Martinez v. Jessar Eglinton Limited o/a Aaron’s Sales and Lease Ownership, 2014 HRTO 240

HUMAN RIGHTS TRIBUNAL OF ONTARIO

B E T W E E N:

David Martinez

Applicant

-and-

Jessar Eglinton Limited o/a Aaron’s Sales and Lease Ownership, and Michael Reeve

Respondents

DECISION

Adjudicator: Ruth Carey Date: February 21, 2014 Citation: 2014 HRTO 240 Indexed as: Martinez v. Jessar Eglinton Limited o/a Aaron’s Sales and Lease Ownership

1This is an Application under the Human Rights Code, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.19, as amended. The Application is scheduled to be heard on March 10, 2014.

2On September 5, 2013, the Tribunal sent the parties a Notice of Hearing directing them to take certain steps in advance of the hearing. In particular, and among other things, the Notice of Hearing directed the parties to comply with Rules 16 and 17 of the Tribunal’s Rules of Procedure by providing one another with copies of their arguably relevant documents within 21 days of the date of the Notice of Hearing; and by exchanging with one another and filing with the Tribunal the documents they intended to rely upon at the hearing, a list of their witnesses and a summary of their witnesses’ anticipated evidence by no later than January 24, 2014.

3Neither the applicant nor the respondents provided the Tribunal with the materials required under Rules 16 and 17 of the Tribunal’s Rules of Procedure by January 24, 2014.

4Accordingly, in a January 31, 2014, Case Assessment Direction (“CAD”), the Tribunal directed the applicant to provide the required materials to the respondents and the Tribunal by no later than February 17, 2014; and the respondents to provide the required materials to the applicant and the Tribunal by no later than February 28, 2014.

5In its CAD, the Tribunal warned the parties that there were serious consequences for the case if they did not comply with the Tribunal’s directions. In particular, the Tribunal’s CAD contained the following directions to the applicant:

By no later than February 17, 2014, the applicant must deliver to the respondents and file with the Tribunal the documents he intends to rely on at the hearing, a list of his witnesses and a brief statement describing what his witnesses will say when they testify. If the applicant has not complied with this direction by February 17, 2014, the Application may be dismissed as abandoned.

The applicant is reminded that he must also submit a witness statement for himself, assuming he intends to testify at the hearing. However, if the applicant only intends to testify about the facts already contained in his Application, it is sufficient for him to confirm this in writing by February 17, 2014.

If the applicant does not communicate with the Tribunal at all by February 17, 2014, his case may be dismissed as abandoned.

6It is now past the applicant’s deadline for complying with the Tribunal’s directions and the applicant has not filed the required materials with the Tribunal, nor has he communicated with the Tribunal. The Tribunal has had no contact with the applicant since prior to the Notice of Hearing being issued.

7In the circumstances, it appears that the applicant has abandoned the Application. Accordingly, the Application shall be dismissed as abandoned.

DECISION

8The Application is dismissed as abandoned and the March 10, 2014, hearing date is cancelled.

9The respondents are not required to file any additional documents.