D.J. Rennie

The respondents were charged with 32 summary conviction offences relating to breaches of the Aeronautics Act and its regulations.

Prior to plea, the respondents moved to quash the information on the basis that it lacked sufficient details to identify the transactions, contrary to s. 510(3) of the Criminal Code.

The Provincial Court judge quashed the information, and the Crown's applications for mandamus and certiorari were dismissed by the Court of Queen's Bench and the Court of Appeal.

The Supreme Court of Canada dismissed the Crown's appeal, holding that an information vitiated for want of sufficient details under s. 510(3) cannot be salvaged by particulars or amendment if objected to prior to plea.

The respondent, a fisherman, was denied unemployment insurance benefits based on Regulation 85 of the Unemployment Insurance Regulations, which imposed a shorter qualifying period for fishermen than for other insured persons.

The Federal Court of Appeal held the regulation ultra vires as it conflicted with the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1971.

The Supreme Court of Canada dismissed the appeal, agreeing that a different qualifying period was not necessary to extend unemployment insurance to fishermen and that the harsher requirement was not authorized by the Act.