CLE Online

Welcome and Introduction

Introduction

Adele J. Adamic — Legal Services Branch, Ministry of Justice, Vancouver
Robert A. Kasting — Stewart Aulinger & Company, Vancouver

An Overview of Administrative Law

Frank A.V. Falzon, QC — Frank A.V. Falzon Law Corporation, Victoria

PART 1: Administrative Law Decision-making

A. Administrative Law Decision-makers

• types of decisions and decision-makers  governed by administrative law principles
• the delicate interplay between administrative law decision-making and policy
• expertise
• challenging an administrative law decision

B. Administrative Law Decision-making

• authority to make a decision
• legislated purposes
• limits on the jurisdiction of decision-makers
• types of decisions in the administrative law process

C. Impartiality and Independence

• the law governing impartiality and reasonable apprehension of bias
• the law governing independence

Frank A.V. Falzon, QC — Frank A.V. Falzon Law Corporation, Victoria
Robin M. Junger — McMillan LLP, Vancouver
Karrie A. Wolfe — Legal Services Branch, Ministry of Justice, Victoria

Questions and Discussion

Networking Break

A. Preliminary Considerations

• what is a “hearing”?
• types of hearings
• notification and disclosure
• what a party can and must do before a hearing

B. Administrative Law Hearings

• the hearing
• issues following a hearing

Adele J. Adamic — Legal Services Branch, Ministry of Justice, Vancouver
Cheryl L. Vickers — Property Assessment Appeal Board of British Columbia, Richmond

Questions and Discussion

A. Evidence

• role of the law of evidence
• privilege
• relevance
• reliability—hearsay evidence
• weight
• efficiency and procedural fairness
• receipt of evidence by the tribunal
• practical considerations for counsel

B. The Record

• what is the record?
• formation of the record
• responsibility for the record
• to record or not to record?
• other exclusions from the record

C. The Decision

• what is a decision?
• interim decisions
• elements of a decision
• decision-making powers
• independence of decision-makers

D. Reviews, Reconsiderations, and Appeals

• internal reviews and appeals
• independent tribunals of second instance
• other review and appeal bodies
• concurrent jurisdiction and collateral attack
• appeals to the courts
• scope of reviews, reconsiderations, and appeals
• exhaustion of administrative remedies
• curative effect of statutory appeal or reconsideration
• role of first-instance decision-maker

Lindsay M. Lyster — Moore Edgar Lyster, Vancouver
Elena F. Miller — Labour Relations Board of BC , Vancouver

Questions and Discussion

“Meet the Authors” Networking Lunch

PART 2: Review by the Courts

A. Judicial Review Fundamentals

• what is judicial review
• types of judicial review
• specific grounds for judicial review
• standards of review
• other legislative provisions

B. Parties and Others

• parties as of right
• parties with limited standing
• intervenors
• naming of parties

C. Commencing Judicial Review Proceedings

• choosing the correct court
• time limits for commencement
• initiating documents
• affidavits
• new evidence
• service
• method of service
• notice of constitutional question

Angus M. Gunn, Jr. — Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Vancouver
Mark G. Underhill — Underhill, Boies Parker Law Corporation Inc., Vancouver

Questions and Discussion

A. The Role of the Respondent

• who is a respondent?
• the limited role of the decision-maker as respondent
• practice of respondents

B. Interlocutory Practice

• procedure for interlocutory applications
• potential interlocutory applications

C. Dealing with Unrepresented Parties

• procedural issues
• affidavit evidence and lay litigants
• agents
• high-conflict personalities and vexatious litigants

Adele J. Adamic — Legal Services Branch, BC Ministry of Justice, Vancouver
William S. Clark — Harper Grey LLP, Vancouver
Julie Gibson — Harper Grey LLP, Vancouver (to be conf'd)
Katherine A. Hardie — BC Human Rights Tribunal, Vancouver

Questions and Discussion

Networking Break

A. Preparing for a Hearing

• factors that determine how to prepare
• British Columbia Supreme Court
• British Columbia Court of Appeal
• Federal Courts

B. Arguing the Application

• arguing the Application in the Supreme Court of British Columbia
• arguing the Application in the Federal Court or the Federal Court of Appeal

Maureen E. Baird, QC — Lunny Atmore LLP, Vancouver
David Lunny — Lunny Atmore LLP, Vancouver
Donnaree G. Nygard — Department of Justice Canada, Vancouver

Questions and Discussion

A. Remedies

• no damages
• exhausting adequate alternative remedies
• statutory appeals
• judicial review

B. Costs

• costs on judicial review in the Supreme Court of British Columbia
• costs on a statutory appeal in the Supreme Court of British Columbia
• costs in the Federal Courts

C. Appeals from Judicial Review

• availability of appeals
• standard of review on appeal
• parties to an appeal
• the record on appeal
• outline of appeal procedures
• interventions on appeal
• interlocutory appeals
• appellate advocacy

D. Federal Courts Practice

• first-time filing at the Federal Court? Yes, it really is different from the B.C. Supreme Court
• what is a “converted” judicial review application?
• possible upcoming changes to the Federal Courts Rules and what they may mean to you

The Honourable Mr. Justice Harvey M. Groberman — Court of Appeal for British Columbia, Vancouver
Jennifer Chow — Department of Justice Canada, Vancouver
Robert A. Kasting — Stewart Aulinger & Company, Vancouver

Questions and Discussion

Views From the Bench, Board, and Bar: Effective Administrative Law Advocacy: Panel Discussion

The Honourable Mr. Justice Harvey M. Groberman — Court of Appeal for British Columbia, Vancouver
Adele J. Adamic — Legal Services Branch, BC Ministry of Justice, Vancouver
Robert A. Kasting — Stewart Aulinger & Company, Vancouver
Lindsay M. Lyster — Moore Edgar Lyster, Vancouver/Elena F. Miller — Labour Relations Board of BC , Vancouver
Mark G. Underhill — Underhill, Boies Parker Law Corporation Inc., Vancouver
Cheryl L. Vickers — Property Assessment Appeal Board of British Columbia, Richmond