2023 QCCQ 5146, 2023 QCCQ 5146

Bhagat c. Air Canada 2023 QCCQ 5146 COUR DU QUÉBEC « Division des petites créances » CANADA PROVINCE DE QUÉBEC DISTRICT DE MONTRÉAL « Chambre civile » N° : 500-32-160534-196 DATE : 3 août 2023 ______________________________________________________________________ SOUS LA PRÉSIDENCE DU JUGE HENRI RICHARD, J.C.Q. ______________________________________________________________________ GOPI BHAGAT Demandeur / Plaintiff c.

AIR CANADA Défenderesse / Defendant ______________________________________________________________________ JUGEMENT [1] ______________________________________________________________________ [ 1 ] Gopi Bhagat réclame à Air Canada 15 000 $ « because you have hurt (Damage my credit) my name in Equifax Credit office » à la suite de l’inscription d’une réclamation de 84 938,01 $ à son dossier de crédit. [ 2 ] Air Canada plaide que l’inscription de cette réclamation au dossier de crédit de M.

Bhagat est justifiée puisqu’il effectue de nombreux voyages à la suite desquels Air Canada s’est vu rétrofacturée de montants totalisant 84 938,01 $ dont elle impute la responsabilité à M. Bhagat. QUESTION EN LITIGE [ 3 ] La demande de M. Bhagat allègue-t-elle une diffamation? CONTEXTE ET ANALYSE [ 4 ] M. Baghat est un entrepreneur qui se rend fréquemment en Inde dans le cours normal de l’exploitation de son entreprise. [ 5 ] Afin de bénéficier des meilleurs tarifs aériens, M. Bhagat achète ses billets par l’intermédiaire de compagnies comme Expédia, FlightHub et Kijiji Ads.

Aucun problème ne découle de l’achat de ses billets d’avion auprès de ces compagnies. [ 6 ] Aussi, M. Bhagat fait souvent affaire avec la compagnie « Voyage Au Monde inc. » qui se présente comme une agence de voyages. [ 7 ] Air Canada établit qu’entre novembre 2015 et mai 2017, elle se voit rétrofacturée pour l’ensemble des billets d’avion achetés au nom de M.

Bhagat par Voyage Au Monde inc., jusqu’à concurrence de 84 938,01 $. [ 8 ] Étonnamment, selon les allégations de sa défense modifiée, Air Canada allègue que ce n’est que le 9 août 2018 qu’elle est informée de cette rétrofacturation. [ 9 ] Cela étant, par lettre du 9 août 2018 (P-3), Air Canada met en demeure M. Bhagat de la manière suivante : Sir/Madam, We have been informed that you have notably traveled on the following flights with Air Canada / Air Canada Express / Air Canada Rouge (please see attached tickets images).

Our investigation with regards to the attached flights confirm that the bookings were the result of fraudulent transactions. You are liable for the cost of the tickets purchased fraudulently, that you used and for which Air Canada sustained losses amounting to $ 84,938.01 Cad subject to reassessment. Please provide a certified check or bank draft made payable to Air Canada in the sum of $ 84,938.01 CAD (TO BE PAID IN FULL WITHIN 45 DAYS).

Please forward payment to: (…) Should you refuse or omit to pay the sum of $ 84,938.01 to Air Canada, be advised that we will undertake legal proceedings to recover those amounts at Court, without prejudice to Air Canada’s other rights and recourses.

Consequently, you are also hereby advised that, effective immediately, you will no longer be allowed to use Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge and Air Canada Express services, including their flights, until you have completely reimbursed Air Canada. This also applies for any previously made reservation for future trips. PLEASE GOVERN YOURSELF ACCORDINGLY. [ 10 ] Air Canada

annexe à cette lettre P-3 une facture au montant réclamé avec la note suivante : Air Canada has received a rejection from the bank as the cardholder has declined the above transactions. Our records indicate these tickets were fully used for travel. Please provide payment to the above address. If payment or contact with our office (…) does not occur 35 days from the date of this invoice your file will be referred to a 3 rd party for collection which may affect your standing with the credit bureau. [ 11 ] M.

Bhagat établit qu’à la suite de la réception de la lettre P-3 et de la facture annexée, il tente de communiquer avec des représentants d’Air Canada, sans succès. [ 12 ] Quoi qu’il en soit, M. Bhagat ne produit au dossier de la Cour aucune correspondance écrite à Air Canada à la suite de cette lettre et de cette facture, alors qu’il possède des coordonnées précises d’une de ses représentantes. [ 13 ] Air Canada retient les services d’une agence de recouvrement qui procède à l’inscription de sa réclamation au dossier de crédit de M.

Bhagat. [ 14 ] Le 2 mai 2019, alors qu’il se trouve à l’aéroport Heathrow de Londres, M. Bhagat se voit refuser l’embarquement sur le vol d’Air Canada en direction de Montréal. Il doit donc acheter un billet avec British Airways. [ 15 ] À la suite de ce refus d’embarquement, M. Bhagat découvre l’inscription à son dossier de crédit de la réclamation d’Air Canada de 84 938,01 $, si bien qu’il met en demeure Air Canada selon les termes suivants, par lettre du 7 juin 2019 : Dear Sir/Madam On 27 th August 2018 I sent you letter explained that I bought air ticket from Voyage au monde travel agency and I paid to them.

I am travelling for my business every month and I buy ticket from web companies like Expedia, FlightHub, Kijiji Ads and other air lines depending on price’s. On 2 nd of May 2019 from London Heathrow Air Canada check in counter does not allow to board, because they told me my name was BANNED. On 6 th of June 2019 I found from Equifax Credit Office that you had put my name against of Collection Company claiming amount $ 84,938.01 that I never purchase tickets from Air Canada. Now I would request you to remove my name from THE BANNED list and correct any damage made under my name.

Also I would like to ask you to pay me $25000 as compensation because you have hurt (Damage my credit) my name in Equifax Credit office. If I don’t receive compensation within 10 business days and if my name is not removed within the given time that is 10 business days then I will have to take legal action against Air Canada and you will be responsible for all legal expenses. [ 16 ] Les premiers alinéas des articles 536 et 537 du Code de procédure civile [2] ( C.p.c. ) prévoient : 536.

La demande en recouvrement d’une créance d’au plus 15 000 $, sans tenir compte des intérêts, ou celle visant la résolution, la résiliation ou l’annulation d’un contrat dont la valeur et, le cas échéant, le montant réclamé n’excèdent pas chacun 15 000 $, est introduite suivant les règles du présent

titre si le demandeur agit en son nom et pour son compte personnel ou s’il agit comme administrateur du bien d’autrui, tuteur, représentant temporaire ou en vertu d’un mandat de protection. Il en est de même de la demande qui lui est accessoire portant sur la revendication d’un bien. […] 537. Le présent

titre ne s’applique pas aux demandes résultant du bail d’un logement, portant sur une pension alimentaire ou alléguant une diffamation. […] [ 17 ] La lettre de mise en demeure précitée de M. Bhagat à Air Canada du 7 juin 2019 se trouve en

annexe à la demande produite par M. Bhagat en la présente instance qui se lit ainsi : Please find annex: After I sent letter to Air Canada, I was refused by Spinelli Honda, because of Air Canada, due to Air Canada put my name to Equifax Credit, I lost my credit . [ 18 ] À la lecture de cette demande et de la mise en demeure annexée, le Tribunal conclut que M. Bhagat allègue une atteinte à sa réputation, donc une diffamation, au sens de l’

article 537 C.p.c. , si bien que le Tribunal n’a d’autre choix que de décliner compétence

juridictionnelle. [ 19 ] De plus, le Tribunal souligne que M. Bhagat ne présente aucune preuve documentaire ni aucune ventilation de la somme réclamée de 15 000 $, confirmant qu’il s’agit de dommages moraux découlant d’une atteinte à sa réputation. [ 20 ] Finalement, le Tribunal fait écho aux motifs de défense d’Air Canada qui impute une responsabilité à M.

Bhagat d’avoir fait affaire avec une prétendue agence de voyages, alors qu’il reconnait qu’il payait ses billets la plupart du temps en argent comptant auprès d’une personne qui lui remettait ses billets d’avion dans la rue, alors qu’il se trouvait dans son véhicule. [ 21 ] Air Canada a donc raison de référer le Tribunal à un dossier similaire qui fait l’objet d’une décision de l’Office des transports du Canada [3] rendue le 2 juillet 2020, dont l’extrait suivant trouve application en la présente instance : [44] Dans ces circonstances, une personne raisonnable ne conclurait pas que « CaptainCooll » était un agent de voyage accrédité pour les billets d’Air Canada ou qu’il s’agissait de transactions légitimes.

Bien que des millions de transactions légitimes puissent se conclure sur WeChat chaque jour, l’Office conclut qu’il est déraisonnable d’avoir intrinsèquement confiance dans la validité et l’intégrité de ces entreprises en ligne, comme prétendent le faire Mme Qian et d’autres millénariaux, particulièrement s’il y a de solides preuves du contraire, selon ce qui est décrit précédemment. Le vieil adage de l’« acheteur averti » a encore cours dans le monde du commerce électronique. [ 22 ] De la preuve présentée, il apparait que M.

Bhagat fait preuve d’aveuglement volontaire et agit d’une manière déraisonnable en transigeant avec une prétendue agence de voyages, alors que tous les indices démontrent le contraire. [ 23 ] Conséquemment, même si le Tribunal avait compétence pour entendre le présent dossier, il aurait conclu qu’Air Canada ne commet aucune faute à l’égard de M. Bhagat en lien avec les faits du présent dossier. POUR CES MOTIFS, LE TRIBUNAL : DÉCLINE compétence juridictionnelle à l’égard de la demande de Gopi Bhagat contre Air Canada, chaque

partie payant ses frais. Henri Richard, J.C.Q. Date d’audience : 20 juillet 2023 _____________________________________________________________________ JUDGMENT [4] _____________________________________________________________________ [1] Gopi Bhagat claims $15,000 from Air Canada "because you have hurt (Damage my credit) my name in Equifax Credit office" following the registration of a claim of $84,938.01 on his credit file. [2] Air Canada pleads that the registration of this claim on Mr.

Bhagat's credit file is justified since he makes numerous trips as a result of which Air Canada has been charged back amounts totalling $84,938.01, for which it attributes responsibility to Mr. Bhagat. ISSUE [3] Does Mr. Bhagat's application allege defamation? CONTEXT AND ANALYSIS [4] Mr. Baghat is an entrepreneur who frequently travels to India in the normal course of his business. [5] In order to benefit from the best airfares, Mr. Bhagat buys his tickets through companies such as Expedia, FlightHub and Kijiji Ads. No problems arise from purchasing his tickets through these companies. [6] Also, Mr.

Bhagat often deals with the company "Voyage Au Monde Inc." which presents itself as a travel agency. [7] Air Canada establishes that, between November 2015 and May 2017, it was charged back for all airline tickets purchased on Mr. Bhagat's behalf by Voyage Au Monde Inc. up to a total of $84,938.01. [8] Surprisingly, according to the allegations of its amended defence, Air Canada alleges that it is not informed of this chargeback until August 9, 2018. [9] That being the case, by letter dated August 9, 2018 (P-3), Air Canada puts Mr. Bhagat on notice as follows:

Sir/Madam, We have been informed that you have notably traveled on the following flights with Air Canada / Air Canada Express / Air Canada Rouge (please see attached tickets images). Our investigation with regards to the attached flights confirm that the bookings were the result of fraudulent transactions. You are liable for the cost of the tickets purchased fraudulently, that you used and for which Air Canada sustained losses amounting to $ 84,938.01 Cad subject to reassessment.

Please provide a certified check or bank draft made payable to Air Canada in the sum of $ 84,938.01 CAD (TO BE PAID IN FULL WITHIN 45 DAYS). Please forward payment to: (…) Should you refuse or omit to pay the sum of $ 84,938.01 to Air Canada, be advised that we will undertake legal proceedings to recover those amounts at Court, without prejudice to Air Canada’s other rights and recourses.

Consequently, you are also hereby advised that, effective immediately, you will no longer be allowed to use Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge and Air Canada Express services, including their flights, until you have completely reimbursed Air Canada. This also applies for any previously made reservation for future trips. PLEASE GOVERN YOURSELF ACCORDINGLY . [10] Air Canada attached to this letter P-3 an invoice for the amount claimed with the following note: Air Canada has received a rejection from the bank as the cardholder has declined the above transactions.

Our records indicate these tickets were fully used for travel. Please provide payment to the above address. If payment or contact with our office (…) does not occur 35 days from the date of this invoice your file will be referred to a 3 rd party for collection which may affect your standing with the credit bureau. [11] Mr. Bhagat states that following receipt of the letter P-3 and the attached invoice, he attempts to contact Air Canada representatives, without success. [12] In any event, Mr.

Bhagat does not provide for the Court with any correspondence to Air Canada following this letter and invoice, even though he has specific contact information for one of its representatives. [13] Air Canada retains the services of a collection agency, which registers its claim on Mr. Bhagat's credit file. [14] On May 2, 2019, while at London Heathrow airport, Mr. Bhagat is denied boarding on the Air Canada flight to Montreal. He therefore has to buy a ticket with British Airways. [15] Following this denied boarding, Mr.

Bhagat discovers Air Canada's claim of $84,938.01 on his credit file, so he puts Air Canada on notice in the following terms, by letter dated June 7, 2019: Dear Sir/Madam On 27 th August 2018 I sent you letter explained that I bought air ticket from Voyage au monde travel agency and I paid to them. I am travelling for my business every month and I buy ticket from web companies like Expedia, FlightHub, Kijiji Ads and other air lines depending on price’s. On 2 nd of May 2019 from London Heathrow Air Canada check in counter does not allow to board, because they told me my name was BANNED.

On 6 th of June 2019 I found from Equifax Credit Office that you had put my name against of Collection Company claiming amount $ 84,938.01 that I never purchase tickets from Air Canada. Now I would request you to remove my name from THE BANNED list and correct any damage made under my name. Also I would like to ask you to pay me $25000 as compensation because you have hurt (Damage my credit) my name in Equifax Credit office.

If I don’t receive compensation within 10 business days and if my name is not removed within the given time that is 10 business days then I will have to take legal action against Air Canada and you will be responsible for all legal expenses. [16] The first paragraphs of articles 536 and 537 of the Code of Civil Procedure ( CCP ) provide: 536.

An application for recovery of a claim not exceeding $15,000, excluding interest, is instituted under the rules of this Title if the plaintiff is acting in their own name and for their own account or is acting as administrator of the property of others, tutor or temporary representative or under a protection mandate. The same applies to an application seeking the resolution, resiliation or cancellation of a contract provided neither the value of the contract, nor the amount claimed, if any, exceeds $15,000.

The same applies to an application ancillary to such an application and pertaining to the revendication of property . […]

537. This Title does not apply to applications arising from the lease of a dwelling, applications for support or applications alleging defamation. [...] [17] The aforementioned demand letter from Mr. Bhagat to Air Canada dated June 7, 2019, is appended to the application filed by Mr. Bhagat in these proceedings, which reads as follows: Please find annex: After I sent letter to Air Canada, I was refused by Spinelli Honda, because of Air Canada, due to Air Canada put my name to Equifax Credit, I lost my credit. [18] On reading this application and the attached demand letter, the Court concludes that Mr.

Bhagat is alleging damage to his reputation, and therefore defamation, within the meaning of

article 537 CCP , so that the Court has no choice but to decline jurisdiction. [19] In addition, the Court points out that Mr. Bhagat has not presented any documentary evidence or a breakdown of the $15,000 claimed, confirming that these are moral damages resulting from an attack on his reputation. [20] Finally, the Court echoes Air Canada's grounds of defence that Mr.

Bhagat was responsible for having done business with a so- called travel agency, when he admits that he paid for his tickets most of the time in cash from a person who gave him his plane tickets on the street, while he was in his vehicle. [21] Air Canada is therefore right to refer the Court to a similar case, which is the subject of a Canadian Transportation Agency decision [5] , rendered on July 2 nd , 2020, the following excerpt of which is applicable to the present proceedings: [44] Under these circumstances, a reasonable person would not conclude that “CaptainCooll” was a legitimate travel agent for Air Canada tickets or that these were legitimate transactions.

While millions of genuine transactions may occur through WeChat each day, the Agency finds that it is not reasonable to “inherently trust the validity and integrity” of online businesses, as Miss Qian claims she and other millennials do, particularly where there is strong evidence to the contrary, as described above. The old adage “buyer beware” still applies in the world of e-commerce. [22] From the evidence submitted, it appears that Mr.

Bhagat is wilfully blind and acting unreasonably in dealing with a so-called travel agency, when all the evidence points to the contrary. [23] Consequently, even if the Court had jurisdiction to hear this case, it would have concluded that Air Canada did not commit any fault against Mr. Bhagat in relation to the facts of this case. FOR THESE REASONS, THE COURT : DECLINES jurisdiction over Gopi Bhagat’s application against Air Canada, each party paying its own costs ; Date of hearing : July 20, 2022