Federal Court of Appeal Decisions

Date: 20021007

Docket: A-177-99

Neutral citation: 2002 FCA 369

BETWEEN:

                                               ELIZABETH BERNADETTE POITRAS

                                                                                                                                 Plaintiff / Respondent

                                                                              - and -

                                                        WALTER PATRICK TWINN,

                                          THE COUNCIL OF THE SAWRIDGE BAND,

                                          THE SAWRIDGE BAND and HER MAJESTY

                                                       THE QUEEN as represented by

                                               THE MINISTER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS

                                                 AND NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT

                                                                                                                                                    Defendants

BETWEEN:

                                                        WALTER PATRICK TWINN,

                                          THE COUNCIL OF THE SAWRIDGE BAND,

                                                             THE SAWRIDGE BAND

                                                                                                             Third Party Plaintiffs / Appellants

                                                                              - and -

                                                        HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN

                                                                    as represented by

                                               THE MINISTER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS

                                                 AND NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT

                                                                                                   Third Party Defendants / Respondents

                                               ASSESSMENT OF COSTS - REASONS

Charles E. Stinson

Assessment Officer

[1]                 The Appellants discontinued this matter after a hearing date had been set. The Appellants did not respond to the timetable issued for written disposition of the Crown's bill of costs presented for assessment further to Rule 402. The Federal Court Rules, 1998, do not contemplate a litigant, having notice of an assessment of costs and not participating, benefiting by an assessment officer stepping away from a position of neutrality to act as the litigant's advocate in challenging given items in a bill of costs. However, the assessment officer cannot certify unlawful items, i.e. those outside the authority of a judgment and tariff. I examined each item claimed in the bill of costs and supporting material within those parameters. The Crown asked for costs of the assessment. I think that the circumstances warrant the minimum 2 units. The bill of costs of the Crown, presented at $712.03, is assessed and allowed at $932.03.

  

(Sgd.) "Charles E. Stinson"

      Assessment Officer

   

DATED at Vancouver, British Columbia, this 7^th day of October, 2002

                                                    FEDERAL COURT OF CANADA

                                                                 APPEAL DIVISION

                              NAMES OF COUNSEL AND SOLICITORS OF RECORD

    

DOCKET:                                             A-177-99

STYLE OF CAUSE:                           ELIZABETH BERNADETTE POITRAS

- and -

WALTER PATRICK TWINN et al.

- and -

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN et al.

                                                                                   

  

ASSESSMENT IN WRITING WITHOUT PERSONAL APPEARANCE OF PARTIES

REASONS FOR ASSESSMENT OF COSTS:                      CHARLES E. STINSON

DATED:                                                                                       October 7, 2002

   

SOLICITORS OF RECORD:

Aird & Berlis                                                                                   for Appellants

Toronto, ON

Catherine Twinn                                                                             for Appellants

Slave Lake, AB

Morris Rosenberg

Deputy Attorney General of Canada     for Respondent

Her Majesty the Queen

Royal, McCrum, Duckett & Glancy      for Respondent

Edmonton, AB                                                                               Elizabeth Bernadette Poitras