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35738

Robert Lavigne v. Canadian Human Rights Commission, et al.

(Federal) (Civil) (By Leave)

(Sealing order)

Docket

Judgments on applications for leave to appeal are rendered by the Court, but are not necessarily unanimous.

List of proceedings
Date Proceeding Filed By
(if applicable)
2014-08-19 Close file on Leave
2014-08-15 Copy of formal judgment sent to Registrar of the Court of Appeal and all parties
2014-08-15 Judgment on leave sent to the parties
2014-08-14 Judgment of the Court on the application for leave to appeal, The motion for an extension of time to serve and file the application for leave to appeal is granted. The application for leave to appeal from the judgment of the Federal Court of Appeal, Numbers A-429-12 and A-428-12, 2013 FCA 207, dated September 11, 2013 is dismissed without costs.
Dismissed, without costs
2014-08-14 Decision on motion to extend time to file and /or serve the leave application
Granted
2014-06-30 All materials on application for leave submitted to the Judges, CJ Cro Wa
2014-06-30 Submission of motion to extend time to file and/ or serve the leave application, CJ Cro Wa
2014-03-31 Applicant's reply to respondent's argument, (Book Form), Completed on: 2014-03-31, (Printed version filed on 2014-04-01) Robert Lavigne
2014-03-24 Certificate (on limitations to public access), (Letter Form) Canadian Human Rights Commission
2014-03-24 Notice of name, (Letter Form) Canadian Human Rights Commission
2014-03-24 Respondent's response on the application for leave to appeal, (Book Form), service to come - rec'd March 31, 2014, Completed on: 2014-03-24, (Printed version filed on 2014-03-24) Canadian Human Rights Commission
2014-03-20 Respondent's response on the application for leave to appeal, (Letter Form), Completed on: 2014-03-20 Canadian Union of Postal Workers
2014-02-21 Letter acknowledging receipt of a complete application for leave to appeal, File opened
2014-02-19 Correspondence (sent by the Court) to, Acknowledgment letter
2014-02-17 Correspondence received from, (Letter Form), the Applicant, re.: documents submitted Robert Lavigne
2014-02-17 Motion to extend the time to file and or serve the application for leave to appeal, (Book Form), (Included in the application for leave to appeal), Completed on: 2014-02-17, (Electronic version filed on 2014-02-14) Robert Lavigne
2014-02-17 Application for leave to appeal, (Book Form), Motion for an extension of time included in the application with 6 sealed envelopes containing exhibit L., Completed on: 2014-02-17, (Electronic version filed on 2014-02-14) Robert Lavigne

Parties

Please note that in the case of closed files, the “Status” column reflects the status of the parties at the time of the proceedings. For more information about the proceedings and about the dates when the file was open, please consult the docket of the case in question.

Main parties

Main parties - Appellants
Name Role Status
Lavigne, Robert Applicant Active

v.

Main parties - Respondents
Name Role Status
Canadian Human Rights Commission Respondent Active
Canada Post Corporation Respondent Active
Canadian Union of Postal Workers Respondent Active

Counsel

Party: Lavigne, Robert

This party is not represented by counsel.

Party: Canadian Human Rights Commission

Counsel
Caroline Laverdière
Attorney General of Canada
200 René-Lévesque Blvd West, East Tower, 9th floor
Guy-Favreau Complex
Montréal, Quebec
H2Z 1X4
Telephone: (514) 515-8132
FAX: (514) 496-7876
Email: caroline.laverdiere@justice.gc.ca
Agent
Christopher M. Rupar
Attorney General of Canada
50 O'Connor Street, Suite 500, Room 557
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0H8
Telephone: (613) 670-6290
FAX: (613) 954-1920
Email: christopher.rupar@justice.gc.ca

Party: Canada Post Corporation

Counsel
Alexandre Bourbonnais
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP
2500 - 1, Place Ville-Marie
Montréal, Quebec
H3B 1R1
Telephone: (514) 847-6035
FAX: (514) 286-5474
Email: alexandre.bourbonnais@nortonrose.com

Party: Canadian Union of Postal Workers

Counsel
Nicolas Charron
Phillion Leblanc Beaudry
565, boul. Crémazie Est
Bureau 5400
Montréal, Quebec
H2M 2V6
Telephone: (514) 387-3538 Ext: 2267
FAX: (514) 387-7386
Email: ncharron@plba.ca

Summary

Keywords

None.

Summary

Case summaries are prepared by the Office of the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Canada (Law Branch). Please note that summaries are not provided to the Judges of the Court. They are placed on the Court file and website for information purposes only.

Civil procedure – Costs – Legislation – Interpretation – Applicant suffering series of losses in his court proceedings against respondents – Costs in proceedings unpaid – Interim costs sought following new proceedings by applicant – Regulatory criteria for requiring or granting exemption from such security – Whether requiring security contrary to law in force – Whether Prothonotary of Federal Court has power to prevent party from proceeding – Whether Federal Court of Appeal breached duty to provide reasons for its decision – Federal Courts Rules, SOR/98 106, ss. 416(1), 417.

In previous proceedings with the same respondents, a series of awards of costs had been made against the applicant, a former postal worker, by several different courts; the enforcement measures had been largely unsuccessful. In an action for damages brought by the applicant against the respondents, the respondents sought interim costs described as security. The Prothonotary of the Federal Court allowed the respondents’ motion, and that decision was upheld on appeal. In July 2012, the Prothonotary refused to allow the applicant to proceed in the absence of security.

Lower court rulings

October 22, 2010
Federal Court

T-105-10, 2010 FC 1038

Motions by two respondents for security allowed; applicant’s motion to lift confidentiality of exhibits dismissed

September 11, 2013
Federal Court of Appeal

2013 FCA 207, A-429-12, A-428-12

Applicant’s appeal from Federal Court’s decision of September 11, 2012 (unreported) affirming Prothonotary’s decision of July 4, 2012 (unreported) dismissing applicant’s action in damages for lack of security dismissed

Memorandums of argument on application for leave to appeal

The memorandums of argument on an application for leave to appeal will be posted here 30 days after leave to appeal has been granted unless they contain personal information, information that is subject to a publication ban, or any other information that is not part of the public record. You may also obtain copies of the memorandum by filing out the Request for Court records form or by contacting the Court’s Records Centre either by email at records-dossiers@scc-csc.ca or by telephone at 613‑996‑7933 or at 1‑888‑551‑1185.

If you have questions about a memorandum of argument or want to use a memorandum of argument, please contact the author of the memorandum of argument directly. Their name appears at the end of the memorandum of argument. The contact information for counsel is found in the “Counsel” tab of this page.

Downloadable PDFs

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Factums on appeal

The factums of the appellant, the respondent and the intervener will be posted here at least 2 weeks before the hearing unless they contain personal information, information that is subject to a publication ban, or any other information that is not part of the public record. You may also obtain copies of factums by filling out the Request for Court records form or by contacting the Court’s Records Centre either by email at records-dossiers@scc-csc.ca or by telephone at 613‑996‑7933 or at 1‑888‑551‑1185.

If you have questions about a factum or want permission to use a factum, please contact the author of the factum directly. Their contact information appears on the first page of each factum.

Downloadable PDFs

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Webcasts

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Date modified: 2025-11-06