I A P P E A L # : P A R T C D e c i s i o n u n d e r A p p e a l T h e d e c i s i o n u n d e r a p p e a l i s t h e M i n i s t r y o f S o c i a l D e v e l o p m e n t a n d S o c i a l I n n o v a t i o n ' s ( " t h e M i n i s t r y " ) R e c o n s i d e r a t i o n D e c i s i o n d a t e d N o v e m b e r 2 6 , 2 0 1 3 w h i c h d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t w a s i n e l i g i b l e f o r i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e o n t h e b a s i s t h a t t h e r e w e r e o u t s t a n d i n g w a r r a n t s f o r t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s a r r e s t p u r s u a n t t o s e c t i o n 1 5 . 2 ( 1 ) ( b ) o f t h e E m p l o y m e n t A s s i s t a n c e A c t . P A R T D R e l e v a n t L e g i s l a t i o n E m p l o y m e n t A s s i s t a n c e A c t ( " E A A " ) s e c t i o n s 2 , 4 a n d 1 5 . 2 E m p l o y m e n t A s s i s t a n c e R e g u l a t i o n ( " E A R " ) s e c t i o n 3 8 . 1 E A A T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / O 1 )
P A R T E S u m m a r y o f F a c t s T h e e v i d e n c e b e f o r e t h e M i n i s t r y a t r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n 1 . T h e A p p e l l a n t ' s R e q u e s t f o r R e c o n s i d e r a t i o n 2 . A f a x c o v e r s h e e t a n d A p p l i c a t i o n f o r W a i v e t h a t t h e C o u r t o f P r o v i n c e " X " w a i v e a l l c h a r P r o v i n c i a l C o u r t , 3 . A f a x c o v e r s h e e t a n d R e q u e s t f o r T r a n s f e r t h a t t h e P r o v i n c e o f " Y " w a i v e a c r i m i n a l c h a C o u rt ; 4 . A f a x c o v e r s h e e t a n d R e q u e s t f o r W a i v e r d a C r o w n P r o s e c u t o r ' s o f f i c e i n P r o v i n c e " Z " w a P r o v i n c i a l C o u r t ; 5 . A M i n i s t r y O u t s t a n d i n g W a r r a n t s C h e c k r e p o 2 0 1 3 i n d i c a t i n g t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t h a d f o u r o J a n d 1 1 Z / ; 6 . A c o p y o f t h e M i n i s t r y ' s S e r v i c e R e q u e s t N o 7 . T h e A p p e l l a n t ' s A p p l i c a t i o n f o r I n c o m e A s s i s T h e A p p e l l a n t a p p l i e d f o r i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e o n A u i n t e r v i e w w i t h t h e M i n i s t r y o n O c t o b e r 1 5 , 2 0 1 3 a t w a r r e s t w a r r a n t s i n o t h e r p r o v i n c e s . A s a r e s u l t , a w O c t o b e r 1 8 , 2 0 1 3 w h i c h c o n f i r m e d t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n " X " , " Y " a n d " Z " a n d a s a r e s u l t , t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s a p p M i n i s t r y . T h e A p p e l l a n t r e q u e s t e d a r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f t h e M N o v e m b e r 1 3 , 2 0 1 3 t h e A p p e l l a n t s e n t f a x r e q u e s t s w a r r a n t s a n d / o r c h a r g e s t h e r e b e w a i v e d o r t r a n s f e d i s p o s e o f t h e m i n t h e B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a P r o v i n c i a l C t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s c h a r g e s a n d / o r w a r r a n t s i n c l u d e a s s t o P r o v i n c e " Y " i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s c h a r g e p r o b a t i o n o r d e r . T h e r e q u e s t t o P r o v i n c e " Z " i n d i c a i n c l u d e t h e f t u n d e r . T h e A p p e l l a n t p r o v i d e d c o p i e s o f t h e s e t h r e e f a x r e q s e c o n d w a r r a n t c h e c k o n N o v e m b e r 1 9 , 2 0 1 3 w h i c h c o n f i r m e d t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t s t i l l h a d o u t s t a n d i n g a r T h e m i n i s t r y r e l i e d o n t h e R e c o n s i d e r a t i o n D e c i s i o n I n t h e R e q u e s t f o r R e c o n s i d e r a t i o n , t h e A p p e l l a n t s t o r h y b r i d w a r r a n t s a n d t h a t a l l a r e s u m m a r y a n d v e r I n t h e N o t i c e o f A p p e a l d a t e d D e c e m b e r 1 8 , 2 0 1 3 , t h f o r m s e v e n t h o u g h t h e c h a r g e s w e r e a l r e a d y w a i v e d f o r m s t o t h e w e l f a r e o f f i c e w i t h a c o u r t d a t e i n d i c a t e d E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 l )I A P P E A L # � i n c l u d e d : d a t e d N o v e m b e r 1 , 2 0 1 3 ; r o f C h a r g e s d a t e d N o v e m b e r 1 3 , 2 0 1 3 r e q u e s t i n g g e s a n d w a r r a n t s a g a i n s t t h e A p p e l l a n t t o t h e B C o f C h a r g e s d a t e d N o v e m b e r 1 3 , 2 0 1 3 r e q u e s t i n g r g e a g a i n s t t h e A p p e l l a n t t o t h e B C P r o v i n c i a l t e d N o v e m b e r 1 3 , 2 0 1 3 r e q u e s t i n g t h a t t h e i v e a l l w a r r a n t s a g a i n s t t h e A p p e l l a n t t o t h e B C r t ( " t h e W a r r a n t C h e c k R e p o r t " ) d a t e d O c t o b e r 1 8 , u t s t a n d i n g a r r e s t w a r r a n t s i n P r o v i n c e s " X " , " Y " t e s r e f l e c t i n g t h e W a r r a n t C h e c k R e p o rt ; a n d t a n c e ( P a r t s 1 a n d 2 ) d a t e d O c t o b e r 1 6 , 2 0 1 3 . g u s t 2 7 , 2 0 1 3 a n d h e u n d e rw e n t a n i n t a k e h i c h t i m e h e d i s c l o s e d t h a t h e h a d o u t s t a n d i n g a r r a n t c h e c k w a s u n d e rt a k e n b y t h e M i n i s t r y o n t h a d o u t s t a n d i n g a r r e s t w a r r a n t s f r o m P r o v i n c e s l i c a t i o n f o r i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e w a s d e n i e d b y t h e i n i s t r y d e n i a l o n N o v e m b e r 1 , 2 0 1 3 a n d o n t o t h e P r o v i n c e s " X " , " Y " a n d " Z " a s k i n g t h a t h i s r r e d t o B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a i n o r d e r t h a t h e m a y o u r t . T h e r e q u e s t t o P r o v i n c e " X " i n d i c a t e s t h a t a u l t a n d a t t e m p t e d b r e a k a n d e n t e r . T h e r e q u e s t s a n d / o r w a r r a n t s i n c l u d e f a i l t o c o m p l y w i t h a t e s t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s c h a r g e s a n d / o r w a r r a n t s u e s t s t o t h e M i n i s t r y a t w h i c h t i m e i t u n d e r t o o k a , a s i n d i c a t e d i n t h e R e c o n s i d e r a t i o n D e c i s i o n , r e s t w a r r a n t s i n P r o v i n c e s " X " a n d " Z " . a n d s u b m i t t e d n o n e w i n f o r m a t i o n . a t e s t h a t h e d o e s n o t h a v e i n d i c t a b l e , i m m i g r a t i o n y o l d w a r r a n t s . e A p p e l l a n t s t a t e s t h a t h e h a s p r o v i d e d t h e . T h e A p p e l l a n t s t a t e s f u r t h e r t h a t h e g a v e t h e o f J a n u a r v 2 9 , 2 0 1 4 f o r a l l w a i v e d c h a r a e s .
The Appellant submitted no new information or written submissions in support of his appeal. EAAT003(10/06/01) I APPEAL#:
I APPEAL#: PART F -Reasons for Panel Decision The issue to be decided is whether the Ministry reasonably determined that the Appellant was ineligible for income assistance on the basis that there were outstanding warrants for the Appellant's arrest pursuant to section 15.2(1) (b) of the Employment Assistance Act. The relevant legislation, sections 2, 4 and 15.2 of the EAA, and section 38.1 of the EAR provide as follows: Employment Assistance Act Eligibility of family unit 2 For the purposes of this Act, a family unit is eligible, in relation to income assistance, hardship assistance or a supplement, if (a) each person in the family unit on whose account the income assistance, hardship assistance or supplement is provided satisfies the initial and continuing conditions of eligibility established under this Act, and (b) the family unit has not been declared ineligible for the income assistance, hardship assistance or supplement under this Act. Income assistance and supplements 4 Subject to the regulations, the minister may provide income assistance or a supplement to or f o r a family unit that is eligible for it. Consequences in relation to outstanding arrest warrants 15.2 (1) No income assistance, hardship assistance or supplement may be paid to or for a family unit on account of an applicant or recipient for whom a warrant for arrest has been issued under (a) the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada), or (b) any other enactment of Canada in relation to an indictable offence, and on whom the warrant has not been executed. (2) Despite section 5 and subsection (1) of this section, and subject to the regulations, the minister may provide (a) income assistance, hardship assistance or a supplement to or for the family unit on account of the person who is subject to the warrant, or (b) a supplement to (i) the person who is the subject of the warrant, f o r the purpose of the person returning to the jurisdiction that issued the warrant, or EAAT003(10/06/01)
I APPEAL# (ii) the family unit, for the purpose of the family unit returning to the jurisdiction that issued the warrant. (3) If a family unit includes a person described in subsection (1), the person's income and assets must be included in the income and assets of the family unit for the purposes of determining whether the family unit is eligible for income assistance, hardship assistance or a supplement, except as otherwise provided in the regulations. (4) In this section, "indictable offence" includes an offence that is deemed under section 34 (1) of the Interpretation Act (Canada) to be an indictable offence. Employment Assistance Regulation Consequences in relation to outstanding arrest warrants 38.1 Section 15.2 [c onsequences in relation to outstanding arrest warrants] of the Act does not apply to a family unit of an applicant or recipient for whom a warrant for arrest within the meaning of section 15.2 of the Act has been issued and who (a) is pregnant, (b) is in the end stage of a terminal illness, or (c) is under 18 years of age. The Appellant's position is that his outstanding arrest warrants are not for immigration, indictable or hybrid matters but rather are for summary matters and are very old. In the Notice of Appeal, the Appellant maintains that he provided the forms to the welfare office despite the fact that his charges had already been waived. The Ministry's position as set out in the Reconsideration Decision is that as the Appellant has outstanding warrants for his arrest he is ineligible f o r income assistance as provided f o r in section 15.2(1)(b) of the EAA. Section 15.2(1) of the EAA provides that no income assistance, hardship assistance or supplement may be paid to or for a family unit on account of an applicant or recipient for whom a warrant for arrest has been issued under: (a) the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada), or (b) any other enactment of Canada in relation to an indictable offense, and on whom the warrant has not been executed. Panel Finding The Panel finds that subsequent to the Aooellant aoolvinq for income assistance, the Ministrv EMT003(10/06/01)
u n d e r t o o k a n o u t s t a n d i n g w a r r a n t c h e c k . T h e W a r f o u r o u t s t a n d i n g a r r e s t w a r r a n t s a i : , d p r o v i d e s t h e d i n d i c a t e h o w e v e r , t h e e n a c t m e n t u n d e r w h i c h t h e a w h i c h t h e w a r r a n t s a r i s e a n d f u r t h e r d o e s n o t i n d i c i n d i c t a b l e o ff e n c e . T h e M i n i s t r y s t a t e s i n t h e R e c o w a s c o m p l e t e d o n N o v e m b e r 1 9 , 2 0 1 3 a n d c o n f i r m w a r r a n t s i n P r o v i n c e s " X " a n d " Z " b u t t h e P a n e l n o t R e p o r t f o r t h a t s e c o n d c h e c k w a s n o t p r o v i d e d a s e F o r t h e M i n i s t r y t o d e n y a n a p p l i c a t i o n f o r i n c o m e a o u t s t a n d i n g a r r e s t w a r r a n t a s p r o v i d e d fo r i n s e c t i o w a r r a n t o r w a r r a n t s i n q u e s t i o n m u s t h a v e b e e n i s s P r o t e c t i o n A c t ( C a n a d a ) o r a n y o t h e r e n a c t m e n t o f p r e s e n t c a s e , t h e P a n e l f i n d s t h a t w h i l e t h e r e i s e v i w a r r a n t s f o r h i s a r r e s t a t t h e t i m e o f h i s a p p l i c a t i o n t h e e n a c t m e n t u n d e r w h i c h t h e a r r e s t w a r r a n t s w e r a r o s e . T h e P a n e l n o t e s t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t h a s h i m s e l f l i s t e w a i v e r r e q u e s t s b u t t h e P a n e l i s u n a b l e t o d e t e r m i n n a t u r e . O n r e v i e w o f t h e R e c o n s i d e r a t i o n D e c i s i o n m a d e i t s d e t e r m i n a t i o n o f t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s e l i g i b i l i t y f t h e f o u r a r r e s t w a r r a n t s a s s e t o u t i n t h e W a r r a n t C w h e t h e r t h e w a r r a n t s s a t i s f i e d s e c t i o n 1 5 . 2 ( 1 ) o f t h e T h e P a n e l t h e r e f o r e f i n d s t h a t t h e M i n i s t r y ' s d e c i s i o a s s i s t a n c e w a s n o t a r e a s o n a b l e a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e A p p e l l a n t a n d t h e P a n e l t h e r e f o r e r e s c i n d s t h e R e c E M T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A L # ; I r a n t C h e c k R e p o r t i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t h a d a t e a n d j u r i s d i c t i o n f o r e a c h . T h e r e p o r t d o e s n o t r r e s t w a r r a n t s w e r e i s s u e d o r t h e o f f e n c e s f r o m a t e w h e t h e r t h e o f f e n c e s a r e i n r e l a t i o n t o a n n s i d e r a t i o n D e c i s i o n t h a t a s e c o n d w a r r a n t c h e c k e d t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t h a d o u t s t a n d i n g a r r e s t e s t h a t a c o p y o f t h e O u t s t a n d i n g W a r r a n t s C h e c k v i d e n c e i n t h i s m a t t e r . s s i s t a n c e o n t h e b a s i s t h a t a n a p p l i c a n t h a s a n n 1 5 . 2 ( 1 ) o f t h e E A A , t h e A c t p r o v i d e s t h a t t h e u e d e i t h e r u n d e r t h e I m m i g r a ti o n a n d R e f u g e e C a n a d a i n r e l a t i o n t o a n i n d i c t a b l e o ff e n s e . I n t h e d e n c e t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t d i d h a v e o u t s t a n d i n g f o r i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e , t h e r e i s n o t h i n g t o i n d i c a t e e i s s u e d o r t h e o f f e n c e s f r o m w h i c h t h e w a r r a n t s d t h e c r i m i n a l c h a r g e s t h a t h e f a c e s i n t h e t h r e e e f r o m t h o s e f o r m s w h e t h e r t h e y a r e i n d i c t a b l e i n t h e P a n e l n o t e s t h a t t h e M i n i s t r y a p p e a r s t o h a v e o r i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e s o l e l y o n t h e e x i s t e n c e o f h e c k R e p o rt a n d d i d n o t m a k e a d e t e r m i n a t i o n E A A a s b e i n g i n r e l a t i o n t o a n i n d i c t a b l e o f f e n c e . n t o d e n y t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s a p p l i c a t i o n f o r i n c o m e a p p l i c a b l e l e g i s l a t i o n i n t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s o f t h e o n s i d e r a t i o n D e c i s i o n .
You are being directed to the most recent version of the statute which may not be the version considered at the time of the judgment.