View source for Necessity Under the Principled Approach to Hearsay

{{Currency|July 2021}}
{{HeaderHearsay}}
{{LevelZero}}
==General Principles==
{{seealso|Principled Exception to Hearsay|Reliability Under the Principled Approach to Hearsay}}

Hearsay is admissible where the party tendering the evidence can show that necessity and reliability are met.<ref>
{{CanLIIRP|Bradshaw|h4jxt|2017 SCC 35 (CanLII)|[2017] 1 SCR 865}}{{perSCC|Karakatsanis J}}{{atL|h4jxt|23}}
</ref>

Necessity requirement can be made out where the calling party "cannot compel testimony from the declarant."<ref>
{{CanLIIRP|Srun|j0pd8|2019 ONCA 453 (CanLII)|377 CCC (3d) 79}}{{perONCA|Watt JA}}{{atL|j0pd8|123}}<Br>
{{CanLIIRx|Al-Enzi|jd2mx|2021 ONCA 81 (CanLII)}}{{perONCA|Tulloch JA}}{{AtL|jd2mx|120}}<Br>
</ref>

Unavailability can include unavailable in the strict physical sense.<ref>
{{supra1|Srun}} at para 123
</reF>

A reluctance to testify does not establish unavailability let alone necessity.<ref>
{{CanLIIRx|Vickers|j6v46|2020 ONCA 275 (CanLII)}}{{TheCourtONCA}}<Br>
{{CanLIIRP|F(WJ)|1fqm6|1999 CanLII 667 (SCC)|[1999] 3 S.C.R. 569}}{{perSCC-H|McLachlin J}}{{atL|1fqm6|44}}<br>
</ref>

Necessity must be in relation to a particular goal. The court should consider whether that goal can be achieved by other evidence that would otherwise be more reliable.<ref>
see eg. {{CanLIIRP|Abel|fq2cl|2011 NLTD 173 (CanLII)|989 APR 113}}{{perNLSC|Stack J}}{{atL|fq2cl|117}}</ref> 
If the exists other avenues of proving the fact sought then the exception will not apply.

In the context of a recanting witness, necessity concerns the unavailability of the statement and not the witness.<ref>
See {{CanLIIRP|Devine|1xdt6|2008 SCC 36 (CanLII)|[2008] 2 SCR 283}}{{perSCC|Charron J}}{{atL|1xdt6|16}}<br>
{{CanLIIRP|FJU|1frhp|1995 CanLII 74 (SCC)|[1995] 3 SCR 764}}{{perSCC|Lamer CJ}}<br> 
see also {{CanLIIR-N|De Elespp| [2002] AJ No 6702}}{{ats-|37 and 108}}<br> 
{{CanLIIRP|Rombough|1sgk0|2006 ABPC 262 (CanLII)|[2006] A.J. No 1768}}{{perABPC|Kerby J}}{{atL|1sgk0|36}}<br>
{{CanLIIRP|Biscette|2dc3z|1995 ABCA 234 (CanLII)|[1995] AJ No 557}}{{perABCA|Cote JA}} (2:1) <br>
{{CanLIIR-N|Clarke| (Ont. Ct. (Gen. Div.)) [1991] OJ No 997}}{{at-|F}}
</ref>
It generally always made out when there is a recantation.<ref>
{{supra1|FJU}}</ref>

; Standard
Necessity should not be lightly assumed.<Ref>
{{CanLIIRx|Aitkens|hxfhv|2019 ABPC 30 (CanLII)}}{{perABPC| J}}{{atL|hxfhv|90}}<br>
{{CanLIIRP|Rockey|1fr4t|1996 CanLII 151 (SCC)|1996 110 CCC 3d 481 (SCC)}}{{perSCC-H|McLachlin J}}{{AtL|1fr4t|28}}<br>
</ref>

The standard is determined by the reasonableness of the party's efforts to present the evidence by other means, with consideration of the opposing party's interests.<ref>
{{supra1|Aitkens}}{{atL|hxfhv|90}}<br>
{{CanLIIRP|Khelawon|1q51r|2006 SCC 57 (CanLII)|[2006] 2 SCR 787}}{{perSCC|Charron J}} (7:0){{AtL|1q51r|104}}
</ref>

The standard should be applied "flexibly."<ref>
{{supra1|Al-Enzi}} at para 121<Br>
{{CanLIIRP|KGB|1fs50|1993 CanLII 116 (SCC)|1993] 1 SCR 740}}{{perSCC|Lamer J}} at p. 796 (SCR)
</ref>

Traditionally there have been two classes of necessity. First, there are instances where the witness is unable or unwilling to testify. The second, is where the witness is available but the prior statement is not available. <Ref>
{{supra1|KGB}}  at p. 796<Br>
Al-Enzi at para 121<Br>
</ref>

; Accused or Co-Accused
A statement of an accused person who cannot be compelled to testify will generally be seen as necessary given the enforcement of that right.<ref>
{{CanLIIRP|Cater|fqfh8|2012 NSPC 15 (CanLII)|998 APR 46}}{{perNSPC|Derrick J}}{{AtL|fqfh8|30}}, appealed on other grounds at {{CanLII|g8kjt|2014 NSCA 74 (CanLII)}}{{perNSCA|Saunders JA}}<br>
See also {{CanLIIRP| Evans|1frzq|1993 CanLII 86 (SCC)|[1993] 3 SCR 653}}{{perSCC|Cory  J}}{{at-|24}}<br>
</ref>

; Dead Witnesses
Death of the witness is typically sufficient to establish necessity so long as the witness was the only source of information contained within the statement.<ref>
e.g. {{CanLIIRP|Taylor|ftvcw|2012 ONCA 809 (CanLII)|294 CCC (3d) 483}}{{perONCA|Rosenberg JA}} </ref>

; Recanting
A witness who recants a prior statement will generally be enough to make out necessity.<Ref>
{{supra1|Al-Enzi}} at para 122<br>
{{CanLIIRP|Youvaraj|fzsjh|2013 SCC 41 (CanLII)|[2013] 2 SCR 720}}{{perSCC|Karakatsanis J}}{{atL|fzsjh|22}}<br>
{{CanLIIRx|McMorris|jcbv2|2020 ONCA 844 (CanLII)}}{{perONCA|Lauwer JA}}{{AtL|jcbv2|22}}<br>
</ref>

;Dishonestly Forgetful Witness
A witness who falsely claims a lack of memory can often be identified by consideration of factors such as the amount of time that has passed since the observations and the selectivity of the memories remembered.<ref>
e.g. {{CanLIIRP|BRJ|fr7c1|2012 NSPC 32 (CanLII)|1002 APR 141}}{{perNSPC|Derrick J}}{{atsL|fr7c1|21| to 24}}<br>
</ref>

Where "truth is being held hostage" by the witness, it is functionally the same as a witness who refuses to testify, resulting in the necessity element being satisfied.<ref>
{{ibid1|BRJ}}{{atL|fr7c1|24}}<br>
</ref>

; Witness Refuses to Testify
A witness who refuses to testify when all efforts to obtain that testimony have been taken to no avail will typically satisfy the requirement of necessity.
<ref>
{{CanLIIRP|Lavery|1ds02|1995 CanLII 2529 (BC SC)|[1995] BCJ No.2713 (S.C.)}}{{perBCSC|MG MacDonald J}}{{AtL|1ds02|9}}<br>
{{CanLIIRP|CCB|1l7n3|1999 CanLII 12409 (SK PC)|[1999] S.J. No 672 (P.C.)}}{{perSKPC|Snell J}}{{AtsL|1l7n3|5| to 9}}, and {{atsL-np|1l7n3|23| to 31}}<br>
{{CanLIIRP|Goodstoney|1jvpb|2005 ABQB 128 (CanLII)|377 AR 75}}{{perABQB|Rooke ACJ}}<br>
{{CanLIIRP|Gardipy|frkpn|2012 SKCA 58 (CanLII)|94 CR (6th) 328}}{{perSKCA|Richards JA}}{{atL|frkpn|19}}<br>
</ref>
There is no onus on the Crown to prove why the complainant failed to testify.<ref>supra</ref>

A witness who is shown to have refused to speak to the Crown or cooperate in any manner may amount to sufficient evidence to establish necessity.<ref>
{{CanLIIR-N|Johnson|, 2018 NSCA 64 (CanLII)}}{{ats-|162 to 182}}<br>
</ref>

{{reflist|2}}

===Child Witnesses===
Where the experience testifying may be so traumatic at to prevent a child from testifying, the requirement of necessity will be satisfied.<ref> 
{{CanLIIRP|Rockey|1fr4t|1996 CanLII 151 (SCC)|[1996] 3 SCR 829}}{{perSCC-H|Sopinka J}}{{atp|846}}<br> 
</ref>

While in some limited cases the court may have the child testify within the voir dire to support the reliability of the statement. More often, the statement will be admitted without oral evidence and the lack of cross-examination will go to the weight of the prior statement.<ref>
Sopinka, The Law of Evidence in Canada, 2nd edition, at ss.6.55<br>
</ref>

{{reflist|2}}