Publications
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Class actions to watch in 2024
Quebec is a fertile ground for class actions, with over 550 active cases and between 50 to 100 applications for authorization filed each year. While 2023 marked the fifth anniversary of the “new” class action division: what is there to watch in 2024? Read on to find out. Opioids and the State: (…)
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Loss of personal information: The Superior Court dismisses a class action
On March 26, 2021, the Superior Court rendered a decision dismissing a class action against the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (“IIROC”) on the loss of personal information of thousands of Canadian investors.1 The lack of evidence of compensable injury and IIROC’s diligent (…)
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A Decision of Interest to the Entertainment Industry
Is an event organizer responsible for an artist’s late appearance? Context is key, answers the Superior Court’s, as it dismisses the application for authorization to institute a class action against Gestion Evenko Inc.1 regarding Travis Scott’s late appearance at the Osheaga Music and Arts Festival (…)
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Consumer Law: the Time Decision, again
This publication was authored by Luc Thibaudeau, former partner of Lavery and now judge in the Civil Division of the Court of Québec, District of Longueuil. Consumer law and class action suits go well together. In the recent Girard1decision, the Quebec Court of Appeal, in an opinion by the (…)
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Class actions to watch for in the air transport sector
Many Canadians travel by airline. Aside from the pleasure of travel, certain inconveniences may sometimes occur, for both air carriers and passengers alike. A class action suit is often the preferred procedural vehicle for customers to assert their rights. Recent class actions authorized by the (…)
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Securities and class actions: screening authorizations
Anyone who wants to bring an action in damages relating to the secondary securities market must prove that the action is brought in good faith and has a reasonable chance of success (s. 225.4 QSA). In Quebec,1 as elsewhere in Canada,2 no prior disclosure of evidence may be obtained by plaintiff (…)
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Class Actions to Watch this Year
Year in and year out, the Superior Court of Quebec releases around 175 judgments in class actions matters, and 2017 was no exception. With two years having passed since the reform of civil procedure, the courts have had an opportunity to clarify the effect of a number of new provisions: the low (…)
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Québec consumer law and the automotive industry: keep your hands on the wheel!
Lavery recently attended the Strictly Automotive Seminar organised by the Defence Research Institute in Detroit, Michigan. The seminar addressed legal issues which the automotive industry is currently facing worldwide. This newsletter provides an overview of the legal principles vehicle (…)
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Class Actions - What’s on the radar for consumer class actions?
Over half of the applications for authorization to institute class actions filed in Québec since the beginning of 2017 are based on consumer law. There is no doubt that consumer class actions will continue to fuel discussions within the business and legal communities. We will continue to monitor the (…)
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Leave to Appeal by the Defendant at the Authorization Stage of the Class Action: the Québec Court of Appeal Adopts a Restrictive Approach
On November 22, 2016, the Québec Court of Appeal issued an unprecedented judgment on the application of article 578 of the New Code of Civil Procedure (“NCCP”) in the following cases: DuProprio inc. v. La Fédération des chambres immobilières du Québec, Énergie éolienne Des Moulins S.E.C. v. (…)
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Roaming fees: a long and winding road
On August 10, 2016, the Québec Court of Appeal authorized a class action pertaining to international roaming fees, thus reiterating, with renewed respect for the opposing view, that meeting the authorization threshold and the criteria respecting the representative’s interest is fairly easy under (…)
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The warranty of fitness for purpose in consumer law – Court of Appeal judgment
This publication was co-authored by Luc Thibaudeau, former partner of Lavery and now judge in the Civil Division of the Court of Québec, District of Longueuil. Lavery is closely monitoring developments in consumer class actions and, in order to keep the business sector informed on the subject, (…)
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Consumer law and class actions: Beware of unilateral amendments to contracts involving sequential performance
This publication was co-authored by Luc Thibaudeau, former partner of Lavery and now judge in the Civil Division of the Court of Québec, District of Longueuil. Lavery closely monitors new developments in consumer law class actions and is committed to keeping the business community informed of the (…)
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Historic Quebec lawsuit against tobacco companies: The Superior Court awards more than $15 billion in damages
In a decisive victory for the Plaintiffs in class actions against the three Canadian leading tobacco companies1, the Québec Superior Court ordered the Defendants to pay more than 15 billion dollars in moral damages2 and punitive damages. There were more than 253 hearing days3 and 16 years of (…)
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Class Actions : The Conversion Rate Tale Reaches it's Final Chapter
This publication was authored by Luc Thibaudeau, former partner of Lavery and now judge in the Civil Division of the Court of Québec, District of Longueuil. On September 19, 2014, the Supreme Court of Canada issued its ruling in the so called “banks’ cases”1, in the context of which consumers (…)
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The Theratechnologies Case
On February 20, 2014, the Supreme Court of Canada allowed the motion for leave to appeal the judgment of the Court of Appeal of Québec rendered in the case of Theratechnologies inc. v. 121851 Canada Inc.1. In this unanimous judgment, the Court of Appeal decided that a judgment authorizing a class (…)
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Reform of the Quebec Code of Civil Procedure – The new class action
On February 20, 2014, the Quebec National Assembly passed Bill 28, An Act to establish the new Code of Civil Procedure.This is a watershed moment in a process that began in 2003 and was the subject of a review by the Minister of Justice in 2006. Notably, promoting cooperation by the parties on the (…)
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Pension Plans and Class Actions: the Vivendi case
On January 16, 2014, the Supreme Court of Canada1 affirmed the Court of Appeal of Québec2 judgment which authorized the class action brought against Vivendi Canada Inc. (“Vivendi”). This important decision confirms, among other things, that the rules for authorizing class actions in (…)
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The Supreme Court of Canada Rules on Market Timing in the Context of a Class-action Suit
Facts and judicial historyThe Supreme Court of Canada has rendered a decision which is likely to generate a lot of commentary in the Canadian class action scene. On December 12, 2013, the Court issued a ruling in the case of AIC Limited v. Fischer1 (hereinafter 'Fischer'), now frequently referred to (…)
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Class Actions: The Supreme Court of Canada addresses the issue of indirect purchasers and the jurisdiction of the Quebec courts over contracts formed at a distance
On October 31, 2013, the Supreme Court rendered three judgments with respect to class actions at the authorization or certification stage, one from the Province of Quebec1 and the other two from the Province of British Columbia.2In all three cases, the facts raised issues with respect to the price (…)
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An unprecedented decision of the Court of Appeal: a judgment authorizing a class action under the Securities Act may be appealed
INTRODUCTIONOn July 17, 2013, the Court of Appeal issued an unprecedented judgment in Quebec in the case of Theratechnologies inc. v. 121851 Canada inc.1 Justice Clément Gascon, writing for the court, held, in a unanimous decision, that a judgment having authorized a class action for damages under (…)
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Failure to comply with the provisions of the Regulation respecting the application of the Consumer Protection Act dealing with notices of forfeiture of the benefit of the term
Although non-compliance with the Consumer Protection Act (the “CPA”) is generally sanctioned by the nullity of the CPA non-compliant clauses, or of the contract in its entirety, in cases involving written notices of forfeiture of the benefit of the term, the courts have sometimes decided (…)
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The Court of Appeal confirms that the policyholder and the insurer may agree to modify the provisions of a group insurance contract without consulting the participants
The decision of the Court of Appeal in the La Capitale case has been expected since February 2012 when the Superior Court dismissed the class action taken against an insurer who, with the consent of the policyholder, had unilaterally modified the waiver of premiums clause in a group insurance (…)
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Francization – Bill No 14 amending the Charter of the French language
This publication was authored by Luc Thibaudeau, former partner of Lavery and now judge in the Civil Division of the Court of Québec, District of Longueuil. The title of this newsletter gives a good summary of the explanatory notes that serve as an introduction to Bill 14, entitled An Act to amend (…)
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Theft or loss of a credit card: Who has the burden of proof?
This publication was authored by Luc Thibaudeau, former partner of Lavery and now judge in the Civil Division of the Court of Québec, District of Longueuil. Lavery keeps a close eye on developments in consumer law. Its leading-edge expertise in the retail trade and class actions has been pointed (…)
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The Supreme Court clarifies the parameters for assessing whether a commercial representation is false or misleading: The average consumer is credulous and inexperienced
This publication was co-authored by Luc Thibaudeau, former partner of Lavery and now judge in the Civil Division of the Court of Québec, District of Longueuil. Lavery follows the evolution of consumer law closely. Its specialized expertise in the fields of retailing and class actions has been (…)
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Errare Humanum est : To Err is human, but the Court cannot always fix it
This publication was authored by Luc Thibaudeau, former partner of Lavery and now judge in the Civil Division of the Court of Québec, District of Longueuil. Lavery follows the evolution of consumer law closely. Its specialized expertise in the fields of retailing and class actions has been (…)
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Class Action and Consumer Law : The Court of Appeal excludes non-consumers from the approved class in an authorized class action
This publication was authored by Luc Thibaudeau, former partner of Lavery and now judge in the Civil Division of the Court of Québec, District of Longueuil. Consumer protection law and the Consumer Protection Act apply first and foremost to economic activities in the retail sector. Expenditures (…)
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Class Actions and Consumer Law: Obligations resulting from the sale of additional warranties; what was the law prior to bill 60?
This publication was authored by Luc Thibaudeau, former partner of Lavery and now judge in the Civil Division of the Court of Québec, District of Longueuil. Consumer law and the Consumer Protection Act (the “CPA”) are aimed first and foremost at economic activities in the retail sales sector. (…)
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Class Actions : The Court says no to retirees
Last August 3, the Superior Court of Québec dismissed the motion for authorization to institute a class action filed by Mr. Michel Dell’Aniello against Vivendi Canada Inc. This decision deals with two subjects of interest, namely, unilateral changes made by an employer to the group insurance (…)
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Legal newsletter for business entrepreneurs and executives, Number 5
SMEs are not Immune from Class-Actions Suits in Competition Law SMEs and Trade-Marks Dividing up Corporate Shares in the Event of Divorce, Separation from bed and Board, or Dissolution of a Civil Union
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Beware of Punitive Damages in Consumer Law!
The Quebec Court of Appeal recently rendered a long-awaited decision in a consumer protection class action.On February 26th, the Court dismissed the main appeal and cross-appeal in Brault and Martineau Inc. vs. Riendeau for the reasons which were written by Justice Duval Hesler, which were endorsed (…)
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Maintaining a Harmonious Relationship With Your Neighbours Can Prevent Class Actions!
The Supreme Court of Canada ended a lengthy legal saga on November 20th, 2008 when it ordered St.Lawrence Cement Inc. to compensate residents of Beauport living near its cement plant. Comments on prescription, the assessment of damages and the granting of future damages.The Supreme Court's decision (…)
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Class action and competition law: Toyota wins in the Court of Appeal
Class action and competition law: Toyota wins in the Court of Appeal
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The Court of Appeal Warns Petitioners in Motions for Authorization Against Group Descriptions that are too Broad and Disproportionate
On September 26, 2007, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal of appellant Citizens for a Quality of Life and upheld the judgment of the Superior Court dated December 14, 2004, which had refused to grant its motion for authorization to institute a class action against Aéroports de Montréal on the (…)
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Two of our partners honoured with Québec Bar Mérite awards
Two of our partners honoured with Québec Bar Mérite awards
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Watering down class actions? Not really...
On October 18th, 2006, the Quebec Court of Appeal rendered a much-awaited decision regarding class actions. The province’s highest court was called upon to rule on the issue of whether, when there is a multiplicity of defendants, it is necessary that a legal relationship exist between the (…)
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Are the Courts Distorting the Nature of Class Actions?
Are the Courts Distorting the Nature of Class Actions?
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The Application of Ontario's Bill 198 to Securities Class Actions in Quebec
The Application of Ontario's Bill 198 to Securities Class Actions in Quebec
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The Court of Appeal Rules on the Constitutionality of the Code of Civil Procedure Amendments Governing Authorizations to Institute Class Actions
The Court of Appeal Rules on the Constitutionality of the Code of Civil Procedure Amendments Governing Authorizations to Institute Class Actions
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The Superior Court Dismisses Three Motions for Authorization to Institute a Class Action
The Superior Court Dismisses Three Motions for Authorization to Institute a Class Action
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Increase in Class Actions for Violations of the Competition Act - How to Protect Your Business Today
Increase in Class Actions for Violations of the Competition Act - How to Protect Your Business Today
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Multi-Jurisdictional Class Actions in Canada : Pragmatism Over Principle ?
Multi-Jurisdictional Class Actions in Canada : Pragmatism Over Principle ?
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Class Actions and The Life Insurance Industry
Class Actions and The Life Insurance Industry