Maurice v. Canada ( Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development )
T-1057-96
Reed J.
8/7/99
5 pp.
Motion for order pursuant to Federal Court Rules, 1998, rr. 8(1), (2), 385(1)(b) to extend time for service, filing of statement of defence indefinitely or to date to be determined by Court on ground volume of material defendants must locate and review in order to respond to plaintiffs' claim vast and location diverse-Affidavit in support of motion stating it will take until December 2000 to complete review-Plaintiffs opposing motion on ground already excessive delay-Court not prepared to grant indefinite adjournment-Court not persuaded research required as broad, unmanageable as defendants suggest-Nor that defendants do not have sufficient information to file reasonable statement of defence now-Court cannot forbear from commenting that when it is in defendants' interest to see matters proceed through courts expeditiously, they are able to marshal resources to do so-They should be expected to move as expeditiously when they are defendants-Defendants to file statement of defence on or before August 31, 1999-Federal Court Rules, 1998, SOR/98-106, rr. 8(1), (2), 385(1)(b).