Federal Court of Appeal Decisions

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Date: 20010314

Docket: A-319-99

                                                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                        Neutral citation: 2001 FCA 60

CORAM:        ROTHSTEIN J.A.       

SHARLOW J.A.

MALONE J.A.            

BETWEEN:

                          TRILLIUM LABELS INC.

                                                                                                                                            Applicant

                                                                            

                                                                            

                                                                            

                                                                        - and -                                 

                                                                                                                                             

                                       MINISTER OF NATIONAL REVENUE

Respondent

                                                                            

Heard at Toronto, Ontario, Tuesday, March 13, 2001

Judgment delivered from the Bench at Toronto, Ontario,

on Tuesday, March 13, 2001

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT OF THE COURT BY:                                 MALONE J.A.


                                                                            

Date: 20010314

Docket: A-319-99

                                                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                        Neutral citation: 2001 FCA 60

CORAM:        ROTHSTEIN J.A.       

SHARLOW J.A.

MALONE J.A.            

BETWEEN:

                          TRILLIUM LABELS INC.

                                                                                                                                            Applicant

                                                                            

                                                                            

                                                                            

                                                                        - and -                                 

                                                                                                                                             

                                       MINISTER OF NATIONAL REVENUE

Respondent

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT OF THE COURT

                                       (Delivered from the Bench at Toronto, Ontario

                                                    on Tuesday, March 13, 2001)

MALONE J.A.


This application for judicial review raises the issue as to whether the learned Tax Court Judge committed an error of law when he concluded that the Applicant employed Keith MacMurchy under a contract of service. It is argued for the Applicant that the reasons for decision are not sufficiently explicit to support the conclusion reached.

The reasons rendered are sparse and would have been more helpful if the analysis had been more fully stated. However, an error of law does not arise from the failure to give reasons or to make an explicit written finding on each constituent element of a decision or to explain why some evidence is preferred over other evidence. The real question is whether given reasons that are not explicit, the decision reached can be rationally supported on the evidence. (MacLean Hunter Limited v. D.M.N.R. (Customs + Excise) 88 DTC 6096 at p. 6098 (F.C.A)).

Although not cited by its case name, the Tax Court Judge clearly was referring to the test in Wiebe Door Services Ltd. v. M.N.R. 87 DTC 5025 (F.C.A) when he wrote:

"The question is whether the Worker's work meets the test laid down in well-settled case law, taking into account "all the various elements which constitute the relationship between the parties", namely control by the Payer, ownership of the tools, chance of profit and risk of loss and whether the employee is an integral part of the Payer's business. These elements are not exhaustive and the weight to be given to them varies in each case."


The decision of the Tax Court Judge in this case can be rationally supported on the evidence. In our view the Tax Court Judge did not err in law in reaching his conclusion that Mr. MacMurchy's employment with the Applicant is insurable within the meaning of subsection 3(1) of the Unemployment Insurance Act or in dismissing the Applicant's appeal.

We would dismiss the application for judicial review with costs.

"B. Malone"

                                                                                                              J.A.                              


                                                               FEDERAL COURT OF CANADA

                   Names of Counsel and Solicitors of Record

DOCKET:                                                            A-319-99

STYLE OF CAUSE:                                            TRILLIUM LABELS INC.

                                                                                                     Applicant

                                                         

- and -                          

MINISTER OF NATIONAL REVENUE

                                                                                                 Respondent

DATE OF HEARING:                           TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2001

PLACE OF HEARING:                                      TORONTO, ONTARIO

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT

OF THE COURT BY:                           MALONE J.A.

Delivered from the Bench at Toronto, Ontario on Tuesday, March 13, 2001

APPEARANCES BY:                                       Mr. Osborne G. Barnwell

For the Applicant

Ms. Eleanor Thorn

Ms. Carol Calabrese

                                                   For the Respondent

SOLICITORS OF RECORD:                       Ferguson, Barnwell

Barristers & Solicitors

515 Consumers Road, Suite 310

North York, Ontario

M2J 4Z2

For the Applicant

Morris Rosenberg

Deputy Attorney General of Canada

For the Respondent


FEDERAL COURT OF APPEAL

Date: 20010314

Docket: A-319-99

BETWEEN:

TRILLIUM LABELS INC.

                                                                                                   Applicant

                                                         

                                                         

- and -                          

                                                                                                                                

MINISTER OF NATIONAL REVENUE

Respondent

                                                                           

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT

OF THE COURT

                                                                          

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