E. Bala

At a case conference, the plaintiffs requested copies of all media documents listed in Schedule A of the defendants' Affidavit of Documents.

The defendants argued that the cost of reviewing, redacting, and copying the files would be prohibitive and offered inspection instead.

The court held that the defendants complied with Rule 30.04 by offering inspection and ordered that the plaintiffs' counsel may inspect the documents at the Crown's offices.

The court also renewed an order prohibiting the recording and posting of discovery proceedings on social media.

The plaintiff towing company sought to amend its Statement of Claim to add claims for an interim and permanent mandatory order compelling the Ontario Provincial Police to adhere to a 'First On Scene' tow policy.

The Crown opposed the amendments, arguing that statutory provisions prohibit injunctive and mandatory relief against the Crown.

The Master confirmed jurisdiction to assess the legal tenability of proposed pleadings and held that mandatory orders are a form of injunctive relief prohibited against the Crown.

The Master denied the amendments seeking mandatory orders but permitted amendments pleading irreparable harm and intimidation, as they were tenable claims relevant to damages.

The plaintiff, a self-represented litigant in a wrongful conviction action, brought a motion to appoint a non-lawyer with a history as a vexatious litigant as an amicus curiae to assist him during examinations for discovery.

The Crown defendants brought a cross-motion to exclude the non-lawyer from attending further discoveries due to his disruptive conduct.

The court dismissed the plaintiff's motion, finding that the non-lawyer did not meet the criteria for an amicus curiae and that his appointment would violate the Rules of Civil Procedure and the Law Society Act.

The court granted the Crown defendants' motion, barring the non-lawyer from attending further discoveries due to his history of disruptive behaviour and failure to comply with previous court directions.

The court also permitted the plaintiff to attend the discoveries of the companion action plaintiffs by video or telephone.

The plaintiff sought leave to further amend his statement of claim to include allegations of conspiracy against the police and Crown attorneys regarding his arrests during a native protest.

The defendant opposed the amendments, arguing they were statute-barred.

The court found that while the proposed amendments met the test for particularity, they attempted to resurrect previously struck allegations from December 2006 and were therefore statute-barred.

The court struck the conspiracy paragraphs without leave to amend, but allowed other unchallenged amendments.

The plaintiffs, who were arrested multiple times during counter-protests at the Caledonia native occupation, brought a motion to amend their statements of claim to add new allegations of wrongful arrest, Charter violations, conspiracy, and harassment.

The defendant Crown brought a cross-motion to strike portions of the amended claims.

The court held that several of the new claims were statute-barred under the Limitations Act, 2002, as they constituted separate events rather than a continuing tort.

The court also struck the conspiracy and harassment claims for lack of particulars, but granted leave to amend.

The Crown's motion to strike the defamation claim was dismissed, as the court found the impugned remarks were capable of referring to the plaintiff despite not naming him specifically.