J.M. Asbestos Inc. v. Commission d’appel en matière de lésions professionnelles, [1998] 1 S.C.R. 315

Clément Guillemette Estate and Lilianne Boivert Guillemette Appellants

v.

J.M. Asbestos Inc. Respondent

and

Commission d’appel en matière de lésions professionnelles and Micheline Paquin Mis en cause

and

Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail Intervener

and

Confederation of National Trade Unions Intervener

and between

Commission d’appel en matière de lésions professionnelles Appellant

v.

J.M. Asbestos Inc. Respondent

and

Clément Guillemette Estate and Lilianne Boivert Guillemette Mis en cause

and

Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail Intervener

and

Confederation of National Trade Unions Intervener

Indexed as: J.M. Asbestos Inc. v. Commission d’appel en matière de lésions professionnelles

File No.: 25617.

1998: February 23.

Present: Lamer C.J. and L’Heureux‑Dubé, Gonthier, Cory, McLachlin, Iacobucci and Bastarache JJ.

ON APPEAL FROM THE COURT OF APPEAL FOR QUEBEC

Administrative law ‑‑ Judicial review ‑‑ Commission d’appel en matière de lésions professionnelles ‑‑ Standard of review ‑‑ Burden of proof ‑‑ Presumption.

APPEAL from a judgment of the Quebec Court of Appeal, 1996 QCCA 5813, [1996] R.J.Q. 2444, [1996] Q.J. No. 2676 (QL), affirming a judgment of the Superior Court, [1992] C.A.L.P. 1640, granting a motion in evocation of a decision of the CALP, [1991] C.A.L.P. 309. Appeal allowed.

Richard Mailhot, for the appellants the Guillemette Estate et al.

Claire Delisle and Marie‑France Bernier, for the appellant CALP.

Philippe Casgrain, Q.C., Gérard Dugré and Michel Towner, for the respondent.

Maurice Cloutier, for the intervener CSST.

Edward Kravitz, for the intervener CNTU.

English version of the judgment of the Court delivered orally by

[1] The Chief Justice ‑‑ We all essentially agree with the reasons of Forget J.A. of the Quebec Court of Appeal.

[2] Accordingly, the appeal is allowed, the judgment of the Quebec Court of Appeal is set aside and the decision rendered by the Commission d’appel en matière de lésions professionnelles is restored, the whole with costs throughout.

Judgment accordingly.

Solicitors for the appellants the Guillemette Estate et al.: Mailhot Drapeau, Charlesbourg.

Solicitors for the appellant CALP: Levasseur Delisle, Québec.

Solicitors for the respondent: Byers Casgrain, Montréal.

Solicitors for the intervener CSST: Panneton Lessard, Montréal.

Solicitors for the intervener CNTU: Sauvé & Roy, Montréal.