Publications
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Damages that result from inadequate product performance and tacit waiver of the right to assert a ground for exclusion: the Quebec Court of Appeal clarifies the situation
On September 24, 2008, the Court of Appeal reversed a decision by the Superior Court that had allowed an insured’s claim against its insurer for damages caused as a result of the removal of a product manufactured by the insured.The Court of Appeal ruled that a multi-peril civil liability (…)
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Manufacturers, Importers, Distributors and Retailers: the Public’s Safety is your Business
The increasing number of recalls of consumer products in recent years is indicative of a trend that has raised concerns for governmental authorities. In response, the Canadian government announced, on April 8, 2008, a reform of the existing legislation to strengthen the protection of human health (…)
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The Chicken, the Egg, the Producer - the Quebec Court of Appeal Knows Which Came First!
One more lengthy battle in a legal saga has just come to an end. Indeed, on June 4, 2008, the Court, comprised of Quebec’s Chief Justice, Michel Robert, and Justices Jacques Chamberland and Louis Rochette, rendered a unanimous judgment.To set the stage, consider a salmonella outbreak in (…)
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In the Wake of Domtar: Manufacturers' and Professional Vendors' Liabilities - Separate Defences
In one of the first decisions in Quebec since the landmark Domtar case, the Québec Court of Appeal has refined the parameters of the liability of a professional vendor and of a manufacturer for a latent defect. In this case, Joseph Élie Limitée had sold an oil tank manufactured by Réservoirs (…)
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The Manufacturer-Seller's Warranty in Québec: Still "Distict"!
In late November 2007, the Supreme Court rendered a judgment on the law of sale in Quebec in the case of ABB Inc. v. Domtar Inc. in which it pointed out important differences between Quebec law and the law of the other Canadian provinces regarding limitation of liability clauses. It also clarified (…)
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Do the costs of a correcting manufacturing defect result from an accident?
Can the cost of remedying a manufacturing defect be considered as damage resulting from an "accident" covered under a liability insurance policy?This is the question the Quebec Court of Appeal considered recently. Its judgement is of interest not only as regards to the Court of Appeal's (…)
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The liability of manufacturers and specialized sellers: the Court of Appeal tightens the screw
The Court of Appeal rendered an important decision on October 31, 2006, which dealt with the liability of manufacturers and professional sellers, as well as several other related issues. More specifically, the Court of Appeal tightened the screw on the issue of manufacturers' presumed knowledge of (…)