Eli Lilly and Co. v. Apotex Inc., 2003 FC 1315

                                                                                                                                             Date: 20031107

                                                                                                                                        Docket: T-1321-97

                                                                                                                                 Citation: 2003 FC 1315

BETWEEN:

                                                         ELI LILLY AND COMPANY

                                                        and ELI LILLY CANADA INC.

                                                                                                                                                        Plaintiffs

                                                                              - and -

                                                                       APOTEX INC.

                                                                                                                                                      Defendant

AND BETWEEN:

                                                                       APOTEX INC.

                                                                                                                            Plaintiff by Counterclaim

                                                                                                                                                   (Defendant)

                                                                              - and -

                                                         ELI LILLY AND COMPANY

                                                        and ELI LILLY CANADA INC.

                                                                                                                     Defendants by Counterclaim

                                                                                                                                                      (Plaintiffs)

                                                                              - and -

                                                             SHIONOGI & CO. LTD.

                                                                                                                     Defendant by Counterclaim

                                                            REASONS FOR ORDER

PINARD J.:

[1]         This is an appeal by the plaintiffs of a discretionary decision not to allow an amendment to their Statement of Claim, a comprehensive decision which was made by Madam Prothonotary Aronovitch in the exercise of her powers as the Case Management Prothonotary assigned to these proceedings.

[2]         Upon hearing counsel for the parties and upon reading the material filed, I am not prepared to conduct a de novo review of the merits of the impugned decision and to consider exercising my own discretion differently for the following reasons:

1.         the plaintiffs have failed to demonstrate that the Prothonotary's decision is "clearly wrong", in that it was based upon an incorrect principle of law or misapprehension of the facts, or that the question raised is vital to the "final issue" in the case (see Canada v. Aqua-Gem Investments Ltd., [1993] 2 F.C. 425 at 454 (C.A.)); furthermore,

2.         the plaintiffs have manifestly failed to meet the heavy burden of demonstrating that the Prothonotary's interlocutory decision represents the "clearest case of a misuse of judicial discretion" (see Sawridge Band v. Canada, [2002] 2 F.C. 346 at 354 (C.A.)).

[3]         Consequently, the appeal is dismissed, with costs.

       JUDGE

OTTAWA, ONTARIO

November 7, 2003

                                   FEDERAL COURT

                    NAMES OF COUNSEL AND SOLICITORS OF RECORD

DOCKET:                                T-1321-97

STYLE OF CAUSE:                       ELI LILLY AND COMPANY et al. v. APOTEX INC. et al.

PLACE OF HEARING:              Ottawa, Ontario

DATE OF HEARING:              November 4, 2003

REASONS FOR ORDER OF THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE PINARD

DATED:                          November 7, 2003             

APPEARANCES:

Mr. Patrick Smith                     FOR THE PLAINTIFFS

Mr. David Scrimger                    FOR THE DEFENDANT

SOLICITORS OF RECORD:

Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP        FOR THE PLAINTIFFS

Ottawa, Ontario

Goodmans                               FOR THE DEFENDANT

Toronto, Ontario