Relying on the growing body of arbitration-friendly jurisprudence from the Supreme Court of Canada and provincial appellate courts, the Manitoba Queens Bench in Wardrop v. Ericsson Canada Inc., 2021 MBQB 183 re-affirmed the importance of the court’s adherence to the stay provisions in s. 7 of The Arbitration Act, C.C.S.M. c. A120 (the “Act”). Justice Rempel held that an action for wrongful dismissal must be stayed. The key issue concerned the plaintiff employee’s entitlement in the severance period to bonuses made available pursuant to an agreement which contained a broad clause in favour of arbitration. That agreement was separate from the written employment agreement which the plaintiff employee alleged was breached and which did not contain an arbitration clause. However, the damages sought by the plaintiff related to the bonuses. Justice Rempel granted the defendant employer’s motion for a stay in light of the broad arbitration clause in one of the agreements. Further, in finding that there was no basis to refuse the stay under s. 7(2) of the Act, Justice Rempel narrowly interpreted the provision permitting a refusal of the stay where the matter was a proper one for summary judgment. The plaintiff employee did not satisfy the court that this exception, or any of the other bases for refusing a stay, was applicable.
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