Montana First Nation v. Canada, 2007 FCA 220

Date: 20070607

Dockets: A-477-06

A-523-06

A-530-06

 

Citation: 2007 FCA 220

 

CORAM:       NOËL J.A.

                        EVANS J.A.

                        SHARLOW J.A.

 

BETWEEN:

A-477-06

 

MONTANA BAND et al.

Respondents (Plaintiffs)

and

 

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN

Respondents (Defendants)

and

 

SAMSON BAND et al.

Respondents (Third Parties)

and

 

ERMINESKIN BAND et al.

Appellants (Third Parties)

 

 

-AND-

BETWEEN:

 

SAMSON CREE NATION et al.

Respondents (Plaintiffs)

and

 

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN et al.

Respondent (Defendant)

and

 

MONTANA BAND et al.

Respondents (Third Parties)

and

 

ERMINESKIN CREE NATION et al.

 

Appellants (Third Parties)

 

-AND-

BETWEEN:

 

ERMINESKIN CREE NATION et al.

 

Appellants (Plaintiffs)

and

 

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN et al.

 

Respondents (Defendants)

and

 

MONTANA BAND et al.

 

Respondents (Third Parties)

and

 

SAMSON CREE NATION et al.

Respondents (Third Parties)

 

BETWEEN:

A-523-06

 

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN

Appellant

(Defendant)

and

 

MONTANA BAND, Chief Leo Cattleman, Marvin Buffalo, Rema Rabbit, Carl Rabbit and Darrell Strongman, suing on their own behalf and on behalf of all other members of the Montana Indian Band, all of whom reside on the Montana Reserve No. 139, in the Province of Alberta

Respondents

(Plaintiffs)

 

SAMSON BAND, Chief Terry Buffalo, Clifford Potts, Frank Buffalo, Florence Buffalo, Dolphus Buffalo, Lawrence Saddleback, Larron Northwest, Nancy Yellowbird, Barb Louis, Keith Johnson, Rose Saddleback and Jim Omeasoo, Councillors of the Samson Band, sued on their own behalf and on behalf of the members of the Samson Band of Indians

 

and

 

ERMINESKIN BAND, Chief Gerald Robert Ermineskin, and Arthur Morris Littlechild, Earl Ted Ermineskin, Maurice Wolfe, Richard Leonard Lightning, Carol Margaret Wildcat, Carol Elizabeth Roasting, Glenda Rae White, Craig Alton Makinaw, Councillors of the Ermineskin Band, sued on their own behalf, and on behalf of the ERMINESKIN BAND OF INDIANS

Third Parties

 

BETWEEN:

A-530-06

 

SAMSON CREE NATION and Chief Terry Buffalo, Clifford Potts, Frank Buffalo, Florence Buffalo, Dolphus Buffalo, Lawrence Saddleback, Larron Northwest, Nancy Yellowbird, Barb Louis, Keith Johnson, Rose Saddleback and Jim Omeasoo, Chief Lena Cutknife, and Dolphus Buffalo, Florence Buffalo, Kurt Buffalo, Pat Buffalo, Cecile Crier, Patrick Cutknife, Walter Lightning, Barbara B. Lightning, George Montour Sr., Donna Potts Johnson, Rose Saddleback and Marvin Yellowbird and Chief Florence Buffalo, suing on their own behalf and on behalf of the member of the SAMSON CREE NATION, SAMSON BAND and SAMSON INDIAN BAND

Appellants

and

 

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN and the ATTORNEY GENERAL OF CANADA

 

Respondents

and

 

MONTANA BAND and Chief Leo Cattleman, Marvin Buffalo, Rema Rabbit, Carl Rabbit and Darrell Frederick Strongman, Coldy Sr. and Dick Rabbit, suing on their own behalf and on behalf of all other members of the Montana Indian Band, all of whom reside on the Montana Reserve No. 139, in the Province of Alberta

Third Parties

and

 

ERMINESKIN BAND, Chief Gerald Robert Ermineskin, Arthur Morris Littlechild, Earl Ted Ermineskin, Maurice Wolfe, Richard Leonard Lightning, Carol Margaret Wildcat, Carol Elizabeth Roasting, Glenda Rae White, Craig Alton Makinaw, Councillors of the Ermineskin Band, sued on their own behalf, and on behalf of the ERMINESKIN BAND OF INDIANS and ERMINESKIN CREE NATION

Third Parties

 

 

 

Heard at Ottawa, Ontario, on June 7, 2007.

Judgment delivered from the Bench at Ottawa, Ontario, on June 7, 2007.

 

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT OF THE  COURT BY:                                                     NOËL J.A.

 

Date: 20070607

Dockets: A-477-06

A-523-06

A-530-06

 

Citation: 2007 FCA 220

 

CORAM:       NOËL J.A.

                        EVANS J.A.

                        SHARLOW J.A.

 

BETWEEN:

A-477-06

 

MONTANA BAND et al.

Respondents (Plaintiffs)

and

 

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN

Respondents (Defendants)

and

 

SAMSON BAND et al.

Respondents (Third Parties)

and

 

ERMINESKIN BAND et al.

Appellants (Third Parties)

 

 

-AND-

BETWEEN:

 

SAMSON CREE NATION et al.

Respondents (Plaintiffs)

and

 

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN et al.

Respondent (Defendant)

And

 

 

 

MONTANA BAND et al.

Respondents (Third Parties)

and

 

ERMINESKIN CREE NATION et al.

 

Appellants (Third Parties)

 

-AND-

BETWEEN:

 

ERMINESKIN CREE NATION et al.

 

Appellants (Plaintiffs)

and

 

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN et al.

 

Respondents (Defendants)

and

 

MONTANA BAND et al.

 

Respondents (Third Parties)

and

 

SAMSON CREE NATION et al.

Respondents (Third Parties)

 

BETWEEN:

A-523-06

 

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN

Appellant

(Defendant)

and

 

MONTANA BAND, Chief Leo Cattleman, Marvin Buffalo, Rema Rabbit, Carl Rabbit and Darrell Strongman, suing on their own behalf and on behalf of all other members of the Montana Indian Band, all of whom reside on the Montana Reserve No. 139, in the Province of Alberta

Respondents

(Plaintiffs)

 

 

SAMSON BAND, Chief Terry Buffalo, Clifford Potts, Frank Buffalo, Florence Buffalo, Dolphus Buffalo, Lawrence Saddleback, Larron Northwest, Nancy Yellowbird, Barb Louis, Keith Johnson, Rose Saddleback and Jim Omeasoo, Councillors of the Samson Band, sued on their own behalf and on behalf of the members of the Samson Band of Indians

 

and

 

ERMINESKIN BAND, Chief Gerald Robert Ermineskin, and Arthur Morris Littlechild, Earl Ted Ermineskin, Maurice Wolfe, Richard Leonard Lightning, Carol Margaret Wildcat, Carol Elizabeth Roasting, Glenda Rae White, Craig Alton Makinaw, Councillors of the Ermineskin Band, sued on their own behalf, and on behalf of the ERMINESKIN BAND OF INDIANS

Third Parties

 

BETWEEN:

A-530-06

 

SAMSON CREE NATION and Chief Terry Buffalo, Clifford Potts, Frank Buffalo, Florence Buffalo, Dolphus Buffalo, Lawrence Saddleback, Larron Northwest, Nancy Yellowbird, Barb Louis, Keith Johnson, Rose Saddleback and Jim Omeasoo, Chief Lena Cutknife, and Dolphus Buffalo, Florence Buffalo, Kurt Buffalo, Pat Buffalo, Cecile Crier, Patrick Cutknife, Walter Lightning, Barbara B. Lightning, George Montour Sr., Donna Potts Johnson, Rose Saddleback and Marvin Yellowbird and Chief Florence Buffalo, suing on their own behalf and on behalf of the member of the SAMSON CREE NATION, SAMSON BAND and SAMSON INDIAN BAND

Appellants

and

 

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN and the ATTORNEY GENERAL OF CANADA

 

Respondents

and

 

MONTANA BAND and Chief Leo Cattleman, Marvin Buffalo, Rema Rabbit, Carl Rabbit and Darrell Frederick Strongman, Coldy Sr. and Dick Rabbit, suing on their own behalf and on behalf of all other members of the Montana Indian Band, all of whom reside on the Montana Reserve No. 139, in the Province of Alberta

Third Parties

and

 

ERMINESKIN BAND, Chief Gerald Robert Ermineskin, Arthur Morris Littlechild, Earl Ted Ermineskin, Maurice Wolfe, Richard Leonard Lightning, Carol Margaret Wildcat, Carol Elizabeth Roasting, Glenda Rae White, Craig Alton Makinaw, Councillors of the Ermineskin

 

 

 

Band, sued on their own behalf, and on behalf of the ERMINESKIN BAND OF INDIANS and ERMINESKIN CREE NATION

Third Parties

 

 

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT OF THE COURT

(Delivered from the Bench at Ottawa, Ontario, on June 7, 2007)

NOËL J.A

[1]               Given the decision of this Court dismissing the main appeals, the cost appeals in Court files A-477-06 and A-530-06 were rendered moot and were not pursued.  They will accordingly be dismissed without costs.

 

[2]               With respect to the Crown’s cost appeal in Court file A-523-06, the Trial Judge gave reasons for her order.  We are satisfied that she exercised her discretion judicially in the circumstances of this complex litigation.  The Crown’s cost appeal will accordingly be dismissed, with costs in favour of Montana Band.

 

[3]               In conformity with the order of the Chief Justice consolidating these three appeals, these reasons will be filed in Court file A-477-06, with a copy being filed in Court files A-523-06 and
A-530-06.

 

“Marc Noël”

 

FEDERAL COURT OF APPEAL

 

NAMES OF COUNSEL AND SOLICITORS OF RECORD

 

 

DOCKET:                                                                              A-477-06

 

APPEAL FROM AN ORDER OF THE FEDERAL COURT (HANSEN, J.) DATED OCTOBER 27, 2006, IN DOCKET NO. T-2804-97.

 

STYLE OF CAUSE:                                                              Ermineskin Cree Nation et al. v. Her Majesty the Queen et al.

 

 

PLACE OF HEARING:                                                        OTTAWA, ONTARIO

 

 

DATE OF HEARING:                                                          June 7, 2007

 

 

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT OF THE COURT BY:       Noël, Evans, & Sharlow, JJ.A.

 

DELIVERED FROM THE BENCH BY:                            Noël, J.A.

 

 

 

SOLICITORS OF RECORD:

 

Blakes, Cassels & Graydon LLP Vancouver, British Columbia	FOR THE APPELLANT
John H. Sims QC Deputy Attorney General of Canada Edmonton, Alberta	FOR THE RESPONDENT, Her Majesty the Queen
Miller Thomson LLP Calgary, Alberta	FOR THE RESPONDENT, Montana Band et al.

 

FEDERAL COURT OF APPEAL

 

NAMES OF COUNSEL AND SOLICITORS OF RECORD

 

 

DOCKET:                                                                              A-523-06

 

APPEAL FROM AN ORDER OF THE FEDERAL COURT (HANSEN, J.) DATED OCTOBER 27, 2006, IN DOCKET NO. T-617-85.

 

STYLE OF CAUSE:                                                              Her Majesty the Queen v. Montana Band et al.

 

 

PLACE OF HEARING:                                                        OTTAWA, ONTARIO

 

 

DATE OF HEARING:                                                          June 7, 2007

 

 

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT OF THE COURT BY:       Noël, Evans, & Sharlow, JJ.A.

 

DELIVERED FROM THE BENCH BY:                            Noël, J.A.

 

 

 

APPEARANCES:

 

Sheila Read Krista Epton	FOR THE APPELLANT
Michael Bailey Michael Aasen	FOR THE RESPONDENT,    Montana Band et al.

 

SOLICITORS OF RECORD:

 

John H. Sims, QC Deputy Attorney General of Canada Edmonton, Alberta	FOR THE APPELLANT
Miller Thomson LLP Calgary, Alberta	FOR THE RESPONDENT, Montana Band et al.

FEDERAL COURT OF APPEAL

 

NAMES OF COUNSEL AND SOLICITORS OF RECORD

 

DOCKET:                                                                              A-530-06

 

APPEAL FROM AN ORDER OF THE FEDERAL COURT (HANSEN, J.) DATED OCTOBER 27, 2006, IN DOCKET NO. T-782-97.

 

STYLE OF CAUSE:                                                              Samson Cree Nation et al. v. Her Majesty the Queen et al.

 

 

PLACE OF HEARING:                                                        OTTAWA, ONTARIO

 

 

DATE OF HEARING:                                                          June 7, 2007

 

 

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT OF THE COURT BY:       Noël, Evans, & Sharlow, JJ.A.

 

DELIVERED FROM THE BENCH BY:                            Noël, J.A.

 

 

SOLICITORS OF RECORD:

 

Parlee McLaws LLP Edmonton, Alberta	FOR THE APPELLANT
John H. Sims QC Deputy Attorney General of Canada Edmonton, Alberta	FOR THE RESPONDENT, Her Majesty the Queen
Blakes, Cassels & Graydon LLP Vancouver, British Columbia	FOR THE RESPONDENT, Ermineskin Cree Nation
Miller Thomson LLP Calgary, Alberta	FOR THE RESPONDENT, Montana Band