Date: 20001018
Docket: A-394-98
LÉTOURNEAU
BETWEEN:
ROGER ROUSSEL
Appellant
AND:
MINISTER OF NATIONAL REVENUE
Respondent
Hearing held in Québec, Quebec, Tuesday, October 17, 2000
Judgment rendered in Québec, Quebec, October 18, 2000
REASONS FOR JUDGMENT BY THE COURT
Date: 20001018
Docket: A-394-98
LÉTOURNEAU
BETWEEN:
ROGER ROUSSEL
Appellant
AND:
MINISTER OF NATIONAL REVENUE
Respondent
REASONS FOR JUDGMENT
BY THE COURT
[1] We are of the opinion that this application for judicial review should be dismissed.
[2] The applicant failed to persuade Tremblay T.C.J. of the Tax Court of Canada that he was entitled to the tax credit for mental impairment under section 118.3 of the Income Tax Act (the Act). This section and section 118.4, which defines the notion of severe and prolonged impairment, read as follows:
| 118.3: Credit for mental or physical impairment.
(1) Where
(a) an individual has a severe and prolonged mental or physical impairment,
(a.1) the effects of the impairment are such that the individual's ability to perform a basic activity of daily living is markedly restricted,
(a.2) a medical doctor, or where the impairment is an impairment of sight, a medical doctor or an optometrist, has certified in prescribed form that the individual has a severe and prolonged mental or physical impairment the effects of which are such that the individual's ability to perform a basic activity of daily living is markedly restricted,
(b) the individual has filed for a taxation year with the Minister the certificate described in paragraph (a.2), and
(c) no amount in respect of remuneration for an attendant or care in a nursing home, in respect of the individual, is included in calculating a deduction under section 118.2 (otherwise than because of paragraph 118.2(2)(b.1)) for the year by the individual or by any other person,
for the purposes of computing the tax payable under this Part by the individual for the year, there may be deducted an amount determined by the formula
A x $4,118
where A is the appropriate percentage for the year.
118.4 Nature of impairment.
(1) For the purposes of subsection 6(16), sections 118.2 and 118.3 and this subsection,
(a) an impairment is prolonged where it has lasted, or can reasonably be expected to last, for a continuous period of at least 12 months;
(b) an individual's ability to perform a basic activity of daily living is markedly restricted only where all or substantially all of the time, even with therapy and the use of appropriate devices and medication, the individual is blind or is unable (or requires an inordinate amount of time) to perform a basic activity of daily living;
(c) a basic activity of daily living in relation to an individual means
(i) perceiving, thinking and remembering,
(ii) feeding and dressing oneself,
(iii) speaking so as to be understood, in a quiet setting, by another person familiar with the individual,
(iv) hearing so as to understand, in a quiet setting, another person familiar with the individual,
(v) eliminating (bowel or bladder functions), or
(vi) walking; and
(d) for greater certainty, no other activity, including working, housekeeping or a social or recreational activity, shall be considered as a basic activity of daily living.
|
|
| 118.3: Crédit d'impôt pour déficience mentale ou physique.
(1) Le produit de la multiplication de 4 118 $ par le taux de base pour l'année est déductible dans le calcul de l'impôt payable par un particulier en vertu de la présente partie pour une année d'imposition, si les conditions suivantes sont réunies:
a) le particulier a une déficience mentale ou physique grave et prolongée;
a.1) les effets de la déficience sont tels que la capacité du particulier d'accomplir une activité courante de la vie quotidienne est limitée de façon marquée;
a.2) un médecin en titre ou, s'il s'agit d'une déficience visuelle, un médecin en titre ou un optométriste atteste, sur formulaire prescrit, que le particulier a une déficience mentale ou physique grave et prolongée dont les effets sont tels que sa capacité d'accomplir une activité courante de la vie quotidienne est limitée de façon marquée;
b) le particulier présente au ministre l'attestation visée à l'alinéa a.2) pour une année d'imposition;
c) aucun montant représentant soit une rémunération versée à un préposé aux soins du particulier, soit des frais de séjour du particulier dans une maison de santé ou de repos, n'est inclus par le particulier ou par une autre personne dans le calcul d'une déduction en application de l'article 118.2 pour l'année (autrement que par application de l'alinéa 118.2(2)b.1)).
118.4: Déficience grave et prolongée.
(1) Pour l'application du paragraphe 6(16), des articles 118.2 et 118.3 et du présent paragraphe:
a) une déficience est prolongée si elle dure au moins 12 mois d'affilée ou s'il est raisonnable de s'attendre à ce qu'elle dure au moins 12 mois d'affilée;
b) la capacité d'un particulier d'accomplir une activité courante de la vie quotidienne est limitée de façon marquée seulement si, même avec des soins thérapeutiques et l'aide des appareils et des médicaments indiqués, il est toujours ou presque toujours aveugle ou incapable d'accomplir une activité courante de la vie quotidienne sans y consacrer un temps excessif;
c) sont des activités courantes de la vie quotidienne pour un particulier:
(i) la perception, la réflexion et la mémoire,
(ii) le fait de s'alimenter et de s'habiller,
(iii) le fait de parler de façon à se faire comprendre, dans un endroit calme, par une personne de sa connaissance,
(iv) le fait d'entendre de façon à comprendre, dans un endroit calme, une personne de sa connaissance,
(v) les fonctions d'évacuation intestinale ou vésicale,
(vi) le fait de marcher;
d) il est entendu qu'aucune autre activité, y compris le travail, les travaux ménagers et les activités sociales ou récréatives, n'est considérée comme une activité courante de la vie quotidienne.
|
|
[Emphasis added]
[3] In the Tax Court of Canada, the applicant filed two psychiatrist's reports establishing that he suffers from a persecution delirium that does not respond well to psychiatric treatment. The physicians described this pathology as progressive paranoia querulans. The two psychiatrists were in mutual agreement that the applicant was unable to resume his work in the Quebec department of Education as a technician in administration.
[4] As the Tax Court judge correctly ruled, the tax credit for mental impairment is not assessed in terms of a taxpayer's ability to continue in or to perform his work, but rather in terms of his ability to perform a basic activity of daily living. The notion of basic activities of daily living is defined in paragraph (c) of section 118.4 and responds to requirements other than and more specific than the ability to work. Moreover, paragraph (d) of this section expressly excludes working or work-related activities from this definition.
[5] At the hearing of his appeal in the Tax Court of Canada, the applicant acknowledged that his capacity to perform the basic activities of daily living as defined by the Act was not markedly limited by his mental impairment. Even applying to the facts of this case the humane and compassionate interpretation adopted by this Court in Johnston v. The Queen, 98 DTC 6171, we are unable to conclude that the Tax Court of Canada judge erred when he held that the applicant failed to meet the requirements of the Act.
[8] At the hearing, the applicant asked the Court to grant him a remission of interest and some reasonable periods in which to pay the sums owing if his application were to be dismissed. We lack the necessary jurisdiction to accede to this request. The power to waive interest and penalties adheres in the Minister of National Revenue under section 220(3.1) of the Act:
| 220(3.1) Waiver of penalty or interest.
The Minister may at any time waive or cancel all or any portion of any penalty or interest otherwise payable under this Act by a taxpayer or partnership and, notwithstanding subsections 152(4) to 152(5), such assessment of the interest and penalties payable by the taxpayer or partnership shall be made as is necessary to take into account the cancellation of the penalty or interest.
|
220 (3.1) Renonciation aux pénalités et aux intérêts.
Le ministre peut, à tout moment, renoncer à tout ou partie de quelque pénalité ou intérêt payable par ailleurs par un contribuable ou une société de personnes en application de la présente loi, ou l'annuler en tout ou en partie. Malgré les paragraphes 152(4) à (5), le ministre établit les cotisations voulues concernant les intérêts et pénalités payables par le contribuable ou la société de personnes pour tenir compte de pareille annulation.
|
The terms of payment of the sums owing are a function of the execution of the judgment and the applicable rules in such matters.
[7] For these reasons, the application for judicial review will be dismissed with costs.
Québec, Quebec
October 18, 2000
Certified true translation
Suzanne M. Gauthier, LL.L., Trad. a.
FEDERAL COURT OF APPEAL
Date: 20001018
Docket: A-394-98
BETWEEN:
ROGER ROUSSEL
Appellant
- AND -
MINISTER OF NATIONAL REVENUE
Respondent
REASONS FOR JUDGMENT
FEDERAL COURT OF CANADA
APPEAL DIVISION
NAMES OF COUNSEL AND SOLICITORS OF RECORD
Appellant
AND:
MINISTER OF NATIONAL REVENUE
Respondent
| PLACE OF HEARING: Québec, Quebec |
| DATE OF HEARING: October 17, 2000 |
REASONS FOR JUDGMENT
OF THE COURT BY: The Honourable Mr. Justice Létourneau
DATED: October 18, 2000
APPEARANCES:
Roger Roussel (himself) for the appellant
Bernard Fontaine for the respondent
SOLICITORS OF RECORD:
3220, France-Prime
Sainte-Foy, Quebec for the appellant
Morris Rosenberg
Deputy Attorney General of Canada for the respondent
Date: 20001018
Docket: A-394-98
QUÉBEC, QUEBEC, THE 18TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2000
| Coram: THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE DÉCARY |
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE LÉTOURNEAU
| THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE NOËL |
Between:
ROGER ROUSSEL
Appellant
- AND -
MINISTER OF NATIONAL REVENUE
Respondent
JUDGMENT
The application for judicial review is dismissed with costs.
Certified true translation
Suzanne M. Gauthier, LL.L., Trad. a.