Date: 200702xx
Docket: A-1-06
Citation: 2007 FCA 68
CORAM: RICHARD
C.J.
SHARLOW
J.A.
RYER
J.A.
BETWEEN:
DONALD E. COMEAU
Appellant
and
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF CANADA
Respondent
REASONS FOR JUDGMENT
SHARLOW J.A.
[1]
The
appellant Mr. Comeau is seeking a pension under subsection 21(2) of the Pension
Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. P-6, on the basis that he suffers from a disability
resulting from a medical condition, non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy, or an
aggravation of that condition, that arose out of or was directly connected with
his military service. His military service ceased on July 2, 1974.
[2]
His claim
was denied in 1995 by the Canadian Pension Commission on the basis that there
was no evidence to link Mr. Comeau’s condition to his military service. That decision
was confirmed on an Entitlement Review in 2001 and an Entitlement Appeal in
2002.
[3]
Mr. Comeau
applied to the Federal Court for judicial review of the Entitlement Appeal
decision. In that application, a particular medical report played a prominent
role. That report was written by Dr. David Douglas on July 2, 2000. The key
portions of that report read as follows:
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Mr. Comeau is well known to me, having treated him for
dilated cardiomyopathy for the last several years. He has asked me to review
his medical file while in the services to see if there is anything which
might indicate the onset of cardiomyopathy at this time.
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Mr. Comeau's cardiomyopathy is not the result of stress,
though stress could aggravate and worsen control of his congestive heart
failure.
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The only thing I find of significance in Mr. Comeau's
medical file dates back to 12/10/71 when he was investigated for high blood
pressure and liver function abnormalities with systemic fatigue. At that
point in time his liver was described as being 1 or 2 cm. enlarged and
questioned the tip of his spleen being palpable, and a positive mono test was
found. A chest x-ray done at that point in time found a normal heart size,
but an electrocardiogram was done 31/8/71 which was very abnormal with
complete right bundle branch block and left anterior fascicular block.
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Clearly his electrocardiogram was very abnormal back in
1971 in proximity to some hepatopathy, at a time when there was no ingestion
of alcohol of significance. A mono test was positive. While this does not
prove the onset of his cardiomyopathy was at this time, it is suggestive of this
possibility in as much as he had marked electrocardiographic abnormalities
with a normal chest x-ray and, in recent years, progressive cardiomegaly with
similar ECG findings as years ago. While this shouldn't be mononucleosis,
certainly sarcoidosis would be one possible etiology, among other things.
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In short, there is evidence to suggest the possibility of
the development of cardiac abnormalities during the period of his service.
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[4]
The
report was supplemented by a further note dated September 21, 2000, which
reads:
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If Mr. Comeau did develop the beginning of his problems
during his service, aggravation of his condition due to service is likely,
given his present state of health.
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My review shows there is evidence to suggest the
possibility it could have so developed, during his period of service.
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[5]
The
application for judicial review was heard by O’Keefe J. He set aside the
Entitlement Appeal decision for the following reason (2004 FC 1091, at
paragraphs 60 to 63):
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[60] The Appeal Panel, in its decision, found that the
applicant's condition arose during his service.
[61] The Appeal Panel appears to have
merely stated that it did not find any of the medical reports on file to be
persuasive or credible enough to justify the award of a pension in this case.
There is no doubt that the Appeal Panel can comment on credibility, but in my
view, the Appeal Panel must explain why it finds a medical report to lack
credibility. In the present case, there is the uncontroverted evidence of Dr.
Douglas who is an expert in this field, that, "If Mr. Comeau did develop
the beginning of his problems during his service, aggravation of his
condition due to service is likely given his present state of health."
The qualifying "if" in Dr. Douglas' report has been removed by the
Appeal Panel finding that the applicant's condition arose during his service.
The Appeal Panel has given no reason why this evidence of Dr. Douglas was
found to be not credible, but just the bald statement that it was not
credible.
[62] In my view, it was patently
unreasonable for the Appeal Panel to conclude that Dr. Douglas' reports were
not credible without giving any reasons for the finding. I wish to point out
that I do recognize that the Appeal Panel did state that the medical evidence
provided by Dr. Douglas was speculative but this was in relation to his
evidence regarding medical mismanagement. Furthermore, the Appeal Panel did
not state why it considered this evidence to be speculative.
[63] Because of
my finding on this matter, I need not deal with the other issues raised by
the applicant.
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[6]
O’Keefe J.
ordered Mr. Comeau’s appeal to be referred to a different appeal panel for
rehearing.
[7]
The
rehearing was before the Veterans Review and Appeal Board (the Board), which
again dismissed the appeal after a de novo hearing based on all of the
evidence. The Board gave lengthy reasons for its decision, concluding as
follows:
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Regretfully,
in view of the facts of the case and the absence of reliable and credible
medical evidence, the Board is unable to find that the Appellant’s condition
could reasonably be ruled as caused by or aggravated by his service, as
required for a pension.
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[8]
Mr. Comeau
applied to the Federal Court for judicial review of that decision. His
application was heard by Dawson J. and dismissed on the basis that the Board
did not err in law and did not make findings of fact in a perverse or
capricious manner or without regard to the material before it (2005 FC 1648). Mr.
Comeau now appeals the decision of Dawson J.
[9]
I agree
with Dawson J. that the standard of review is correctness for questions of law,
and patent unreasonableness for the Board’s eligibility decision, which is a
question of mixed fact and law. A decision is patently unreasonable if it is
clearly irrational or evidently not in accordance with reason, or is so flawed
that no amount of curial deference can justify letting it stand: Law Society
of New Brunswick v. Ryan, [2003] 1 S.C.R. 247, at paragraph 52.
[10]
Mr. Comeau’s
principal argument is aimed at the Board’s factual conclusions. He argued that Dr.
Douglas provided evidence, based on a thorough review of Mr. Comeau’s military
medical records, that his condition was aggravated by his military service, and
that the Board should have preferred his opinion to that of B. Gulati, whose
report indicates that he is a medical advisor (although the Board referred to
him as a doctor).
[11]
Dawson J.
conducted an extensive review of all of the evidence before the Board, as well
as the Board’s analysis of that evidence. She concluded that the Board’s finding
that Mr. Comeau is not eligible for a pension was reasonably open to them on that
evidence, and was not patently unreasonable. I am unable to detect any basis for
interfering with her conclusion.
[12]
Mr. Comeau
also argued that, as a matter of law, it was not open to the Board to find that
his condition did not arise during his period of military service, because that
point had been determined in his favour on the previous Entitlement Appeal. Mr.
Comeau argues that the only question before the Board on the rehearing was
whether his condition had been aggravated by his military service, a point on
which he says the report of Dr. Douglas is conclusive. Dawson J. found, and I
agree, that the Board was required to consider Mr. Comeau’s claim afresh, based
on its own independent assessment of the entire body of evidence before it. It
was not bound by any of the factual conclusions of the previous Board.
[13]
Finally,
Mr. Comeau argued that the Board was not entitled to refer to the opinion of
the medical adviser because no notice had been given as required by subsection
38(2) of the Veterans Review and Appeal Board Act, S.C. 1995, c. 18. In
my view, this argument should not be entertained because it was not raised by
Mr. Comeau before Dawson J. or in his memorandum of fact and law.
[14]
For these
reasons, I would dismiss this appeal with costs.
“K.
Sharlow”
FEDERAL COURT OF APPEAL
NAME OF COUNSEL AND SOLICITORS OF RECORD
DOCKET: A-1-06
STYLE OF CAUSE: DONALD
E. COMEAU
-
and -
THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL OF CANADA
AN APPEAL OF
THE FEDERAL COURT (DAWSON J.)
DATED DECEMBER 6, 2005
PLACE OF
HEARING: HALIFAX,
NOVA SCOTIA
DATE OF
HEARING: FEBRUARY
13, 2007
REASONS FOR JUDGMENT: Sharlow J.A.
DATED: FEBRUARY
15, 2007
APPEARANCES:
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Donald E.
Comeau
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FOR THE APPELLANT
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Melissa R.
Cameron
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FOR THE RESPONDENT
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SOLICITORS
OF RECORD:
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John H. Sims,
Q.C.
Deputy
Attorney General of Canada
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FOR THE RESPONDENT
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