R. v. Lavigne, [1989] 1 SCR 1591

R. v. Lavigne, [1989] 1 S.C.R. 1591

Claude Gilles Lavigne Appellant

v.

Her Majesty the Queen                                                                    Respondent

and

The Clerk of the Peace and of the Crown, the

Attorney General of Quebec, the Justice of

the Peace Réal Bellemare and the

Honourable Judge Bruno Cyr                                                           Mis en cause

and

The Attorney General of Canada, the

Attorney General for Ontario and the

Attorney General for Alberta                                                            Interveners

Indexed as:  R. v. Lavigne

File No.  20983.

1989:  June 19.

Present:  Dickson C.J. and Lamer, La Forest, L'Heureux‑Dubé, Sopinka, Gonthier and Cory JJ.

on appeal from the court of appeal for quebec

                   Criminal law ‑‑ Justice of the Peace ‑‑ Jurisdiction ‑‑ Independence and impartiality ‑‑ Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1970, c. C‑34, ss. 2, 455 ‑‑ Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, ss. 7 , 24 .

                   Constitutional law ‑‑ Charter of Rights  ‑‑ Independent and impartial tribunal ‑‑ Justice of the Peace.

                   APPEAL from a judgment of the Quebec Court of Appeal, J.E. 88‑709, affirming a judgment of the Superior Court[1], which dismissed appellant's application for certiorari.  Appeal dismissed.

                   François Corbeil, for the appellant.

                   Jean‑François Dionne and Gilles Lahaie, for the respondent.

                   Bernard Laprade and Myriam Bordeleau, for the intervener the Attorney General of Canada.

                   W. J. Blacklock, for the intervener the Attorney General for Ontario.

                   R. H. Davie, Q.C., and Stanley Rutwind, for the intervener the Attorney General for Alberta.

                   English version of the judgment of the Court delivered orally by

                   The Chief Justice ‑‑ It is not necessary to hear from you, Mr. Dionne, since we are all of the view that this appeal should be dismissed.  Justice Lamer will deliver the Court's judgment.

                   Lamer J. ‑‑ The appellant has not challenged the constitutionality of ss. 455  and 2  of the Criminal Code , or the other sections of the Code dealing with the appointment and remuneration of justices of the peace, or any other legislation applicable to the case at bar.

                   The only remaining challenge must lie in s. 24(1)  of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms .  Yet there is nothing in the evidence in the record to establish that Justice of the Peace Bellemare infringed the appellant's rights under s. 7  of the Charter .  The appeal is therefore dismissed.

                   Judgment accordingly.

                   Solicitors for the appellant:  Sciascia, Iadeluca, Corbeil, Venneri & Associés, Montréal.

                   Solicitor for the respondent:  Jean‑François Dionne, Ste‑Foy.

                   Solicitor for the intervener the Attorney General of Canada:  John C. Tait, Ottawa.

                   Solicitors for the intervener the Attorney General for Ontario:  W. J. Blacklock and Renee Pomerance, Toronto.

                   Solicitors for the intervener the Attorney General for Alberta:  R. H. Davie and Stanley Rutwind, Edmonton.