Bristol Myers Squibb Co. v. Apotex Inc., 2004 FC 1608

                                                                                                                                   Date: 20041118

                                                                                                                              Docket: T-2078-00

                                                                                                                        Citation: 2004 FC 1608

BETWEEN:

                                        BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB COMPANY and

                                        BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB CANADA INC.

                                                                                                                                             Plaintiffs

                                                                         - and -

                                                                  APOTEX INC.

                                                                                                                                           Defendant

                                                        REASONS FOR ORDER

PINARD J.:

[1]         This is a motion on behalf of the defendant to set aside the Order of Madam Prothonotary Aronovitch dated July 27, 2004 and substituting therefore an Order requiring the plaintiffs' representatives, Ms. Johanna Mercier and Mr. Joseph Yevich, to re-attend for examination for discovery to provide under oath, answers to undertakings, matters taken under advisement and refusals given at their examinations in addition to those already ordered answered by the Prothonotary.

[2]         Upon hearing counsel for the parties and upon reading the relevant 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.         on the basis of the submissions contained in paragraphs 12 to 60 of the plaintiffs' written representations, I am of the view that the defendant has 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 defendant has 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 motion is dismissed, with costs.

       JUDGE

OTTAWA, ONTARIO

November 18, 2004

                                                             FEDERAL COURT

                            NAMES OF COUNSEL AND SOLICITORS OF RECORD

DOCKET:                                                       T-2078-00

STYLE OF CAUSE:                                      BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB COMPANY and BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB CANADA INC. v. APOTEX INC.

PLACE OF HEARING:                                  Ottawa, Ontario

DATE OF HEARING:                                    November 16, 2004

REASONS FOR ORDER:                            The Honourable Mr. Justice Pinard

DATED:                                                          November 18, 2004

APPEARANCES:

Mr. Patrick Smith

Mr. Jay Zakaib                                                            FOR THE PLAINTIFFS

Mr. David E. Lederman                                             FOR THE DEFENDANT

SOLICITORS OF RECORD:

GOWLING LAFLEUR HENDERSON LLP             FOR THE PLAINTIFFS

Ottawa, Ontario

GOODMANS LLP                                                     FOR THE DEFENDANT

Toronto, Ontario