Case information

Charter of rights — Fundamental justice — Right to life, liberty and security of person — Applicant involuntarily admitted to hospital as psychiatric patient and involuntarily administered medication — Motions judge upholding Review Board order confirming involuntary status and prescribed medical treatment including drug injections — Appellate judge dismissing motion for extension of time in which to file appeal — Whether applicant has fundamental right to seek justice in a court of law such as the Supreme Court of Canada — Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, ss. 7 and 24(1) — Constitution Act, s. 52(1).

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.

In September 2015, Mr. Placid was involuntarily admitted to Seven Oaks General Hospital in Winnipeg as a psychiatric patient. Mr. Placid sought to challenge his involuntary admission, and the administration of various drugs while in hospital. In November 2015, the Manitoba Mental Health Review Board concluded that there had been no material change in Mr. Placid’s condition, and issued an order confirming his status as an involuntary patient, confirming his physician’s opinion that Mr. Placid was not mentally competent to make treatment decisions, and authorizing specified treatment as recommended by his physician, including drug injections.

On appeal, Justice Abra of the Court of Queen’s Bench of Manitoba upheld the order of the Review Board, on December 7, 2015, finding that there was no basis on which to interfere with the order. Mr. Placid then sought to challenge Justice Abra’s decision. On September 22, 2016, Justice Hamilton of the Manitoba Court of Appeal dismissed Mr. Placid’s motion seeking an extension of time to file his appellant’s factum and his book of appeal.