A Belgian ship was arrested in Halifax by a U.S. creditor claiming a maritime lien for stevedoring services.
The ship's owner was subsequently adjudged bankrupt in Belgium, and the Belgian trustees sought a stay of the Canadian maritime proceedings in favour of the Belgian bankruptcy court.
The Federal Court refused the stay, recognizing the U.S. creditor's maritime lien as a secured claim under Canadian maritime law.
The Supreme Court of Canada dismissed the trustees' appeal, holding that the Federal Court did not err in exercising its discretion to refuse the stay, balancing international comity against the rights of secured creditors under maritime law.
