Hearsay (Cases)

• < Evidence
• < Hearsay

• < Evidence
• < Cases

Categorical Exceptions

State of Mind

Case Name	Summary
R v Wysochan 1930 CanLII 483 (SK CA), (1930) 54 CCC 172 (SKCA), per Haultain CJ	"there's a bullet in my body" -- admitted
R v Edwards (1994), 1994 CanLII 1461 (ON CA), 91 CCC 3d 123 (ONCA), per McKinlay JA	cell phone messages suggestive of trafficking -- admitted for purpose of establishing the activities of accused and intent to respond.

Res Gestae

Case Name	Summary
R v Keewatin, 2013 ABPC 1 (CanLII), per Sully J	rejected
R v Villeda, 2011 ABCA 85 (CanLII), per curiam	complainant's 911 call admitted in evidence as res gestae hearsay dispite issues with impairment
R v Khan, 2010 ONCJ 580 (CanLII), per Schwarzl J	complainant's 911 call admissible for prosecution as res gestae

Statutory

Case Name	Result	Summary
R v Alcantara, 2012 ABQB 219 (CanLII), per Greckol J		prelim evidence was admitted under s. 715
R v Beah, 2013 ONSC 2490 (CanLII), per Strathy J	application under .715(1)(d) granted

Principled Exception to Hearsay

General

Case Name	Result	Summary
R v Frederickson, 2013 BCSC 779 (CanLII), per Grist J	rejected in part
R v Clarke, 2013 MBQB 26 (CanLII), per Saull J	admitted
R v House, 2012 ONSC 6749 (CanLII), per Broad J	rejected (agreed stmt) admitted (interview)
R v Serre 2012 ONSC 3210 (CanLII), per Aitken J	admitted	guilty plea and agreed statement of facts of a co-accused are admitted only as far as it covers first-hand knowledge.
R v Deelespp, 2002 ABPC 85 (CanLII), per Allen J	admitted
R v Agwa and Ojulu, 2011 MBPC 21 (CanLII), per Elliott J	admitted
R v Sasakamoose, 2008 SKPC 164 (CanLII), per Kolenick J	rejected
R v EC, 2007 SKPC 27 (CanLII), per Gray J
R v KPH, 2007 ABQB 728 (CanLII), per Thomas J
R v Kontzamanis, 2007 BCSC 1603 (CanLII), per Dillon J	dismissed
R v Williams, 2006 NSCA 23 (CanLII), [2006] NSJ No. 63 (NSCA), per Oland JA
R v Sigovin [2006] OJ No 1967 (Ont. Ct. Jus.)(*no CanLII links)	admitted
R v White, 2006 ABQB 888 (CanLII), per Moreau J	dismissed
R v Adam et al, 2006 BCSC 1355 (CanLII), per Romilly J
R v Aronis, 2005 CanLII 2057 (ON SC), [2005] OJ No 286 (Ont. S.C.), per Howden J
R v Beckmann, 2005 ABQB 227 (CanLII), [2005] A.J. No. 385 (Alta. QB), per Lee J
R v Levesque [2004] OJ No 2528 (Ont. S.C.)(*no CanLII links)
R v AM, 2004 ONCJ 185 (CanLII), [2004] O.J. No 3770 (Ont. S.C.), per Hackett J
R v Johnson, 2004 NSCA 91 (CanLII), [2004] NSJ No. 280 (NSCA), per Oland JA
R v Michaud, 2004 CanLII 7714 (ON CA), [2004] OJ No 2098, (Ont. C.A.), per curiam
R v PSB, 2004 NSCA 25 (CanLII), [2004] NSJ No. 49 (NSCA), per Cromwell JA
R v Singh [2004] OJ No 1799 (Ont. Ct. Jus)(*no CanLII links)	admitted	Domestic offence
R v Scott, 2004 NSCA 141 (CanLII), [2004] NSJ No. 451 (NSCA), per Fichaud JA
R v Malik, 2004 BCSC 299 (CanLII), [2004] BCJ No. 456 (BCSC), per Josephson J
R v Morehouse, 2004 ABQB 97 (CanLII), [2004] A.J. No. 123 (Alta. Q.B.), per Rooke J
R v Strauss, 2004 SKPC 146 (CanLII), [2004] S.J. No. 846 (Sask. Prov. Ct.), per Carter J
R v Wodage [2004] M.J. No. 61 (Man. Prov. Ct.)(*no CanLII links)
R v Prince, 2004 BCPC 163 (CanLII), [2004] BCJ No. 1277 (BC. Prov. Ct.), per Brecknell J
R v Czibulka, 2004 CanLII 22985 (ON CA), [2004] OJ No 3273 (Ont. C.A.), per Rosenberg JA
R v Nolin, 2003 CanLII 5923 (MB PC), [2003] M.J. No. 270 (Man. Prov. Ct.), per Sandhu J
R v Wilder, 2003 BCSC 1840 (CanLII), [2003] BCJ No. 2884, per Romilly J
R v Campbell, 2002 NSCA 35 (CanLII), [2002] NSJ No. 120 (NSCA), per Bateman JA
R v Nazareth [2002] OJ No 4085 (Ont. Ct. Jus.)(*no CanLII links)
R v Nejad, 2002 BCPC 617 (CanLII), [2002] BCJ No. 3067 (B.C. Prov. Ct.), per Chen J	statement admitted	domestic violence -- gave different story from handwritten statement--statement consistent with 911 call and other evidence--no duress in statement, written over 45 minutes
R v EJF, 2001 NSCA 158 (CanLII), [2001] NSJ No. 434 (NSCA), per Bateman JA
R v Oakley, 2001 NSPC 36 (CanLII), [2001] NSJ No. 537 (NS Prov. Ct.), per C Williams J
R v Pennell, 2001 NSPC 12 (CanLII), [2001] NSJ No. 211(NS Prov. Ct.), per C Williams J
R v Nguyen, 2001 ABCA 98 (CanLII), [2001] A.J. No. 513 (Alta. C.A.), per curiam
R v Glowatski, 2001 BCCA 678 (CanLII), [2001] BCJ No. 2499 (BCCA), per Hall JA
R v Auger, 2001 NWTSC 30 (CanLII), [2001] N.W.T.J. No. 45 (NWT Sup. Ct.), per Schuler J
R v Morrissey [2001] OJ No 498 (Ont. Ct. Jus.)(*no CanLII links)
R v Armstrong [2001] OJ No 2348 (Ont. Sup. Ct. Jus.)(*no CanLII links)
R v J.M. [2001] OJ No 1748 (Ont. Ct. Jus.)(*no CanLII links)
R v Lavallee, 2000 CanLII 19585 (SK PC), [2000] S.J. No. 43 (Sask. Prov. Ct.), per Ebert J
R v Diu, 2000 CanLII 4535 (ON CA), [2000] OJ No 1770 (Ont. C.A.), per Sharpe JA
R v Deschenes [2000] OJ No 4658 (Ont. Ct. Jus.)(*no CanLII links)
R v R.B. [2000] OJ No 1888 (Ont. Ct. Jus.)(*no CanLII links)
R v Schwartzenburg [2000] OJ No 2655 (Ont. S.C. Jus.)(*no CanLII links)	not admitted	domestic offence
R v Van Osselaer, 1999 CanLII 5913 (BC SC), 1999 CanLII 6976 (BC SC), [1999] BCJ No. 3140 (BCSC), per MacAulay J
R v St. Croix, 1999 CanLII 19721 (NL SCTD), [1999] N.J. 214 (Nfld. S.C.), per Barry J
R v MacLeod [1999] OJ No 4325(*no CanLII links)	statement admitted	domestic offence--victim claimed at trial it was accident--not under oath or video tapted
R v Duong [1999] OJ No 1651 (Ont. Ct. Jus.)(*no CanLII links)
R v Merz, 1999 CanLII 1647 (ON CA), (1999) 140 CCC (3d) 259 (Ont. C.A.), per Doherty JA
R v Bartlett [1999] OJ No 3313 (Ont. Ct. Jus.)(*no CanLII links)	statement admitted	domestic offence--statement given within an hour of incident, detailed and signed--witness agreed contents were reliable to what was said--
R v S.H. [1998] O.J. No 613 (Ont. Prov. Ct.)(*no CanLII links)
R v Fraser, 1997 CanLII 2562 (NS SC), [1997] NSJ No. 541 (NSSC), per Carver J
R v Conway, 1997 CanLII 2726 (ON CA), (1997) 121 CCC (3d) 397 (Ont C.A.), per Labrosse JA
R v O’Keefe [1997] N.J. No. 314 (Nfld. Prov. Ct.)(*no CanLII links)
R v Chartrand [1997] M.J. No. 552 (Man. Q.B.)(*no CanLII links)
R v Mohamed [1997] OJ No 1298 (Ont. Prov. Ct.)(*no CanLII links)
R v Campbell [1997] OJ No 5837 (Ont. Prov. Ct.)(*no CanLII links)
R v W.B. [1997] OJ No 5382 (Ont. Prov. Ct.)(*no CanLII links)		domestic assault, threats--witness gave video statement, left country--admitted statement--corroboration
R v Leopold [1996] NSJ No. 544 (NS Prov. Ct)(*no CanLII links)
R v Pottie, 1996 CanLII 5604 (NS CA), [1996] NSJ No. 138 (NSCA), per Puglsey JA
R v Collins [1996] OJ No 2881 (Ont Prov. Ct.)(*no CanLII links)	statement admitted	recanted witness
R v J.K. [1996] BCJ No. 2751 (B.C.Y.C.)(*no CanLII links)
R v Woycheshen [1996] M.J. No. 570 (Man. Prov. Ct.)(*no CanLII links)	statement not admitted
R v Smart [1995] OJ No 4182 (Ont. Prov. Ct.)(*no CanLII links)

Deceased witness

Case Name	Summary
R v Chretien, 2009 CanLII 9390 (ON SC), per Aitken J	video statement admitted for truth of contents under KGB
R v Kociuk, 2009 MBQB 162 (CanLII), per Joyal ACJ	confession to murder by a deceased third party held admissible
R v McCotter, 2012 BCCA 54 (CanLII), per Ryan JA	statements made to co-workers before death admissible
R v Candir, 2009 ONCA 915 (CanLII), per Watt JA	admissible
R v Fairburn, 2009 CanLII 37714 (ONSC), per Poupore J	admissible
R v Mohammed, 2007 ONCA 513 (CanLII), per curiam	admissible
R v Assoun, 2006 NSCA 47 (CanLII), per curiam
R v Ackland, 2006 ABQB 347 (CanLII), per Germain J	deceased mother's statement excluded
R v Solic, 2003 ABQB 1069 (CanLII), per Slatter J	deceased gave video statement; admissible

Recanting witness

Case Name	Summary
R v CM, 2012 ABPC 102 (CanLII), per Franklin J	witness gave preliminary inquiry testimony, later said that it was all a lie--prior statement admitted
R v McCormack et al., 2008 ONCJ 286 (CanLII), per Beatty J	prior written statement evidence partially admitted
R v Tomlinson, 2008 CanLII 58424 (ONSC), per Archibald J	oral utterance to police; inadmissible
R v Devine, 2007 ABCA 49 (CanLII), per curiam (2:1)	girlfriend keeps changing story; ID evidence admitted
R v Rombough, 2006 ABPC 262 (CanLII), per Kerby J	video statement admitted
R v Nejad, 2004 BCSC 1819 (CanLII), per Truscott J	statement to police admitted
R v Duong, 1998 CanLII 3585 (ON C.A.), per curiam	reject prior testimony of co-accused placing accused at scene; witness proven liar
R v Hrynyk, 1998 ABPC 160 (CanLII), per Ketchum J	under oath statement admitted

Forgetful witnesses

Case Name	Summary
R v Thomas (R.J.), 2009 MBCA 85 (CanLII), per Monnin JA	"forgetful" witness gave video statement; admitted.
R v Woodard, 2009 MBCA 42 (CanLII), per Chartier JA	"forgetful" witness; prior statement admissible
R v EC, 2007 SKPC 27 (CanLII), per Gray J	witness "forgets"; prior statement admissible
R v Moreau, 2006 NUCJ 8 (CanLII), per Kilpatrick J	prior statement not admitted
R v Malik and Bagri, 2004 BCSC 2004 (CanLII), per Josephson J	forgetful witness gave statement; admitted as past recollection recorded

Refusal to testify

Case Name	Summary
R v Cansanay, 2009 MBCA 59 (CanLII), per Monnin JA	gang members refuse to testify; overturn exclusion of statements
R v U. (S.), 2007 NUCJ 20 (CanLII), per Johnson J	statement admitted
R v Goodstoney, 2005 ABQB 128 (CanLII), per Rooke J	2 out of 3 KGB statements rejected
R v Scott, 2004 NSCA 141 (CanLII), per Fichaud JA	KGB statement wrongly admitted in 2004 NSSC 13 (CanLII)
R v Charles, 1997 CanLII 9699 (SKCA), per Cameron JA	3 prior statements inadmissible

Disabled witness

Case Name	Summary
R v Pearson, 1994 CanLII 8751 (BCCA), per Taylor JA

Youthful witness

Case Name	Summary
R v Weselak, 1999 CanLII 14165 (MBQB), per Menzies J	admitted PI testimony of child

Otherwise unavailable

Case Name	Summary
R v Clark, 2008 ABQB 384 (CanLII), per Lee J	missing witness; PI testimony admissible
R v Lewis, 2003 NSPC 3 (CanLII), per C Williams J	witness gave 2 statements, was available but failed to attend court; statement inadmissible
R v May, 2012 BCSC 802 (CanLII), per Williams J	admissible - Preliminary Inquiry transcript

Confession

Case Name	Summary
R v Edgar, 2010 ONCA 529 (CanLII), per Sharpe JA	prior statements admitted

Misc

Case Name	Summary
R v Singh-Murray, 2011 NBPC 33 (CanLII), per McCarroll J	KGB statement not admissible

Domestic Violence cases

Case Name	Summary
R v Abel, 2011 NLTD 173 (CanLII), per Stack J	hearsay evidence of murder victim reporting multiple incidents of violence to family was inadmissible under principled approach
R v Pasqualino, 2008 ONCA 554 (CanLII), per LaForme JA	admitted for est. motive, intent and animus -- statement of victim reporting past physical and verbal abuse.
R v Moo, 2009 ONCA 645 (CanLII), per Watt JA	statement by deceased reporting nature of relationship and marriage -- admitted for 1) motive, intent, and animus 2) rebut accused claim of unintentional killing and 3) credibility if accused testifies
R v Candir, 2009 ONCA 915 (CanLII), per Watt JA	150 statements of deceased to show state of mind -- admitted for motive, animus and identity of killer and state of mind of killer (para 51)
R v Polimac, 2010 ONCA 346 (CanLII), per Doherty JA	admitted to establish motive in domestic homicide
R v Bari, 2006 NBCA 119 (CanLII), per Deschênes JA	admissible to show victim's fear / state of mind
R v Van Osselaer, 2002 BCCA 464 (CanLII), per Hall JA	admissible to show nature of relationship bw accused and deceased, show motive and identity of killer, shows intent, rebut defence of accident, narrative
R v Misir, 2001 BCCA 202 (CanLII), per Proudfoot JA	admitted to prove intent, motive and identity, and relationship between the parties
R v Nickerson, 1996 CanLII 3664 (NS SC), [1996] NSJ No. 342, per Haliburton J	3 witnesses recanted, saying they forgot, were intoxicated at time, were misunderstood by police--court admitted prior statements--reliability found based on separate and corroborating statements, the witnesses understood need for truth, and it was accurately recorded