielded from pre-trial compulsion. Be that as it may, the
respondent's argument is premised on what he perceives as a
void with respect to the rules governing the conduct of this
reference. It is in the face of this void that the Court is
asked to craft a comprehensive procedure based on the modern
principles of administrative law and without regard to the
existing rules of practice. It is necessary at this point to
examine the relevant Rules.
Rule 920 of the Federal Court Rules is the only
Rule that specifically addresses the procedure to be followed
in a reference made pursuant to section 18 of the
Citizenship Act. It provides:
Rule 920. The following provisions shall apply to
the hearing of a case (section 18 of the Act):
(a) upon receipt of a request to the Minister by a
person (hereafter the "person") in respect of whom the
Minister intends to make a report pursuant to section 10 of
the Act that the case be referred to the Court, the Minister
shall, if he decides to refer the case to the Court, forward
a copy of the request and of his reference to the Court to
the Registry;
(b) the Minister shall, within 14 days thereafter,
file in the Registry and serve on the person,
(i) the application made by that person pursuant to
subsection 14(1) of the Act,
(ii) the decision of the citizenship judge thereon,
(iii) a summary of the facts and evidence on which the
Minister intends to rely at the hearing of the case, and
(iv) a list containing the names and addresses of any
witnesses he proposes to call at the hearing of the case, and
of any documents he proposes to tender in evidence;
(c) the provisions of Rules 906, 907, 908, 909,
910, 915, 916, 917 and 919 shall, with all necessary
modifications, apply to a case.
Among the Rules made applicable to a reference by virtue
of paragraph (c) of Rule 920, the only one of
relevance for present purposes is Rule 919. It provides:
Rule 919. Such of the provisions of Part I as are
appropriate shall apply to an appeal to which this Division
applies; and where any matter arises in such an appeal and it
is not otherwise provided for by the Act or this Division, it
shall be dealt with in such a manner as the Court may
direct.
Part I of the Rules consists of Rules 1 through 5 [Rule 2
(as am. by SOR/90-846, s. 1; 92-43, s. 1); Rule 3 (as am. by
SOR/94-41, s. 1)], and deals with such things as definitions
and computation of time. Of particular relevance is Rule 5,
otherwise known as the gap rule:
Rule 5. In any proceeding in the Court where any
matter arises not otherwise provided for by any provision in
any Act of the Parliament of Canada or by any general rule or
order of the Court (except this Rule), the practice and
procedure shall be determined by the Court (either on a
preliminary motion for directions, or after the event if no
such motion has been made) for the particular matter by
analogy
(a) to the other provisions of these Rules, or
(b) to the practice and procedure in force for
similar proceedings in the courts of that province to which
the subject matter of the proceedings most particularly
relates,
whichever is, in the opinion of the Court, most
appropriate in the circumstances.
Rule 919 therefore incorporates Rule 5 which in turn
directs the Court to adopt a procedure by reference to "the
other provisions of these Rules". It follows that there is no
void in the rules prescribed for the hearing of a reference
pursuant to section 18 of the Citizenship Act . The
rules of practice apply in their fullness with such
modifications as are made necessary by the particularities of
the legal recourse embodied in section 18 of the
Citizenship Act.
The application of the relevant rules of practice in no
way diminishes the respondent's right to be treated fairly in
strict compliance with the principles of natural justice. As
regards the respondent's concerns about the applicant's
failure to disclose relevant documents and information, the
rules of practice give him the means to obtain full
disclosure of the applicant's case together with all relevant
documents and information.
The rules of practice have been devised precisely with the
aim of facilitating a fair disposition of the issues which
come before the Court and I am therefore prepared to adopt
them by analogy in order to allow for the proper disposition
of this reference. I do not, however, accept the respondent's
position, that within or outside the procedural framework
provided by the Rules, the principles of natural justice
operate to prevent him from being compelled to give evidence
in these proceedings.
An order will therefore issue setting down the procedure
to be followed in this matter by reference to the rules of
practice governing actions. Turning to the specifics of the
applicant's motion for directions, the requests set out in
paragraphs 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8 will be granted essentially as
framed.
With respect to the request that the respondent serve and
file a summary of facts and evidence,32 the form
and content of this document should be determined by
reference to the principles governing pleadings. This will
allow for greater clarity as to what is in issue between the
parties and will facilitate the resolution of disputes that
may ensue in the course of oral and documentary discovery.
The respondent will therefore be required to file a written
statement of the position which he intends to take in these
proceedings. In his statement, the respondent will admit the
allegations of fact reflected in the applicant's summary of
fact which he acknowledges to be true, deny those which he
intends to challenge, and indicate his lack of knowledge of
those allegations the truth of which he has no knowledge and
state whether or not he admits them.33 The
document will also reflect a precise statement of the
material facts on which the respondent intends to
rely,34 and for greater certainty will plead any
matter which if not specifically pleaded might take the
applicant by surprise.35
With respect to documents36 both parties will
be ordered to file and serve an affidavit of document in full
compliance with Rule 448 [as am. by SOR/90-846, s. 15] and
also a notice to inspect, in conformity with Rule 452 [as am.
idem]. Discovery37 will be conducted
orally. In the case of the applicant the person discovered
will be a representative of the applicant selected by
her.
With respect to the request for dates,38 the
Court is in a position to fix dates for the filing of the
respondent's statement, the mutual exchange of affidavits of
documents, inspection thereof and the conduct of discoveries.
The order will provide for the statement of the respondent to
be filed within 30 days of January 1, the mutual filing of
the affidavits of documents and notices to inspect within 60
days, and the completion of the discoveries within 120
days.
Based on this schedule, the Court would have been in a
position to set the trial down for hearing before the summer
recess. However, counsel for the applicant indicated during
the hearing that he now intends to seek an order for the
taking of evidence abroad. He further indicated that he is
not in a position to bring this application now. I was led to
understand that the proposed witnesses, while identified,
have yet to be contacted and that the logistics required to
organize the contemplated commission are not in place. The
applicant indicated that the motion would be brought within
60 days.
I indicated to counsel in open court that I was taken
aback by this development. This reference has been
outstanding since 1995. In her original notice of motion for
directions, the applicant was seeking an order for the taking
of evidence abroad. In October of 1997, after the stay of
proceedings had been lifted by the Supreme Court, and the
parties were informed that all outstanding pre-trial motions
would have to be dealt with, the applicant withdrew her
original motion for directions and filed an amended motion in
which she was no longer seeking an order for commission
evidence. The December hearing was intended to deal with all
outstanding motions so as to allow for the section 18
reference to proceed without further delay.
That is the context in which counsel for the applicant
noted in passing during the course of the hearing that he now
wished to again seek an order for the taking of evidence
abroad but that he was not in a position to do so because the
necessary inquiries had yet to be made. Keeping in mind that
the applicant is on record before both Divisions of this
Court, and before the Supreme Court as having stated that
this matter is of the utmost urgency precisely because
witnesses are old and dying, the withdrawal of the
application in October followed by the casual announcement
two months later that it will eventually be reintroduced
defies explanation.39
Any issue surrounding the taking of evidence abroad should
have been placed before the Court by now. Instead, three
months after the Supreme Court has lifted the stay in this
matter, the Court finds itself awaiting a motion which may
not be filed for some time and which, if granted, will
necessarily impact on the time when this reference can be
heard. Although on the face of her motion the applicant
requests that the Court fix a date for the hearing of this
reference, her conduct precludes the Court from doing so.
An order is issued today in conformity with these
reasons.
1 ;Canada (Minister of Citizenship and
Immigration) v. Tobiass, [1997] 3 S.C.R. 391.
2 The only significant difference between
this motion and the original motion filed in May of 1995 is
the withdrawal of the request for a commission to take
evidence abroad, and the addition of a request for mutual
oral discovery.
3 Ss. 7(3.71) to 7(3.77) is the statutory
framework devised by Parliament to allow for the
retrospective criminal prosecution of persons accused of
having committed extraterritorial war crimes and crimes
against humanity.
4 i.e. the question as to whether or not
such crimes were committed.
5 [1987] 2 S.C.R. 541.
6 [1995] 1 S.C.R. 754.
7 The respondent's conclusions as to the
applicant's motive stem principally from two sources: A
Government of Canada News Release dated January 31, 1995
("Federal Government Announces War Crimes Strategy") and the
applicant's summary of facts and evidence, dated May 16,
1996.
8 Tobiass, supra, at pp.
435-436.
9 Tobiass, supra, at pp. 429
and 435.
10 ;Canada (Minister of
Citizenship and Immigration) v. Copeland, [1998] 2 F.C.
493 (T.D.), at pp. 509-510.
11 [1989] 1 F.C. 297 (T.D.).
12 [1989] 2 F.C. 594 (C.A.), at p.
605.
13 (1992), 9 C.R.R. (2d) 149 (F.C.A.).
Leave to appeal to the Supreme Court refused [[1992] 2 S.C.R.
viii].
14 Luitjens, supra, at p.
152.
15 Tobiass, supra, at p.
413.
16 Luitjens, supra, at p.
152.
17 Compare: The Effect of the Exercise
by the Governor General of the Prerogative of Mercy on
Deportation Proceedings, [1933] S.C.R. 269, at p. 278,
per Rand J. as quoted by MacGuigan J.A. in Hurd v.
Canada (Minister of Employment and Immigration),
supra, at p. 606.
18 Para. 41 of the respondent Oberlander's
memorandum of fact and law.
19 ;R v. Vermette, [1988] 1 S.C.R.
985, at p. 992; Operation Dismantle Inc. et al. v. The
Queen et al., [1985] 1 S.C.R. 441, at p. 485; R. v. S.
(R.J.), [1995] 1 S.C.R. 451, at p. 479; Singh et al.
v. Minister of Employment and Immigration, [1985] 1
S.C.R. 177, at pp. 206-208 per Wilson J.; R. v.
A, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 995; Tyler v. M.N.R., [1991] 2
F.C. 68 (C.A.); Quebec Association of Protestant School
Boards et al. v. Attorney-General of Quebec et al.
(1983), 140 D.L.R (3d) 33 (Que. S.C.); affd on other grounds
(1983), 1 D.L.R. (4th) 573 (Que. C.A.); affd [1984] 2 S.C.R.
66.
20 [1993] 1 F.C. 696
(C.A.).
21 Nguyen, supra, at p.
705.
22 It also logically follows from the
decision of the Court of Appeal in Luitjens that any
residual right against self-incrimination which according to
the respondent is embodied in s. 2(e) of the
Canadian Bill of Rights would not be operative at the
stage of a reference.
23 This is different from the situation
where forfeiture of the products of crime is made an adjunct
to a criminal conviction in which case it is treated
procedurally as part of the sanction imposed by law for the
commission of the offence. See for example s. 446(2) of the
Criminal Code.
24 [1987] 1 F.C. 3 (T.D.).
25 "It is true that, . . . it is
alleged that the defendants are liable to Her Majesty for
additional duties of $1,299,119.31, . . . .
However, judgment in respect of that alleged liability is not
sought in this action. The relief sought, . . . ,
is limited to `the sum of $9,415,706.66 by way of
forfeiture' . . . . I agree with the
learned Trial Judge in the conclusion that the applicable
provisions of sections 180 and 192 of the Customs Act
, . . . , provide for the recovery of a penalty by
a civil proceeding in this Court and, it follows, that this
is a penal action"; Canada v. Amway of Canada Ltd. ,
[1987] 2 F.C. 131 (C.A.), at pp. 133-134, per Mahoney
J.A. writing for the Court.
26 ;Vidéotron Ltée v.
Industries Microlec Produits Électroniques Inc.,
[1992] 2 S.C.R. 1065.
27 [1997] 1 S.C.R. 358, at p. 395. It is
significant that this characterization was used by the
Supreme Court in Tobiass, supra, at p. 435, in
assessing the interests at stake from the perspective of the
respondent in the course of evaluating the opportunity of
granting a stay.
28 The Canadian Citizenship Act,
S.C. 1946, c. 15, s. 21.
29 [1992] 2 F.C. 653 (C.A.), at p.
657.
30 Supra, at pp. 605-606.
31 [1992] 1 S.C.R. 711, at p. 735.
32 Para. 1 of the amended notice of
motion.
33 Rule 413 by analogy.
34 Rule 408 by analogy.
35 Rule 409(b) by analogy.
36 Para. 2 of the amended notice of
motion.
37 Para. 5 of the amended notice of
motion.
38 Paras. 9 and 10 of the amended notice
of motion.
39 The suggestion by counsel (at p. 171 of
transcript) that the application for a commission was not
pursued in October because it would have been "unwieldy" to
proceed with it together with the other requests having
regard to the "very many and very complex issues" involved
is, in the circumstances of this case, no explanation at
all.