27 InsIde: Wills and Other Personal Planning Documents - years - BC Notaries

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27 InsIde: Wills and Other Personal Planning Documents - years - BC Notaries
Spring 2019 | Volume 28 Number 1

          Published Quarterly by The BC Notaries Association

      27
       years

  Inside: Wills and Other Personal Planning Documents

                                                               Publications Mail Agreement: 40010827
27 InsIde: Wills and Other Personal Planning Documents - years - BC Notaries
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27 InsIde: Wills and Other Personal Planning Documents - years - BC Notaries
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27 InsIde: Wills and Other Personal Planning Documents - years - BC Notaries
When Reading the PDF Online
                                                                                                                                    click on an article
                                                                                                                                     or page number.
                     P U B L I S H E D BY T H E S O C I E T Y O F N OTA R I E S P U B L I C O F B C

              FEATURES: WILLS AND OTHER PERSONAL PLANNING DOCUMENTS

       The Scrivener: What’s in a Name?                                                              4    Editor’s27
       PRESIDENT, THE SOCIETY OF NOTARIES PUBLIC OF BC                                                     Death and Taxes Revival                               28
       Peace of Mind                                                                                 6    Andréa Agnoloni
       Rhoda Witherly
       EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,
                                                                                                           A Canadian First! Inaugural End-of-Life Expo	32
       THE SOCIETY OF NOTARIES PUBLIC OF BC                                                                Tammy Morin Nakashima
       On the Horizon                                                                                7    The Power of a Power of Attorney 	34
       John Mayr
                                                                                                           Kim McLandress
       PRESIDENT, BC NOTARIES ASSOCIATION
       BC Notaries Association Update and Opportunity                                                8    The Representation Agreement
       Daniel Boisvert                                                                                     and the Proverbial Bus                                36
       New Directors Appointed for BC Notaries Association 9                                              Beverly Carter

       CEO, BC NOTARIES ASSOCIATION                                                                        THE ADVANCE HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVE
       Planning for Your Own Protection                                                              10   Health is Wealth. Do You Agree?                       40
       Jacqui Mendes                                                                                       Lorne Mann
       Why Delay Such Contentment?                                                                   12   BC Notaries Vignettes                                 42
       Ron Usher
                                                                                                           Tammy Morin Nakashima, Filip de Sagher,
       KEYNOTE                                                                                             Flavia Zancope, Kate Manvell, Roy Cammack,
       Do You Have All Your Docs in a Row?                                                           12   Todd G. Wiebe, Jennifer Kwok, Hans Podzun,
       Val Wilson                                                                                          Marg Rankin, Morrie Bailey
       When Should You Have Your Personal Planning                                                         CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CARE
       Documents in Place? Now!                                                                      13   Health Care Decision-Making
       Tiah Workman                                                                                        for People Living with Dementia                       46
       BC Government Declared Make a Will Week:                                                            Krista James
       April 7 to 13, 2019                                                                           14   Estate Planning for Seniors                           49
       Who Needs a Will?                                                                             15   Lori McLeod
       Undue Influence, Spouses, and Defective Wills                                                       3 Key Things to Know
       5 Years Post-WESA                                                                             16   when Looking after Your Senior Parents                50
       Trevor Todd
                                                                                                           Linda Caisley
       WILL INSTRUCTIONS
       Watch for “Suspicious Circumstances”                                                          22   Maximizing the Philanthropic Impact of Your Will	52
       Trevor Todd                                                                                         Leanne McConnachie

       The Role of the Public Guardian and Trustee                                                         The Unidroit
        of BC in the Administration of Estates                                                       26   “International Will” Convention	54
       Brad Anderson                                                                                       Professor Peter Zablud, AM, RFD

                                                                  The Scrivener: What’s in a Name?
    “A professional penman, a copyist, a scribe . . . a Notary.” Thus the Oxford English Dictionary describes a Scrivener, the
    craftsman charged with ensuring that the written affairs of others flow smoothly, seamlessly, and accurately. Where a Scrivener
    must record the files accurately, it’s the Notary whose Seal is bond.
         We chose The Scrivener as the name of our magazine to celebrate the Notary’s role in drafting, communicating, authenticating,
    and getting the facts straight. We strive to publish articles about points of law and the Notary profession for the education and
    enjoyment of our members, our allied professionals in business, and the public in British Columbia.

                                                                           BC Notaries Association                                            Volume 28 Number 1 Spring 2019
4
27 InsIde: Wills and Other Personal Planning Documents - years - BC Notaries
Services a BC Notary Can Provide                                     18, 48
    BC Notaries Speak Your Language                                          47                           Published by
    Letters58                                                                                     The Society of Notaries Public
    Celebration of the Life of Marco Marquito Castro	                        59                        of British Columbia
    Juliana Mendes Castro
    Job Fair                                                                 60               Editor-in-Chief   Val Wilson
    BC Notaries Fall Conference 2019. Save the Date!60                                        Legal Vets	John Mayr, Ron Usher,
    PROFILE OF A BC NOTARY
                                                                                                                 Leanne Rebantad
    Showcasing the Winners of the Prestigious                                                  Notary Advisor    Ken Sherk
    Dr. Bernard W. Hoeter Award.
    Year 2012: BC Notary Cassandra Coolin                                     61              Courier 		Lightspeed Courier & Logistics

    BC Notaries Participate in Mortgage Brokers of BC                                          Photographer      Wildman Photography
    Annual Conference                                                        62
    Gilbert Chan
                                                                                                           The Scrivener
    BC Notaries Association                                                                     email: scrivener@society.notaries.bc.ca
    Receives 2019 Mortgage Broker Corporate Partner Award	                   62
                                                                                                website: www.notaries.bc.ca/scrivener
    Fun and Fundraising at the S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Gala!	                         63

                                                                                                   The Society of Notaries Public of BC
                                                                                                              604 681-4516

                                                                                                          Send photographs to
                                                                                                    scrivener@society.notaries.bc.ca
                Building Better Communities, One Grant at a Time

    The Board of Governors 	                                                 64               All rights reserved. Contents may not be
    TWO NEW REPORTS ON STRATA PROPERTY LAW FROM BC LAW INSTITUTE                               reprinted or reproduced without written
    Governance Issues and Insurance Issues	                                  65               permission from the publisher.
    Kevin Zakreski                                                                             This journal is a forum for discussion,
                                                                                               not a medium of official pronouncement.
                                                                                               The Society does not, in any sense, endorse

                              THE MiX
                                                                                               or accept responsibility for opinions
                                                                                               expressed by contributors.

    2019 BC Land Summit	                                                     66
    WorkPeace: From Pinch to Opportunity	                                    67
    Julia Menard
    What’s New regarding Motor Vehicle Accident Injuries	                    68
    Lauryn Kerr
    The Breath of The People:                                                                    CANADA POST: PUBLICATIONS MAIL
    WSÁNEC´ Law and SENC´ OTEN Language Revitalization	                      70                 AGREEMENT No. 40010827
    Robert Clifford
                                                                                                 Postage Paid at Vancouver, BC
    Travel Insurance: Paradoxes in Planning	                                 72
    Ian Callaway                                                                                 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN
                                                                                                 ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPT.
    ABCLS. The Future of Land Surveying in BC	                               75
                                                                                                 THE SOCIETY OF NOTARIES
    Spring Tech/Auto 2019	                                                   76                 PUBLIC OF BC
    Akash Sablok
                                                                                                 BOX 44
    HONOURS AND EVENTS	                                                                         SUITE 700 – 625 HOWE STREET
    PEOPLE	78                                                                                   VANCOUVER, BC V6C 2T6
    Where in the World Has The Scrivener Been?                               78                 SCRIVENER@SOCIETY.NOTARIES.BC.CA

Volume 28 Number 1 Spring 2019                 The Scrivener | www.notaries.bc.ca/scrivener
                                                                                                                                             5
27 InsIde: Wills and Other Personal Planning Documents - years - BC Notaries
PRESIDENT,
            THE SOCIETY
        OF NOTARIES PUBLIC                                                           Rhoda Witherly
               OF BC

                                                                                                                                         Photo credit: www.lonniewishart.com
                                          Peace of Mind
    E
                                                                                                           ©iStockphoto.com/Ron_Thomas

           very year when I see                 •	The person(s) to name in your                If you want to do some research
                                                   Power of Attorney document              while you are making your plan, here
           spring flowers and feel                 and Will                                are links to some resources to assist
           spring rains, my spirits             •	Who will look after your estate         you. They are applicable to a Will or
                                                                                           personal care plan in British Columbia.
    lift and I am invigorated                   •	What to do about the house,
                                                   condo, or property                      BC Courthouse Libraries
    after a dreary winter.                                                                 http://bit.ly/clbcwills
                                                    Those are all very personal
        Spring is a time for putting the       decisions and they can be complicated.      Province of British Columbia
    garden plan in motion, ordering            It is best to break the plan into steps.    https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/
    seeds, planning the changes for the                                                    family-social-supports/seniors/
    patio plants, and deciding the row                                                     financial-legal-matters/wills-and-
    configuration for the vegetable garden.                                                estate-planning
                                                    Having the conversation
                                                                                           Nidus Personal Planning
         With energy levels up, it is a good       with yourself about what                and Resource Centre
    time to take a look at your personal
    and estate plans, too. The Scrivener
                                                    you want in future will                http://www.nidus.ca/
    will not be planning your garden but             help you decide how                        Having the conversation with
    we may be able to help you with some           to accomplish your goals.               yourself about what you want in future
    of your personal plans. In this issue,                                                 will help you decide how to accomplish
    we offer tips and stories about what                                                   your goals. You may need to consult an
    you might want to do, what others          The First Step                              accountant, your local BC Notary, and
    have done, and who can assist you                                                      your family doctor to get advice about
                                                   Do a quick inventory of where
    along the way with your personal                                                       the direction you should go.
                                               you are now. Consider the following
    planning documents.                                                                        Be sure your plans become
                                               questions.
         Our world has become so much                                                      legal, binding documents. It is
                                               •	Do you have a Will?
    more complicated. We can no longer                                                     strongly recommended that you
    rely on simply telling our children or     •	What assets do you have?                 have a BC Notary or lawyer draft
    spouse what to do in the event of our         Do you need to protect them?             the documents you require. The
    demise. We are all encouraged to have      •	For whom do you currently                representatives you choose must have
    “documents” to support all our plans.         provide? People, pets, charities?        legal authority to act on your behalf.

    Where to Begin                             •	How long will your support               Easy as 1,2,3
                                                  continue?                                 1. Take the time to make your plans.
    There are many different types of plans.
                                               •	Have you granted a                       2.	Imagine how they will work for you
    •	A finance plan for you                     Power of Attorney to anyone?                 and your family.
       for the next decades
                                               •	Have you spoken to your doctor           3.	Have the appropriate legal
    •	The fund for your children’s               about your care if you become                documents prepared.
       education                                  incapacitated?                               Your family will thank you and
    •	A plan for your health care             •	Who will benefit from your plan?         you will have peace of mind. s

                                                       BC Notaries Association                        Volume 28 Number 1 Spring 2019
6        TABLE OF CONTENTS
27 InsIde: Wills and Other Personal Planning Documents - years - BC Notaries
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,
        THE SOCIETY
    OF NOTARIES PUBLIC                                                                       John Mayr
           OF BC

                                                                                                                                            www.wildmanphotography.com
                                    On the Horizon                                                                ©iStockphoto.com/MR1805

I
   n folklore, there is the story          they were living with the savage reality              There are several underlying
                                           of dementia, who owned the home                  constructs to engaging in those
   of Christopher Columbus                 became a constant point of concern.              discussions. With younger clients,
   as a young boy, sitting on              For whatever reason, the topic of                death and events that may lead to
                                           “the bank taking the family home”                an untimely demise could be best
the dock, observing the sailing            was revisited almost daily.                      described as distant. Midlife often
ships of the day disappear                      As legal professionals,                     brings with it the complexities of
                                           BC Notaries are privileged in the                separation and divorce, financial
into the distance.                                                                          difficulties, nuclear families, and
                                           relationships they build with their
                                           clients. Notarial services have been             relocation for employment reasons.
     The notion that the Earth is
round is arguably attributed by some       described as “happy law,” those areas                 As midlife turns, we may face
to Columbus for, at the time, the          of jurisprudence that are generally less         the added stress of aging parents
common belief was that the Earth was       adversarial than some of the others.             and compromised health. There may
flat. To prove his theory, Columbus set                                                     be experience with loss and grieving.
sail for the New World.                                                                     There are those who refuse to plan
     There is, of course, some real           Notarial services have been                   or are otherwise unwilling to face
irony in the fact that a good part            described as “happy law,”                     the inevitability that their time here
of this edition of The Scrivener is                                                         is limited.
                                             those areas of jurisprudence
dedicated to Wills and other personal
                                                that are generally less                          The challenge for the Notary,
planning documents; the arrival of
                                                                                            not withstanding the obstacles,
explorers brought with them disease             adversarial than some                       is to engage with each client to
and plague that resulted in the deaths
                                                     of the others.                         understand the individual’s situation
of millions.
                                                                                            and wishes, to educate as to
    The indigenous people of                  For many, Notaries are full                   the customs and laws of estate
the New World have a different                life-cycle service providers.                 distribution, and to capture in the
perspective on what we now call                                                             form of a Will the final wishes.
estate planning. Whereas the common
law approach to Wills, Estates, and                                                             While the Will may be the end
                                                For many, Notaries are full                 state, there is much in the preparation.
Succession planning is deeply rooted       life-cycle service providers. Often,
in Colonialism, few argue that the                                                          Personal planning is a process that
                                           the first contact is for the notarization        seeks to ameliorate difficulties before
planning and setting out of our final      of a document or letter. Or it could
wishes in writing is a foolish exercise.                                                    they arise, whether through the
                                           be the birth of a first child or the             granting of the Power of Attorney,
    Like many immigrants to this           result of a referral during the purchase         Representation Agreement, or an
country, my parents worked and             of a first home. Throughout the                  Advance Health Care Directive.
saved to purchase a family home.           client’s life, the Notary has not only
They celebrated the day they became        the opportunity but the responsibility               BC Notaries are highly educated,
mortgage-free . . . “the bank no longer    to engage in thought-provoking and               competent, and qualified legal
owns my home.” Much later, when            difficult discussions.                           professionals. s

Volume 28 Number 1 Spring 2019              The Scrivener | www.notaries.bc.ca/scrivener
                                                                                                          TABLE OF CONTENTS                        7
27 InsIde: Wills and Other Personal Planning Documents - years - BC Notaries
PRESIDENT,
              BC NOTARIES
              ASSOCIATION                                                           Daniel Boisvert

                                                                                                                                             www.wildmanphotography.com
         BC Notaries Association Update
               and Opportunity
    I
                                                                                                                   ©iStockphoto.com/Milkos

       am pleased to bring you an                   That means matters such as            BC Notaries have a strong Association
                                               continuing education (including annual     that keeps our “Trusted Tradition”
       update on the BC Notaries               conferences); certain government           brand first and foremost in the eyes of
       Association and further                 communications; promoting and              both the public and government.
                                               marketing Notaries around BC; seeking           Access to Justice is very much
    explanation about why the                  legislative changes to the expansion       on the minds of government and
    Association has been formed.               of our scope of practice; building         BC Notaries offer part of the solution
                                               alliances with similar organizations       to expand access to justice for many
        For over 90 years, The Society         such as BCREA, REIBC, and CMBA-            British Columbians. The BC Notaries
    of Notaries Public was primarily a         BC; responding to media requests;          Association is committed to advocating
    regulator of BC Notaries, performing       and many other such activities are         that very theme to all stakeholders.
    that obligation as required under          now handled by the BC Notaries
    the Notaries Act; The Society also         Association.                                    As we go forward, we are calling
    advocated for BC Notaries Public                                                      on all BC Notaries to become
    and their interests, secondary                                                        members of the BC Notaries
    of course to the public interest.
                                                      As a group, we must                 Association. We are not a large group,
                                                   be sure that BC Notaries               but we are a proud group . . . very
         In its duties, the regulator is
                                                   remain relevant and part               proud of our in-depth postgraduate
    expected to put the public’s interest
                                                                                          education in noncontentious legal
    first, so being an advocate for Notaries         of the discussion when               matters, our wealth of individual and
    at the same time can generate
                                                   it comes to legal services             collective on-the-job experience,
    conflicts that may not be reconcilable.
                                                         in our province.                 and our very special rapport with our
        The arrangement needed to                                                         clients.
    graduate to a more modern model,
                                                    This work is crucial to the               Do reach out to me or any other
    one that meets the needs of the public
                                               continued growth of our membership         BC Notaries Association Board
    and the needs of our Notaries. For
                                               and our professional practices.            member if you have questions and you
    that reason and a few others, it was
                                               As a group, we must be sure that           want to become more directly involved.
    time for the Association to separate
                                               BC Notaries remain relevant and            Please email me for the simple one-
    from The Society and go on its own.
                                               part of the discussion when it comes       page form that will kick-start your
    BC Notaries now have an organization
                                               to legal services in our province.         membership process. We need lots
    with a mandate to represent its
                                                                                          of good people to share their time
    members’ interests and advocate for             There are numerous challenges
                                                                                          in making the BC Notaries Association
    Notaries in our province, while leaving    on the horizon in BC when it comes
                                                                                          an outstanding success. s
    the very important public protection       to the delivery of legal services. Now
    responsibility to The Society.             more than ever, it is important that       daniel@deltanotary.ca

                                                       BC Notaries Association                       Volume 28 Number 1 Spring 2019
8        TABLE OF CONTENTS
27 InsIde: Wills and Other Personal Planning Documents - years - BC Notaries
Charities to Consider
             New Directors
                                                                                    LET’S TAKE THE KID
               Appointed
            for BC Notaries                                                                    The brighter side of planned giving.

              Association

T
     he BC Notaries Association is honoured
     to announce the appointment of two new
     Directors to the Board of the Association;
they bring a variety of regional and demographic                                                                                               Hailey-Ann will need
                                                                                                                                               a kidney transplant.
perspectives to serve Association members.
The Directors will serve until the first Association Annual
General Meeting in September 2019 at the Fall Conference
in Kelowna, when all Board positions will be open for election.

                Rimpy Sadhra
                Rimpy Sadhra has been practising as                          TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT:
                a BC Notary for the past 8 years. Her                        Pia Schindler, Senior Director of Development

                business, West Coast Notaries, has offices                  1-800-567-8112 EX.223 | 604-736-9775 EX.223 | pias@kidney.bc.ca
                in Burnaby, Vancouver, and Surrey where
                she works alongside her husband and fellow
                Notary Raman Sadhra.
     As a graduate of the MA ALS program, Rimpy believes
both practical training and continuous educational                                                                                        Rest.Q
development are essential elements for being a successful
Notary. She has been teaching the conveyancing course
                                                                                                                                          Animal
for new Notary students since its inception. She has also                                                                                Sanctuary
been Chapter Chair for Burnaby/New Westminster for the                                                         Our volunteer-run
past 5 years. As a Board member, Rimpy aims to promote                                                         organization rescues
the education and development of Notaries and increase                                                         and cares for animals
public awareness of the Notary Public profession.                                                              who have been abused,
                Brendon Rothwell                                                                               abandoned, injured, or
                                                                                      Ginger Boy
                                                                                                               neglected. We find perfect
              Brendon Rothwell was commissioned as
                                                                             forever homes for most animals and provide permanent
              a BC Notary in the spring of 2013 after
                                                                             housing to another 170. We serve the Southern Gulf Islands
              completing the Master of Arts in Applied
                                                                             region including Galiano Island and Mayne Island.
              Legal Studies program through Simon Fraser
              University. His busy Notary practice is located                             Please consider a one-time donation
              in the central Okanagan city of Kelowna,                             or the monthly sponsorship of one of our residents.
a community known for its industrious residents and its                                 info@restqsanctuary.org • (250) 539 3105
beautiful scenery.                                                                              www.restqsanctuary.ca
     Brendon is married and the father of two girls.
His past experiences, both professional and personal,
have provided him the necessary framework and
motivation to meet the challenges ahead. Never one
to take the easy path, Brendon accepts his appointment
                                                                                    Rest.Q is a not-for-profit society under BC’s Societies Act and a registered charity
as a Board member, ready to work hard and apply his                                         with Canada Revenue Agency (Charity No: 83035 9568 RR0001).
skills and knowledge to the best of his ability. s

Volume 28 Number 1 Spring 2019                The Scrivener | www.notaries.bc.ca/scrivener
                                                                                                                                         TABLE OF CONTENTS                 9
27 InsIde: Wills and Other Personal Planning Documents - years - BC Notaries
CEO,
               BC NOTARIES
               ASSOCIATION                                                       Jacqui Mendes

                                                                                                                                             www.wildmanphotography.com
       Planning for Your Own Protection                                                              ©iStockphoto.com/monkeybusinessimages

     O
             n International                     rent, mortgages, food security,        First, be informed.
                                                 cost of medications, and the           Understand your financial position,
             Women’s Day                         ability to obtain adequate credit.     options, and obligations, including
             March 8 this year,                   At the end of their working           joint income, monthly outgoings,
     I found myself thinking about           lives, many women may lag behind           taxes, property maintenance, debt
                                             their male partners in terms of total      including your mortgage or rent
     the financial security of single        accumulated assets and rely on             and credit cards, and insurance.
     women, particularly seniors,            the sharing or transference of their       Understand what you will need to
                                             partners’ assets for financial security    live and your options for your later
     when their partner has passed.          in their retirement years.                 years. Know where all your important
                                                                                        documents are and keep written and
         And the financial insecurity that                                              properly filed records.
     can be experienced when you are            I would not extract my own
     not the primary wage earner and you       teeth or do my own surgery;              Second, take action based
     and your partner did not sufficiently                                              on expert advice.
     consider the protection that good             I go to professionals…
                                                                                        I wish I had a dollar for every time
     estate planning provides.                                                          I have heard, “‘Well, my friend said
         Gender pay inequality is still           Women also live longer than men;      her mum/dad/friend/neighbour did
     an issue in British Columbia.           Statistics Canada indicates in its 2010    such and such, so that’s what I did”
                                             data that 56 per cent of the population    or “I looked on the Internet and did
      • A
         Financial Health Report by
                                             age 65 and older were women; that          it myself.”
        Vancity Credit Union published
                                             rises to 67 per cent for those age 85           I would not extract my own
        in March 2019, analysing the
                                             and older. That is where good estate       teeth or do my own surgery; I go to
        survey results of 5200 people,
                                             planning is critical, particularly for     professionals who understand what
        found that women are more
                                             those in more complex relationships        to do to ensure my health and safety.
        concerned than men about
                                             such as blended families.                  Legal experts such as BC Notaries
        their financial health, for good
        reason; women in our province            So what should women be doing?         are trained to provide advice and
        earn 35 per cent less each year      We must continue to lobby for equal pay,   services for Wills and estate planning;
        than their male counterparts and     spread the message by sharing credible     they have a great deal of experience
        less than women in comparative       research, help other women up the          regarding real-life situations where
        positions in the rest of Canada.     pay ladder, and educate our children,      they have helped with the complexity
                                             spouses, colleagues, and community.        of family relationships and the
      • T
         he report also indicates this
                                                  Those are of course longterm          unexpectedness of life.
        is a mental health issue for
        women, with 52 per cent of women     tactics, but what can we do for our             No one wants to think about being
        surveyed experiencing extreme        personal protection from financial         alone, but making a plan beforehand
        emotional stress, worrying about     insecurity?                                is your best protection. s

                                                     BC Notaries Association                       Volume 28 Number 1 Spring 2019
10        TABLE OF CONTENTS
Charities to Consider for Your Will Planning

                                                                                                         A place to live
                                                                                                         A place to work
                                                                                                         A place to connect
                                                                                  These should not be impossible dreams!

                                                                                  By helping your clients include a gift to Coast Mental
                                     Your donation dollars rescue                 Health Foundation in their Will, you make recovery
                                   donkeys who are in moderate                    possible for people living with mental illness.
                                     to severe mental or physical
                                   distress and give them a safe,                 Coast Mental Health complements the hospital-based
                                  healthy, and loving permanent                   mental health care system by providing community-
                                     home in a nature-respectful                  based housing, employment, and support services for
                                        setting in beautiful Turtle               thousands of British Columbians each year.
                                         Valley, British Columbia.
                                                                                  Recovery is possible. You can help.
                                                 Our information:
        Mandy              www.turtlevalleydonkeyrefuge.com
                                                  (250) 679-2778                  Please contact us for more information:
                                      donkeyrefuge@gmail.com                      Website: www.coastmentalhealth.com | Direct: 604.349.2217
                                                                                  Charitable Registration No: 86150 8018 RR0001
         www.facebook.com/TurtleValleyDonkeyRefugeSociety

            United We Change Lives                                             For more information on Will planning or other
                                                                               estate gifts, please contact your local United Way or:

            A collective effort is needed to help those in our                 BC Lower Mainland
            communities who need it most. For generations,                     Elaine Fung: (604) 268-1317 Email: elainef@uwlm.ca
            United Way has been analyzing local social
            service needs, raising funds, and supporting                       Thompson – Nicola – Cariboo Region
                                                                               Danalee Baker: (250) 372-9933
            effective programs and charities in our BC                         Email: danalee@unitedwaytnc.ca
            communities, changing people’s lives for the better.
                                                                               Okanagan – Columbia – Shuswap – Similkameen
            Donors can trust that through United Way, they can                 Sarah Anne Taylor: 1-855-232-1321
            make a positive difference in their community now,                 Email: sarahanne@unitedwaycso.com
            and through a gift in their Will into the future.                  Greater Victoria – Saanich Peninsula – Gulf Islands
                                                                               Peter Brimacombe: (250) 220-7379 Email: peter@uwgv.ca

                                                                               Central and Northern Vancouver Island
                                                                               Patti Mertz: (250) 591-8731 Email: dd@uwcnvi.ca

Volume 28 Number 1 Spring 2019                     The Scrivener | www.notaries.bc.ca/scrivener
                                                                                                                       TABLE OF CONTENTS      11
KEYNOTE

                                                                                                                                                            www.wildmanphotography.com
                                                                                                                   Val Wilson
                                                                                                               Editor-in-Chief

                                                                                        Drawing by Barb Wood
                                                                                                                Do You Have
                                                                                                                All Your Docs
      Why Delay Such Contentment?                                                                                 in a Row?
 T
      his issue of The Scrivener            necessary steps to make the necessary
                                            documents. Our laws naturally cover
      contains much valuable                off what happens when nothing is                                   Articles in our theme section
      information on the                    done, but that is rarely desirable and                             will enlighten you about the four
                                            certainly not less expensive.                                      personal and health care planning
 “how and why” of estate and                                                                                   documents in British Columbia.
                                                  There is a marvellous passage
 personal planning in British               in the novel Moby Dick where, after                                1.   Will
 Columbia.                                  a harrowing encounter while whaling,
                                                                                                               2.   Representation Agreement
                                            Ishmael makes a Will. When it is done,
      The laws that apply to Wills,         he comments, “I felt all the easier;                               3.   Advance Health Care Directive
 Estates, Powers of Attorney,               a stone was rolled away from my heart
                                                                                                               4.   Power of Attorney
 Representation Agreements, and             . . . I looked round me tranquilly and
 Advance Health Care Directives that        contentedly…”                                                      Helpful Explanations
 are made, used, and “probated”                                                                                The attorney appointed by a Power
                                                 That reflects my experience
 in BC are governed by BC provincial                                                                           of Attorney document is not a lawyer.
                                            of many years in assisting
 legislation and BC Court decisions.                                                                           He or she is the person designated
                                            clients with these documents.
      As a result, great care is needed     The discomfort of dealing with                                     in the Power of Attorney document.
 in using the advice given in Internet      difficult and sensitive issues is real                             An Enduring Power of Attorney is
 searches and by online experts. Doing      but I can assure readers that the                                  a Power of Attorney that can continue
 online research can be useful but, as      relief Ishmael expresses is not just a                             or endure even in the event of the
 they say, “Discretion is advised.” There   passage in a work of fiction; it is the                            subsequent incapacity of the adult.
 is excellent BC information available      experience of many who thoughtfully                                 •	The Power of Attorney is in effect
 online through sources such as “Nidus”     make those documents.                                                  while you are alive. If you pass
 (www.nidus.ca) and the Legal Services
                                               So why delay such contentment?                                      away, your Power of Attorney
 Society websites. Use those sites as
                                            Make an appointment to see your local                                  is no longer in effect.
 a way to get informed and prepared
                                            BC Notary as soon as possible. s                                    •	The Representation Agreement
 for a visit to your local BC Notary.
                                                            Ron Usher is General                                   and the Advance Health Care
      That said, the most significant
                                                            Counsel and a Practice                                 Directive are in effect while you
 problem that occurs in regard to
                                                            Advisor for The Society                                are alive.
 estate and personal planning is not
 faulty research or a failure to comply                     of Notaries Public of BC.                          The articles that follow more fully
 with a technical point of law. Most                                                                           explain the personal planning
 often it is simply a failure to take the                   www.notaries.bc.ca                                 documents. s

                                                    BC Notaries Association                                               Volume 28 Number 1 Spring 2019
12    TABLE OF CONTENTS
Tiah Workman

         WHEN SHOULD YOU HAVE
        YOUR PERSONAL PLANNING
          DOCUMENTS IN PLACE?

                        Now!

O
          ur office is very busy
                                                  Alert: When you need
          in the area of Wills and                 a Power of Attorney,
          personal planning.                    Representation Agreement,
     So many people do not understand            or Advance Health Care
the importance of having personal                Directive, it is generally
planning documents in place.
                                                    too late to do one.
     Over the years, I have been
witness to situations where those
                                             Vancouver General Hospital because in
documents proved invaluable to clients
                                             all her medical records, my name was
of all ages.
                                             noted as her emergency contact. They
     I have been appointed executor/         were about to take her into surgery.
trustee for many senior clients who
                                                  The surgery, if successful, would
have no family or no family close
                                             have left her a quadriplegic; she would
by; I also act for many clients as
                                             have needed full-time care in a care
their attorney (under their Power
                                             facility.
of Attorney) and representative (under
their Representation Agreement).                  The Advance Health Care Directive
                                             that she had sent me very clearly
     I have had clients end up in
                                             stated “any condition where others
hospital, unable to be involved in their
                                             have to wash, dress, and feed” her or
own decision-making because they
                                             if she could not stay in her own home
did not feel comfortable appointing
                                             would be intolerable or unacceptable.
me or another person to make future
                                             I was able to provide that document
personal care decisions for them.
                                             to the hospital to stop a surgery
Unfortunately, some have ended up
                                             she absolutely did not want. In that
receiving treatment they did not want
                                             instance, the Advance Health Care
because they were unable to speak
                                             Directive proved a very important tool.
for themselves and no one was legally
named to speak for them.                          My client died shortly after her
                                             ventilator was removed that evening
     A 66-year-old client suffered
                                             because the doctors were able to
a minor fall last week that led to a
                                             follow her wishes . . . she had made
catastrophic spinal cord injury due
                                             them known.
to a pre-existing condition. I had been
appointed her executor/trustee and           Alert: When you need a Power of
attorney 8 years ago, but she had not        Attorney, Representation Agreement,
appointed me her representative under        or Advance Health Care Directive,
a Representation Agreement. She had,         it is generally too late to do one.
however, done an Advance Health Care         Please consider doing those important
Directive herself and just happened to       personal planning documents now with
send me a copy of it last year.              your BC Notary. s
     I found out about her fall when         Tiah Workman is a BC Notary
I received an urgent call from               practising in Nanaimo.

Volume 28 Number 1 Spring 2019               The Scrivener | www.notaries.bc.ca/scrivener
                                                                                             TABLE OF CONTENTS   13
BC Government Declared
                                   Make a Will Week:
                                   April 7 to 13, 2019

 T
       he mandate of “Make                   may decide on the future of dependent                    “Many people put off
                                             children and assets.                                     creating a Will. Absence
       a Will Week” is to                                                                             of a Will can create
                                                            “It is essential that
       encourage British                                    anyone with dependent                     stress and conflict
                                                            children has a current                    among family members
 Columbians who don’t have                                                                            after a person’s death
                                                            Will,” says Victoria
 a current Will                                             Notary Morrie Baillie.     and lead to increased costs to the
                                                            “The lack of a Will        estate and unexpected outcomes
     •	to have a legal professional                        can leave dependent        for children and beneficiaries,” says
        prepare them a Will or update        children vulnerable to wait in foster     Tsawwassen Notary Daniel Boisvert.
        the one they have, and               care while the Courts decide on a
                                                                                       Your Time is Valuable
     •	to encourage families to discuss     suitable guardian. Contrast that to
        the topic.                           the simplicity of a Will that empowers    A good way to start the Will process
 Two-thirds of parents with dependent        you to nominate someone you trust         is to think about who you would want
 children do not have a Will.                to take immediate care of your minor      to care for your children and to inherit
                                             children.”                                your home and any other assets. Then
                  March 2018 Ipsos Survey                                              visit your BC Notary to assist you in
                 conducted for BC Notaries                                             preparing a proper and legal Will.
     A recent online survey of 800               The kindest thing people
 BC residents found 66% of parents                can do is ensure they                    Creating a Will takes less time
 of children 18 or younger do not                                                      than most people think. It can usually
 have a Will. That leaves the family
                                                 have an up-to-date Will               be completed in two short meetings.
 vulnerable to outside decision-makers,                 in place…                      Says Vancouver Notary David Watts,
 delays, and conflict if something were                                                “During the first meeting, we discuss
 to happen to one or both parents.                                                     a general overview of your assets and
                                                 The costs of administering the        your intentions for their distribution.
     Research also shows a significant       estate may be higher if a legally         The second meeting finalizes your plan
 gap between the number of British           enforceable Will does not exist. The      and your paperwork.”
 Columbians who own a home and               kindest thing people can do is ensure
 those with a legal Will in place,           they have an up-to-date Will in place          Most people find creating a
 particularly among those under age          so their loved ones don’t need to worry   Will leads to important discussions
 35. In a survey of individuals 18 to        about the details of an estate while      and decisions with family members.
 34, 50 per cent own a home but only         they are grieving.                        Knowing your assets will be distributed
 13 per cent have a Will.                                                              to family, friends, and charitable
                                                             “We know many people      organizations according to your wishes
 No Will?                                                    pass without a Will       brings families closer by creating
 If there is no Will in place or the Will                    because BC Notaries       more certainty and peace of mind
 is not properly prepared, custody                           help families navigate    for everyone.
 of children under 18 and property                           the bureaucracy and
 distribution may not occur the way                          uncertainty created for       BC Notaries are available in many
 the deceased intended. If the Public        those left behind when a person dies      areas of BC to discuss Will planning.
 Guardian and Trustee is brought in          intestate,” says Prince Rupert Notary
 to administer the estate, the Province      Rhoda Witherly.                                    www.notaries.bc.ca s

                                                     BC Notaries Association                      Volume 28 Number 1 Spring 2019
14       TABLE OF CONTENTS
Who Needs a Will?
  •    Do you have dependent children?                                   •    Do you want to reduce conflict within the family?
  Wills help protect dependent children by appointing                    Creating a Will and ensuring it is up-to-date is very
  someone to care for your underage children if you die.                 important to show exactly how you want your assets
  That is particularly important for single parents or blended           divided. The kindest thing you can do for your loved ones
  families where the law may not align with your wishes.                 is to have a Will . . . and make sure it is up to date to
  If you don’t designate custody, that decision may be                   dispel doubt, anxiety, hurt feelings, and delays.
  made by a stranger through the Court system.
                                                                         •    Do you have pets?
  •    Are you a homeowner?
                                                                         For many British Columbians, pets are family. People
  If you share ownership of a property or a home, it is                  want to ensure their pets will continue to be cared for,
  important to review the structure of that agreement                    if something were to happen to their human mom or dad.
  because it can impact what happens to that ownership                   A Will designates those provisions.
  if you die. Your BC Notary can do a title search and
  discuss the options available to ensure your wishes                    •    Do you want peace of mind?
  are legally possible and your Will is clear.                           A BC Notary can eliminate or at least reduce stress, taxes,
  •     re you separated, divorced, or living
       A                                                                 and conflict among loved ones when a family member
       in a common law relationship?                                     dies. Having a Will gives you and your family peace of
                                                                         mind that your assets will go to those you love and your
  Changes in your living arrangements or marital status can
                                                                         wishes will be followed. Most people find the process
  call for changes to your Will. Creating or updating a Will
                                                                         leads to important discussions and decisions and brings
  is very important for people whose relationship status has
                                                                         families closer. It also provides you with assurances that
  changed, for example, due to marriage, separation, divorce,
                                                                         your assets will be distributed to family, friends, and
  or when there has been a birth or death in the family.
                                                                         charitable organizations according to your current wishes.
  Your Will indicates the way you want your assets to be
  divided or assigned.                                                   To find a Notary near you, please visit www.notaries.bc.ca.

                                                                        Change cancer forever.
                                                                        Leave a gift in your Will.
                                                                                 A gift in your Will is a gift for the future.
                                                                                     By funding research you can make a
                                                                                     difference in people’s lives and help
                                                                                       to eradicate cancer for our children
                                                                                                         and grandchildren.
                                                                                           Canadian Cancer Society, BC & Yukon
                                                                                                 Charitable Registration Number:
                                                                                                             118829803 RR0001

                                                                                                            Janice Williams, CFRE
                                                                                                  Manager, Estate & Gift Planning
                                                                                                       1-800-663-2524 ext 7112
                                                                                                       janice.williams@cancer.ca

                                                                                                                  cancer.ca

Volume 28 Number 1 Spring 2019                  The Scrivener | www.notaries.bc.ca/scrivener
                                                                                                               TABLE OF CONTENTS       15
Trevor Todd

                                                                                                                                            Photo credit: Matthew Chen
               Undue Influence, Spouses,
                  and Defective Wills
                  5 Years Post-WESA

 I
    t has now been just over                   allegation of undue influence will involve      distinction between gifts or transfers
                                               a situation where one party is dominant         inter vivos, as opposed to those
    5 years since British                      and another dependent on that person,           made by Will, and only in the case of
    Columbia’s Wills, Estates                  and then a questionable transaction             “special trust” relationships where the
                                               either by Will or inter vivos occurs.           transfer of the asset was inter vivos did
 and Succession Act (“WESA”)                                                                   a presumption of undue influence arise
                                                    It is extremely difficult to win
 was introduced. This article                  an undue influence case where the               [Geffen v. Goodman (1991) 81 DLR
                                               mental capacity of the deceased is              (4th) 211 (SCC)].
 will review some of the leading
                                               not at least questionable at the time                Geffen noted that these types of
 cases in three areas of law,                  the Will or gift was made. It is difficult      special relationships exist between
 namely                                        enough to persuade Judges that                  trustee and beneficiary, doctor and
                                               someone has acted under the undue               patient, solicitor and client, parent and
     (1)	undue influence and section 52       influence of another person when                child, and caregivers.
          WESA;                                the party in question is not mentally               No such presumption arose with
                                               impaired.                                       respect to a Will, leaving the plaintiff
     (2)	the definition of spouse and
          marriage-like relationship; and                                                      with the daunting task of proving
                                                 Undue influence is influence                  actual undue influence [Vout v. Hay
     (3)	what is a Will and section 58                                                        (1995) 7 ETR (2d) 209 (SCC)].
          WESA.                                    that overbears the will
                                                                                               Court Decisions Re. Section 52 WESA
 PART 1                                                of the person…
                                                                                               Section 52 WESA reads as follows.
 What is Undue Influence?                                                                       52	In a proceeding, if a person
                                                    It is not necessary to be mentally
 It is odious, secretive, more prevalent                                                            claims that a will or any provision
                                               incompetent to be under the control
 than one would think, and difficult to                                                             of it resulted from another person
                                               of another person’s direction, as
 expose and “prove.”
                                               witnessed by the behaviour of many              		 (a)	being in a position where
      Undue influence is influence             intelligent people who join cults at                    the potential for dependence
 that overbears the will of the person         great personal expense. Cult cases,                     or domination of the will-
 influenced to the extent that what he         however, simply do not come along                       maker was present, and
 or she does is not his or her own act.        very often.
                                                                                               		 (b)	using that position to
 [Longmuir v. Holland, 2000 BCCA                    Prior to the introduction of section               unduly influence the will-
 538, at para. 71]                             52 WESA, there were two differing                       maker to make the will or
       By definition, virtually every estate   burdens of proof: 1 for Wills and 1 for                 the provision of it that is
 litigation fact pattern involving an          inter vivos gifts. The Courts drew a                    challenged,

                                                       BC Notaries Association                            Volume 28 Number 1 Spring 2019
16       TABLE OF CONTENTS
a nd establishes that the other           a presumption that the donee had                recognized as giving rise to the
     person was in a position where            influence over the donor: Allcard               presumption, such as solicitor
     the potential for dependence or           v. Skinner (1887), 36 Ch.D.                     and client, parent and child,
     domination of the will-maker was          145 (C.A.) at 171; Modonese at                  and guardian and ward, as
     present, the party seeking to             para. 97. A gratuitous transfer                 well as other relationships of
     defend the will or the provision          from a parent to an adult child                 dependency which defy easy
     of it that is challenged or to            creates the presumption of undue                categorization.
     uphold the gift has the onus of           influence by the adult child:
                                                                                           	Having established the
     establishing that the person in           Geffen v. Goodman Estate, [1991]
                                                                                             requisite type of relationship
     the position where the potential          2 S.C.R. 353 at 378.
                                                                                             to support the presumption,
     for dependence or domination of
                                                                                             the next phase of the inquiry
     the will-maker was present did
                                                                                             involves an examination of the
     not exercise undue influence over
                                                                                             nature of the transaction. ...
     the will-maker with respect to the
     will or the provision of it that is                                                   	…in situations where
     challenged.                                                                             consideration is not an
                                                                                             issue, e.g., gifts and
    There have been two decisions,
                                                                                             bequests, it seems to me
as discussed below, in which the
                                                                                             quite inappropriate to put a
presumption of undue influence has
                                                                                             plaintiff to the proof of undue
been mentioned and then more or less
                                                                                             disadvantage or benefit in
ignored.
                                                                                             the result. In these situations
(a) Trudeau v. Turpin Estate                                                                 the concern of the court is
In Trudeau v. Turpin Estate, 2019                                                            that such acts of beneficence
BCSC 150, the Judge reviewed the law                                                         not be tainted. It is enough,
starting with citing section 52 WESA                                                         therefore, to establish the
and then went on to basically ignore       		[111] In this context, undue                   presence of a dominant
the presumption of undue influence            influence does not depend on                   relationship.
by finding the evidence was clear that        proof of reprehensible conduct—              	Once the plaintiff has
there was no potential for domination         indeed, the donee may have acted               established that the
by the defendant over the deceased.           sincerely and honestly. However,               circumstances are such as
                                              equity will intervene as a matter of           to trigger the application
    The Judge went so far as to say,
                                              public policy to prevent influence             of the presumption, i.e.,
at para. 121:
                                              existing from certain relationships            that apart from the details
    I reject as absurd plaintiff             from being abused: Ogilvie v.                  of the particular impugned
     counsel’s submissions that               Ogilvie Estate (1998), 49 B.C.L.R.             transaction the nature of
     Dorothy’s continuous presence            (3d) 277 (C.A.) at para. 14, citing            the relationship between the
     at the Property, her provision of        Allcard at 171; Modonese at                    plaintiff and defendant was
     assistance and care to Isabel,           para. 99.                                      such that the potential for
     her statement to Isabel in the                                                          influence existed, the onus
     lawyer’s office in April 2005 that    		[112] In Geffen at 378–79,                     moves to the defendant to
     she should simply provide for            Justice Wilson discussed the                   rebut it. As Lord Evershed
     an equal distribution, and her           presumption of undue influence                 M.R. stated in Zamet v.
     suggestion that Isabel change            in the following passages.                     Hyman, [[1961] 3 All E.R.
     doctors after her previous doctor                                                       933] at p. 938, the plaintiff
     had misdiagnosed her bladder              	What then must a plaintiff
                                                                                             must be shown to have
     condition equates to or resulted            establish in order to trigger
                                                                                             entered into the transaction
     in Dorothy having influenced                a presumption of undue
                                                                                             as a result of his own “full,
     Isabel’s testamentary decision-             influence? In my view, the
                                                                                             free and informed thought.”
     making in 2015.                             inquiry should begin with an
                                                                                             Substantively, this may entail
                                                 examination of the relationship
     In coming to that conclusion, the                                                       a showing that no actual
                                                 between the parties. The first
Judge discussed the applicable law as                                                        influence was deployed in the
                                                 question to be addressed
follows.                                                                                     particular transaction, that
                                                 in all cases is whether the
                                                                                             the plaintiff had independent
		[110] Undue influence can arise               potential for domination
                                                                                             advice, and so on.
   where the relations between the               inheres in the nature of the
   donor and donee at the time of                relationship itself. This test            	Additionally, I agree with those
   or shortly before the execution               embraces those relationships                authors who suggest that the
   of a will have been such as to raise          which equity has already                    magnitude of the disadvantage

Volume 28 Number 1 Spring 2019             The Scrivener | www.notaries.bc.ca/scrivener
                                                                                                     TABLE OF CONTENTS            17
Services a BC Notary                             or benefit is cogent evidence
                                                      going to the issue of whether        In order to succeed, the
         Can Provide                                  influence was exercised.              claimant must establish
                                              		[113] Accordingly, once a                   that she lived with the
Notarization/Documents
                                                 relationship with the potential
 	Affidavits for All Documents required                                                  respondent in a marriage-
                                                 for domination has been
   at a Public Registry within BC
   Certified True Copies of Documents
                                                 established, the next phase of               like relationship for a
                                                 the inquiry is to examine the           continuous period of 2 years.
 	Execution/Authentications
                                                 nature of the transaction. Where
   of International Documents
                                                 a gratuitous transfer is concerned,
   Notarizations/Attestations of Signatures
                                                 the onus moves to the defendant            Another relevant factor may
   Personal Property Security Agreements
                                                 to rebut the presumption on the       be the magnitude of the benefit
   Statutory Declarations
                                                 balance of probabilities: Stone v.    or disadvantage (Geffen at 379;
Personal Planning                                Campbell, 2008 BCSC 1518 at           Longmuir at para. 121).
   Estate Planning                               paras. 43–44.
   Health Care Declarations                                                            		[115] These statements of the
                                              		[114] In Stewart v. McLean,              law were recently confirmed by our
   Powers of Attorney
                                                 2010 BCSC 64, Mr. Justice                Court of Appeal in Cowper-Smith
   Representation Agreements
                                                 Punnett summarized the legal             v. Morgan, 2016 BCCA 200 at
   Wills Preparation
                                                 approach to the question of              paras. 49–53.
   Wills Searches
                                                 whether the presumption
Travel                                           of undue influence has been           (b) Ali v. Walters Estate
   Authorization of Minor Child Travel           rebutted at para. 97:                 In Ali v. Walters Estate, 2018 BCSC
   Letters of Invitation for Foreign Travel
                                              			[97] To rebut the                   1032, the Judge similarly found
   Passport Application Documentation
                                                   presumption of undue                that he did not need to address the
   Proof of Identity for Travel Purposes
                                                   influence, the defendant            presumption as ample evidence
Business                                           must show that the donor            existed that the deceased was not
   Business Purchase/Sale                          gave the gift as a result of her    unduly influenced by the defendant.
 	Commercial Leases                               own “full, free and informed        Specifically, the Judge stated as
   and Assignment of Leases                        thought”: Geffen at 379. A          follows.
   Contracts and Agreements                        defendant could establish this
                                                   by showing                              [30] In my view, the presumption
Property Matters                                                                            is unnecessary to address,
    Easements and Rights of Way               			    a.	no actual influence was            because ample evidence makes
    Insurance Loss Declarations                         used in the particular              clear that Ms. Ali did not exercise
    Manufactured Home Transfers                         transaction or the lack of          undue influence over Mr. Walters.
    Mortgage Refinancing Documentation                  opportunity to influence            If the presumption applies, Ms. Ali
    Purchaser’s Side of Foreclosures                    the donor (Geffen at 379;           has rebutted it.
    Refinancing                                         Longmuir at para. 121);
  	Residential and Commercial                                                         PART 2
                                              			    b.	the donor had independent
    Real Estate Transfers
  	Restrictive Covenants
                                                        advice or the opportunity to   The Definition of Spouse and
                                                        obtain independent advice      What Is a Marriage-Like Relationship?
    and Builder’s Liens
                                                        (Geffen at 379; Longmuir
  	Subdivisions and                                                                   CFM v. GLM, 2018 BCSC 815,
                                                        at para. 121);
    Statutory Building                                                                 involved a determination as to whether
    Schemes                                   			    c.	the donor had the ability     the claimant was a spouse as defined
    Zoning Applications                                 to resist any such influence   by section 3 of the Family Law Act.
                                                        (Calbick v. Warne, 2009        In order to succeed, the claimant
Marine
                                                        BCSC 1222 at para. 64);        must establish that she lived with
 	Marine Bills of Sale and Mortgages
   Marine Protestations                       			    d.	the donor knew and            the respondent in a marriage-like
                                                        appreciated what she was       relationship for a continuous period
Some BC Notaries provide these services.                doing (Vout v. Hay, [1995]     of 2 years.
   Marriage Licences                                    2 S.C.R. 876 at para. 29,           The couple participated in what
   Mediation                                            125 D.L.R. (4th) 431); or      is known as a swinging lifestyle, but
   Real Estate Disclosure Statements
                                              			    e.	undue delay in prosecuting    the Judge expressly stated that since
 Over 390 BC Notaries to Serve You!                     the claim, acquiescence        it was a consensual arrangement, he
     For the BC Notary office nearest you,              or confirmation by the         did not factor their lifestyle into his
                                                        deceased (Longmuir at          finding that they were not in fact in
          please call 1-800-663-0343                                                   a marriage-like relationship.
                                                        para. 76).
          or visit www.notaries.bc.ca.
                                                     BC Notaries Association                      Volume 28 Number 1 Spring 2019
18        TABLE OF CONTENTS
Specifically, the Judge found              this is no longer so: Austin at            (1986) 3 B.C.L.R. 264 (C.A.) at
that the claimant did not live with            paras. 55–56                               para. 16. People may live together
the respondent on anything like a         		[195] The intentions of the                  continuously and interdependently
continuous basis and there were              parties, particularly whether they           and yet fail to establish that they
regular, perhaps annual intervals when       saw the relationship as being                developed the kind of psychological
the parties separated and saw other          “of a lengthy indeterminate                  and emotional union associated
people.                                      duration,” will be important                 with marriage: Takacs at para. 55.
     No one factor governs whether           to the determination of whether                  The marriage-like commitment
a relationship is marriage-like. Every       the relationship was marriage-               must be combined with sufficient
case must be evaluated individually          like. However, evidence of their             evidence of 2 years of continuous
considering all factors supporting or        intentions must be tested against            cohabitation. The Family Law Act
negating spousal status: Austin v.           objective evidence of their                  has no application to more transitory
Goerz, 2007 BCCA 586, at para. 58.           lifestyle and interactions, which            connections. There is, of course, a
                                             will provide direct guidance on              substantial unpredictability in the
     In Dey v. Blackett, 2018 BCSC           the nature of the relationship:              progress of nascent relationships
244, at paras. 192–196, the Court            Weber, at paras. 23–24. In other             and this is why the legislature fixed a
provided the following overview of           words, “subjective or conscious              2-year standard before imposing legal
the principles to be borne in mind           intentions may be overtaken                  matrimonial obligations on common
in determining a marriage-like               by conduct such that whilst a                law couples without children: Parke v.
relationship.                                person living with another might             Veale, 2015 BCSC 2554, at para. 79.
		[192] The determination                   not say he or she was living in
                                                                                              Connor Estate, 2017 BCSC 978,
   of whether a relationship                 a marriage-like relationship, the
                                                                                          could be a bit of a game-changer for
   was marriage-like requires a              reality is that the relationship has
                                                                                          common law WESA spouses, in that
   “holistic approach” in which              become such”: Takacs v. Gallo
                                                                                          the Court finding that the parties were
   all of the relevant factors are           (1998) 48 B.C.L.R. (3d) 265
                                                                                          spouses could be an “expansion” of
   considered and weighed, but               (C.A.) leave to appeal to SCC
                                                                                          the concept of common law spouse.
   none of them are treated as being         ref’d, [1998] S.C.C.A. No. 238,
                                             at para. 53.                                      The applicant in the case, Joseph
   determinative of the question:
                                                                                          Chambers (“Chambers”), sought a
   Austin v. Goerz, 2007 BCCA 586
                                                                                          declaration that he was the “spouse”
   at paras. 58–62.
                                                                                          of the deceased Patricia Connors
		[193] While a “checklist”                                                              (“Connors”), within the meaning of
   approach to this question is not                                                       section 2 WESA. The Court found that
   appropriate, it can still be helpful                                                   Chambers and Connors were common
   during the analysis to consider                                                        law spouses despite the following
   the presence or absence of                                                             facts.
   commonly-accepted “indicators
                                                                                           • T
                                                                                              hey maintained two entirely
   of the sorts of behaviour that
                                                                                             separate residences and did not
   society, at a given point in time,
                                                                                             live under the same roof.
   associates with the marital
   relationship”: Weber v. Leclerc,                                                        • E
                                                                                              ach undertook their own separate
   2015 BCCA 492 at para. 25.                                                                domestic tasks such as meal
   A frequently-cited authority has                                                          preparation, shopping, tending
   identified these indicators as                                                            to clothing, and household
   including “shared shelter, sexual                                                         maintenance.
                                          		[196] In weighing the various
   and personal behaviour, services,         factors, it is also an error to give          • No mingling of finances occurred.
   social activities, economic               undue emphasis to the future
   support and children, as well                                                           • S
                                                                                              exual relations between them
                                             plans of a couple, in contrast                  in their respective households
   as the societal perception of             to the current realities of their
   the couple”: M. v. H., [1999]                                                             were significantly reduced in the
                                             respective situations: Takacs at                last 2 years.
   2 S.C.R. 3 at para. 59, citing            para. 58.
   Molodowich v. Penttinen (1980),                                                         • C
                                                                                              onnor’s hospital records
   17 R.F.L. (2d) 376 at para. 16             A party to a relationship that lacks           identified her marital status as
   (Ont. Dist. Ct.).                      such characteristics is not entitled               “single” and indicated Chambers
                                          to pursue a family law action, as the              as an alternative contact,
		[194] While financial                  person is not a spouse. There is no                identifying him as a “friend.”
   dependence was at one time             middle ground; either a person is a
   considered an essential aspect         spouse or is not: Gostlin v. Kergin              • C
                                                                                              onnor identified herself as
   of a marriage-like relationship,                                                          “single” on her tax returns and

Volume 28 Number 1 Spring 2019            The Scrivener | www.notaries.bc.ca/scrivener
                                                                                                        TABLE OF CONTENTS           19
Chambers identified himself as          at para. 80) is Molodowich v.         (c) Shopping,
        “separated” after 2012.                 Penttinen (1980), 17 RFL (2d)
                                                                                      (d) Household maintenance,
                                                376 (ONDC):
     • C
        hambers identified his wife
                                                                                      (e) Household maintenance,
       as his “current spouse” in the       			[16] I propose to consolidate
       spousal declaration for his              the statements just quoted            (4) SOCIAL
       municipal pension plan application       by considering the facts and          (a)	Did they participate together or
       in September 2011, a designation         circumstances of this case                 separately in neighbourhood and
       that was never changed.                  with the guidance of a series              community activities?
                                                of questions listed under the
     • I n August 2013, Chambers                                                     (b)	What was the relationship and
                                                seven descriptive components
        declared for the purposes of his                                                   conduct of each of them towards
                                                involved, to varying degrees
        group benefits with Manulife                                                       members of their respective
                                                and combinations, in the
        Financial that he had no common                                                    families and how did such families
                                                complex group of human inter-
        law spouse and he did not declare                                                  behave towards the parties?
                                                relationships broadly described
        Connor as a beneficiary.
                                                by the words “cohabitation”           (5) SOCIETAL
     • C
        hambers’ children had no               and “consortium”:
       involvement in the life of Connor                                              What was the attitude and conduct
       and indeed the son was never                                                   of the community towards each of
       even introduced to her.                During much of his longtime             them and as a couple?

     • N
        either Chambers nor Connor             relationship with Connor,             (6) SUPPORT (ECONOMIC)
       displayed photographs of               Chambers lived with his wife            (a)	What were the financial
       each other in their respective          and family and saw Connor                   arrangements between the
       residences.                                                                         parties regarding the provision
                                                      when he could.                       of or contribution towards the
     Chambers’ application to be
 declared Connor’s spouse was opposed                                                      necessaries of life (food, clothing,
 by Connor’s five half-siblings that she    (1)	SHELTER                                   shelter, recreation, etc.)?
 did not know.                              (a)	Did the parties live                 (b)	What were the arrangements
      During much of his longtime                under the same roof?                      concerning the acquisition and
 relationship with Connor, Chambers                                                        ownership of property?
                                            (b)	What were the sleeping
 lived with his wife and family and saw          arrangements?                        (c)	Was there any special financial
 Connor when he could. The Judge                                                           arrangement between them which
 found they never lived together under      (c)	Did anyone else occupy or share
                                                                                           both agreed would be determinant
 the same roof as a result of Connor             the available accommodation?
                                                                                           of their overall relationship?
 being a hoarder and there being no         (2) SEXUAL AND PERSONAL BEHAVIOUR
                                                                                      (7) CHILDREN
 room for Chambers to reside in her         (a)	Did the parties have sexual
 residence.                                      relations? If not, why not?          What was the attitude and conduct
                                                                                      of the parties concerning children?
       Connor had left Chambers her         (b)	Did they maintain an attitude
 $410,000 RRSP and the Judge found               of fidelity to each other?           		[23] Other authorities have
 it likely that while she died intestate,                                                emphasized that this is not a
 she had prepared a Will that left          (c)	What were their feelings toward         checklist and “these elements
 Chambers a substantial bequest, but             each other?                             may be present in varying degrees
 the Will could not be found. In the        (d)	Did they communicate on                 and not are all necessary for the
 result, the Judge declared that at the          a personal level?                       relationship to be found conjugal”
 time of Connor’s death, Chambers was                                                    (M. v. H. [1999] 2 SCR 3 at para.
                                            (e) Did they eat their meals together?
 her “spouse” within the meaning of                                                      59; cited in Austin v. Goerz, 2007
 section 2 WESA.                            (f)	What, if anything, did they do          BCCA 586 at para. 57; the Court
                                                 to assist each other with problems      of Appeal equated “conjugal”
     Molodowich v. Penttinen, as cited
                                                 or during illness?                      with “marriage-like” in the same
 above, was invoked in Richardson
                                            (g)	Did they buy gifts for each other       paragraph).
 Estate (Re), 2014 BCSC 2162, a
 recent WESA decision, as follows.               on special occasions?                    In Weber v. Leclerc, 2015 BCCA
                                            (3) SERVICES                              492, leave to appeal to SCC refused,
 		[22] A leading authority with
                                                                                      [2016] S.C.C A No 19, the Court
    respect to the meaning of               What was the conduct and habit            again reviewed the case law respecting
    “marriage-like relationship”            of the parties in relation to             “marriage-like relationships,” noting:
    (sometimes also referred to as
    “cohabitation,” Campbell v.             (a) Preparation of meals,                 		
                                                                                        [23] The parties’ intentions—
    Campbell, 2011 BCSC 1491                (b) Washing and mending clothes,            particularly the expectation that

                                                    BC Notaries Association                       Volume 28 Number 1 Spring 2019
20       TABLE OF CONTENTS
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