Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point v. Canada (Attorney General), [1998] 1 S.C.R. 756

The Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point Appellant

The Attorney General of Canada,

The Corporation of the Township of Bosanquet,

Paul Hendrick Wilmink, Joanne Cecilia Wilmink,

Joyce Van Geel, Martha Jean Morrison, Paul L. Wagner,

Agnes J. Wagner et al. (as shown in Schedule 1) Respondents

Indexed as: Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point v. Canada (Attorney General)

File No.: 25795.

1998: May 19.

Present: Lamer C.J. and Gonthier, Cory, McLachlin, Iacobucci, Major and Bastarache JJ.

on appeal from the court of appeal for ontario

Indians ‑‑ Indian lands ‑‑ Surrender ‑‑ Irregularities in surrender process ‑‑ Surrender valid.

APPEAL from a judgment of the Ontario Court of Appeal (1996), 1996 CanLII 753 (ON CA), 31 O.R. (3d) 97, 141 D.L.R. (4th) 1, 95 O.A.C. 365, 6 R.P.R. (3d) 185, [1997] 3 C.N.L.R. 65, [1996] O.J. No. 4188 (QL), dismissing an appeal from a judgment of Killeen J. (1995), 1995 CanLII 7096 (ON SC), 24 O.R. (3d) 654, [1996] 1 C.N.L.R. 54, [1995] O.J. No. 2630 (QL), granting respondents’ motion for summary judgment and dismissing pleadings against validity of surrender. Appeal dismissed.

Paul G. Vogel, Russell M. Raikes and Carol Godby, for the appellants.

Charlotte A. Bell, Q.C., and Gary Penner, for the respondent the Attorney General of Canada.

Angus L. McKenzie, Q.C., for the respondent the Corporation of the Township of Bosanquet.

Gerard T. Tillmann, for the respondents the Bank of Montreal, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, CIBC Mortgage Corporation, Canada Trustco Mortgage Company, National Trust Company and Toronto‑Dominion Bank.

Written submission only by Albert M. Lockyer for the respondents Cynthia Marie Thoren and Frank Thoren, Christopher Thomas Allan King, 876709 Ontario Ltd., Robert Beverly McDonald, Elizabeth Christina McDonald, Synda Louise Lockyer and Albert Maxwell Lockyer.

Jeff G. Cowan, for the respondents (not otherwise represented) Paul Hendrick Wilmink et al. (as shown in Schedule 2).

//Cory J.//

The judgment of the Court was delivered orally by

[1] Cory J. -- On this appeal we are not concerned with the issue of the Crown’s fiduciary duty. The sole question before us is the validity of the surrender and on this issue we are in agreement with the reasons of Laskin J.A. The appeal is therefore dismissed with costs.

Judgment accordingly.

Solicitors for the appellant: Cohen, Highley, Vogel & Dawson, London.

Solicitors for the respondent the Attorney General of Canada: The Attorney General of Canada, Ottawa.

Solicitors for the respondent the Corporation of the Township of Bosanquet: McKenzie, Nash, Bryant, London.

Solicitors for the respondents the Bank of Montreal, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, CIBC Mortgage Corporation, Canada Trustco Mortgage Company, National Trust Company and The Toronto‑Dominion Bank: Pensa & Associates, London.

Solicitor for the respondents Cynthia Marie Thoren and Frank Thoren, Christopher Thomas Allan King, 876709 Ontario Ltd., Robert Beverly McDonald, Elizabeth Christina McDonald, Synda Louise Lockyer and Albert Maxwell Lockyer: Albert M. Lockyer, Forest.

Solicitors for the respondents (not otherwise represented and shown in Schedule 2) Paul Hendrick Wilmink et al.: Weir & Foulds, Toronto.

Schedule 1

Remaining Respondents

Leon Edward St. John

Margaret J. St. John

Daniel Albert Vincent Rusciolelli

Rachel Emma Rusciolelli

Domenico Ambrogio

Maurina Ambrogio

William Walter Ellison

Gail Ann Ellison

National Trust Company

Joseph John Huybers

Joanne Maria Huybers

Karl Huetter

Inge Huetter

Annie Jeanette Dunston

Grace Marie Lasenby

Jack Harold Lasenby

Amin Mussani, In Trust

Donald Bruce Gray

Juliaan Alfons D’Hanyns

Simonne Clara D’Hanyns

Brian Bernard McGowan

Margaret Ann McGowan

Mary Lou LaPratte

Christopher Thomas Allan King

William John Harkness

Frances Curry Harkness

Barbara L. St. Louis

Eugene M. Sorin

Bank of Montreal

Frank Thoren

Cynthia Marie Thoren

Toronto‑Dominion Bank

Daniel Leo Bosnak

Ellen J. Bosnak

Edward G. Paschalidis

Veronika E. Paschalidis

Jack Malcolm Galbraith

Margaret Irene Galbraith

John Archibald Pedden

Dorothy Harriet Pedden

Gloria Ann Redmond

Carolyn Jane Sheprak

Diana Mary Susan Sheprak

Lotte Nachtnebel

Josef Szela

Erika Szela

Roy Francis Giroux

Madonna Giroux

Derek Leslie Barker

Nan Francis Barker

George C. Wallis

Janet Wallis

Bernardus Josephus Veel

Hendrika Petronella Veel

St. Willibrord Community Credit Union Limited

David A. Voll

Diane M. Voll

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce

CIBC Mortgage Corporation

Pierre Conrad Morisset

876709 Ontario Ltd.

Keith Leslie Orchard

Maisie Norine Orchard

Michael Robert DeHetre

David George Burgoyne

Karine Gerd Burgoyne

Daniel Ernest Zigar

Lola Louise Zigar

Stanley William Ulch

Lillian Ulch

George Edward Hext

Sherrill Lynn Hext

John O. Chessman

Rosa Jeannette Chessman

Glenn Edward McCann

Sandra Joy McCann

Leo Moyer Arrand

Alma Louraine Arrand

Wilfrid John O’Donnell

Judith Lynn O’Donnell

Richard Andrigo

Kenneth O’Hagan

Canada Trustco Mortgage Company

Linda Alice Williams

Olive Adeline Topping

Edward Joseph Miller

Joan Kristine Miller

Lloyd Howard Kerr

Joan Marie Kerr

Wayne Grant Hopson

Barbara Ann Hopson

Dudley Kent Wilcox

Jerry Theodore Vandergoot

Diane Jocelyn Vandergoot

Norman Charles William Hoch

Ruth Elizabeth Hoch

Richard L. Schultz

Kenneth Walter Stewart

Rosemary Kathleen Stewart

Cyril Woodward Bamford

Kenneth Wilbur Heslop

Fern Doreen Heslop

Edward Hurd James

Donna Fay James

Ralph C. Beal

Irene I. Beal

Rose Marie Giffen

Alexander Edwin Colvin

Betty May Townshend

Ross Franklin Hoover

John M. Thyret

Royal Bank of Canada

John Maximilian Thyret

Susan Maes‑Thyret

Brian Davy

Sandra Davy

Robert Harris Lavery, Jr.

Elizabeth Ellen Lavery

Lynn Ellen Green

Karen Elise Green

Robert Edward Cook

Majorie Ann Cook

Jacqueline A. Wagner

Robert E. Cook, Jr.

Lois Joy Denning

James W. Sinkule

Elaine D. Sinkule

Ruth Anne Sinkule

Barbara Jean Sinkule

Cathy Salisbury

Gerard Deluct

106119 Canada Limited

June Alethea Steepe

David Frederick Blay

Gorden Glenn Blay

Frank Ervin Joksas

Stephen P. Kennedy

Alice R. Kennedy

Wayne Frederick Walker

Mareta Ann Walker

Melvin Dean Dailey

Ralph B. Dailey

Raymond K. Dailey

Lester Alexander Chedore

Norman Heitbohmer

Florence Heitbohmer

Dorothy G. Smith

Clara Elizabeth Chedore

Donald Angus Galbraith

William Louis McDace

Barbara Jane McDace

Edmund Heier

Mary Anne Heier

William Isaac Jones

Mary Isabel Jones

Elizabeth Anne Saunders

Victor Myra Anderson

Gertrude Smith

Janet Lynn Jariott

Synda Louise Lockyer

Robert Beverly McDonald

Elizabeth Christina McDonald

Albert Maxwell Lockyer

Warren W. Sanford

Beverly M. Sanford

Margaret Hahn

Kimberly Rudy Marion

James William White

Rita Verna White

John Distler

Mary Distler

Martin Mueller

Maria Mueller

Anton Bauer

Katherine Bauer

James Ronald Speiran

Sharon Lorraine Speiran

William David Teeple

Sheila Jean Teeple

Dianne Brown

Ronald Howard Tomlinson

Betty Ann Tomlinson

William George Henry Sawyer

Norma Luella Sawyer

Harold Edwin Robinson

Stanislav Sustarsic

Franciska Sustarsic

John David Livingston

Audrey Mary Livingston

George Kniess

Theresa Kniess

John Putschli

Magdolena Putschli

John Eberhard

Teresa Eberhard

Thomas William Eyre

Janet Elizabeth Eyre

Thomas Henry

Theresa Henry

Norval Harvey Dix

Barbara Anna Lee Dix

Peter Robinson

Norma Janet Wight Robinson

Rudi Deskau

Lisa Deskau

Robert P. Hartop

Gertrude V. Hartop

Ada A. Wakefield

Mary Louise Dunn

William James Wakefield

Roy E. Dickerson

Flonteenia M. Dickerson

Melvin A. Colo

Joan M. Colo

Ronald Hugh McIntyre

Margaret Ann McIntyre

Mervin Lawrence Behm

Margaret Gail Behm

Douglas C. Coleman

Margaret F. Coleman

Glen Alvin Leach

Frank Richard George Van De Peer

Margaret Elizabeth Van De Peer

Schedule 2

Respondents Represented by Weir & Foulds, Toronto

Paul Hendrick Wilmink

Joanne Cecilia Wilmink

Joyce Van Geel

Martha Jean Morrison

Paul L. Wagner

Agnes J. Wagner