Jacques Jeansonne

The appellant developer purchased land to build a recreational and residential project.

After the developer's building permits expired, the newly elected municipal council amended the zoning by-law to require a comprehensive development program and construction adjacent to public roads, effectively halting the project.

The developer sued the municipality for loss of profits, alleging bad faith.

The Supreme Court of Canada dismissed the appeal, holding that a municipality enjoys relative immunity when exercising its regulatory powers and can only be held civilly liable under the Civil Code of Québec if it acts in bad faith or irrationally.

The Court found no evidence of bad faith, as the municipality's objective to protect the natural environment was legitimate.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) broadcast a report criticizing the Chambre des notaires du Québec (CNQ).

The respondent, a communications consultant for the CNQ, wrote a letter to the CBC requesting a right of reply and pointing out errors in the broadcast.

The CBC subsequently aired a second report that selectively quoted only the erroneous portions of the respondent's letter, portraying him in a misleading and negative light.

The respondent sued for defamation.

The Supreme Court of Canada upheld the lower courts' findings that the CBC committed a civil fault under article 1457 of the Civil Code of Québec by failing to adhere to professional journalistic standards.

The Court also upheld the finding that the CBC and the CNQ were liable in solidum for the damages.