L'Hirondelle v. Canada, 2002 FCA 368

Date: 20021007

Docket: A-596-01

Neutral citation: 2002 FCA 368

BETWEEN:

                                                          BERTHA L'HIRONDELLE,

                                                suing on her own behalf and on behalf of

                                                all other members of the Sawridge Band

                                                                                                                                  Plaintiffs / Appellants

                                                                              - and -

                                                        HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN

                                                                                                                             Defendant / Respondent

                                                                              - and -

                                                   NATIVE COUNCIL OF CANADA,

                                       NATIVE COUNCIL OF CANADA (ALBERTA),

                                               NON-STATUS INDIAN ASSOCIATION

                                               OF ALBERTA and NATIVE WOMEN'S

                                                        ASSOCIATION OF CANADA

                                                                                                                                                    Interveners

                                               ASSESSMENT OF COSTS - REASONS

Charles E. Stinson

Assessment Officer

[1]                 The Appellants discontinued. The Non-Status Indian Association of Alberta (hereafter, "NSIAA") and Her Majesty the Queen (hereafter, the "Crown") each filed a bill of costs further to Rule 402. I issued a timetable for disposition in writing. The Appellants and NSIAA did not file materials further to the timetable. The Crown argued that costs under item 21(a), to prepare for a motion (never heard) on behalf of NSIAA to strike the appeal or alternatively to expedite it, should be allowed because that preparation time occurred before service of the notice of discontinuance. The Crown asked for costs of the assessment.

Assessment

[2]                 The Federal Court Rules, 1998, do not contemplate a litigant, having notice of an assessment of costs and failing to participate, benefiting by an assessment officer stepping away from a position of neutrality to act as the litigant's advocate in challenging given items in a bill of costs. However, the assessment officer cannot certify unlawful items, i.e. those outside the authority of a judgment and the tariff. I examined each item claimed in the bills of costs and the supporting materials within those parameters. There were items which might have attracted disagreement, but the amounts claimed in total in the bills of costs may be arguable within the limits of the tariff, i.e. to include settlement discussions or for explaining the implications of discontinuance to the client.

[3]                 The definition of assessment officer in Rule 2 and the constitution of the Court outlined in section 5 of the Federal Court Act preclude me from assuming jurisdiction under Rule 400(1) to address item 21 preparation in each bill of costs for a motion never heard. However, in the circumstances, the bills of costs of NSIAA and the Crown are assessed and allowed as presented at $779.08 and $490.70 respectively each inclusive of costs of assessment.

(Sgd.) "Charles E. Stinson"

      Assessment Officer

DATED at Vancouver, British Columbia, this 7^th day of October, 2002

                                                    FEDERAL COURT OF CANADA

                                                                 APPEAL DIVISION

                              NAMES OF COUNSEL AND SOLICITORS OF RECORD

DOCKET:                                             A-596-01

STYLE OF CAUSE:                           BERTHA L'HIRONDELLE et al.

- and -

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN et al.

ASSESSMENT IN WRITING WITHOUT PERSONAL APPEARANCE OF THE PARTIES

ASSESSMENT OF COSTS REASONS:                                CHARLES E. STINSON

DATED:                                                                                       October 7, 2002

SOLICITORS OF RECORD:

Aird & Berlis                                            for Appellants

Toronto, ON

Catherine Twinn                                      for Appellants

Slave Lake, AB

Morris Rosenberg                                    for Respondent Crown

Deputy A/G of Canada

Lang Michener                                        for Intervener Native Council of Canada

Ottawa, ON

Burnett Duckworth & Palmer                   for Intervener Non-Status Indian Association of Alberta

Calgary, AB

Field Atkinson Perraton                           for Intervener Native Council of Canada (Alberta)

Edmonton, AB

Eberts Symes Street & Corbett                 for Intervener Native Women's Association of Canada

Toronto, ON