En Francais::: L'Association des libertés civiles de l'Ontario et le cas St. Lewis v. Rancourt -- reportage Radio Canada

Reportage sur le lancement d'OCLA (Association des libertés civiles de l'Ontario / Ontario Civil Liberties Association) et entrevue avec son Directeur exécutif, Joseph Hickey.

Diffusé à 12h30 jeudi, le 24 janvier, 2013 sur "Le midi trente Ontario" de Radio-Canada.

OCLA.ca

Today media articles about St. Lewis v. Rancourt lawsuit

Two media articles have appeared today about the St. Lewis v. Rancourt lawsuit:

"Report author denied status in racism dispute"
by Heather Guardiner, Legal Feeds

"Denis Rancourt ordered to pay $16,000 in legal costs in defamation case"
by Don Butler, Ottawa Citzen

Rancourt files application for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada

In the on-going case of St. Lewis v. Rancourt, Rancourt has done everything possible to have his complaint of reasonable apprehension of bias of Justice Robert Beaudoin heard on its merits, either at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice or at the Ontario Divisional Court.

These efforts were put to a close by the November 29, 2013 decision of Justice Peter Annis to not grant leave to appeal to the Divisional Court.

Since Rancourt's bias complaint was never heard on its merits, and since impartiality of the judiciary is a foundation of the common law, Rancourt believes his Charter rights to be heard and to equality before and under the law were violated.

Since the possibility of appeal was finally barred using rules of court which allow such judicial discretion, Rancourt concludes that the said rules of court are unconstitutional, and he therefore seeks leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada.

If the Supreme Court of Canada does not grant leave to appeal then it will mean that, in Ontario, litigants can make complaints of bias against judges and the complaints can continue to be finally barred by the court in which the complaints are made, and never heard on their merits. And there is no recourse.

Does that sound like something that should occur in a democratic society?

Rancourt's full application for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court was served and filed today, and is posted: HERE.