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ᐱᖁᔭᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᖃᐅᔨᒋᐊᓪᓚᕈᑏᑦ<br />
ᒪᑭᕝᕕᑯᑦ ᐱᖁᔭᓕᕆᓂᕐᓄᑦ ᐱᑦᔪᔨᕕᖓᓐᓂᑦ<br />
Legal Tips<br />
By the <strong>Makivik</strong> Legal Department<br />
© ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/JOSÉ LUIS GUTIÉRREZ<br />
ᐱᒐᓱᕝᕕᓴᐅᑉ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᐅᑎᖃᕐᑎᑕᐅᒍᑎᑎᒍᑦ<br />
ᐃᓱᓕᑦᑕᓂᖏᑦ<br />
ᐱᖁᔭᑎᒎᕐᑐᑎᒍᑦ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᐅᑎᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᒐᓱᒍᑎᖃᕐᓂᓭᑦ ᐃᓱᓕᑦᑕᓂᖃᓱᖑᕗᖅ,<br />
ᓲᕐᓗ ᐃᓅᖃᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᑭᓕᕐᑕᐅᒍᒪᑦᓴᓂᕈᕕᑦ ᐊᕐᖁᓇᕐᑕᐅᔪᕕᓂᐅᓗᑎᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᑕ-<br />
ᐅᔪᕕᓂᐅᓗᑎᓪᓗᓃᑦ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᕐᑖᕋᓱᕝᕕᒋᒍᓐᓇᑌᑦ ᐱᓇᓱᕝᕕᒥ-ᐋᓐᓂᑐᕕᓂᐅᓗᑎᑦ<br />
ᓄᓇᒃᑯᔫᒃᑯᓗᓐᓃᑦ ᐊᐳᕐᑐᕕᓂᐅᓗᑎᑦ. ᐋᙯᓪᓛ, ᐱᖁᔦᑦ ᓯᕗᓂᓕᐅᕐᓯᒪᓱᖑᕗᑦ<br />
ᐊᒥᓱᐃᓂᒃ ᐱᕕᑦᓴᖃᕐᓇᓂᒃ. ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐱᕕᑦᓴᑕᕐᑕᐅᒪᓇᖅ ᑌᔭᐅᒍᑎᖃᓲᖅ<br />
“ᐊᓪᓚᓯᒪᔪᑎᒍᑦ ᐱᒍᓐᓇᐅᑎᑕᕐᑎᓯᒍᑎᖃᕐᓂᖅ” ᐱᖁᔭᑎᒍᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓰᑦ ᐊᑯᕐᖓᓂ.<br />
ᓱᓇ ᐅᒻᒫᑦ ᐊᓪᓚᓯᒪᔪᑎᒍᑦ ᐱᒍᓐᓇ ᐅᑎᑕᕐᑎᓯᒍᑎᖃᕐᓂᖅ?<br />
ᐊᓪᓚᓯᒪᔪᑎᒎᑦ ᐱᒍᓐᓇᐅᑎᑕᕐᑎᓯᒍᑎ ᑐᑭᖃᕐᐳᖅ ᐱᕕᑦᓴᖃᕐᓇᐅᓱᓂ<br />
ᐃᓱᓕᓂᖃᕐᑐᓴᒥᒃ (ᓲᕐᓗ ᑎᒍᒥᐊᒐᐅᑦᓱᑎᒃ ᖃᕆᑕᐅᔭᑎᑐᑦ) ᐅᕝᕙᓗᓐᓃᑦ<br />
ᐊᓯᐅᔨᑦᓴᕈᕕᑦ ᓱᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᒥᒃ (ᓲᕐᓗ ᐱᒍᓐᓇᐅᑎᑖᑎᑐᑦ ᐱᖁᔭᑎᒎᕐᓗᑎᒃ<br />
ᓵᑦᓯᒍᑎᖃᕐᓂᒥᒃ). ᑕᒐ ᓇᕝᕚᓴᕈᕕᑦ ᖃᕆᑕᐅᔭᐅᑦᓱᓂ ᑎᒍᒥᐊᒐᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᕐᖁᑎᒃᑯᑦ<br />
ᐱᓱᓪᓗᑎᑦ ᖃᓄᓕᒫᖅ ᐃᓄᖓᓄᑦ ᐅᑎᕐᑎᓇᓱᑦᑕᕕᓂᕆᓗᒍᓗ, ᑌᒣᓘᕐᑐᕕᓂ-<br />
ᐅᓕᕐᓗᑎᑦ ᐃᓄᑦᓯᖃᔭᖕᖏᑯᕕᐅᒃ ᑕᒐ ᓇᒻᒥᓂᕐᑖᕆᕓᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᐃᑦ ᖃᑦᓯᑭᐊᖅ<br />
ᐊᓂᒍᕐᑎᓗᒋᑦ. ᖃᓄᕐᓗᓃᑦ ᐱᖁᔭᑎᒎᕐᑐᓂᒃ ᐱᓂᐊᕐᓂᖃᕈᑎᖃᖕᖏᑯᕕᑦ<br />
ᐱᕕᑦᓴᑕᕐᑕᐅᓯᒪᕕᑎᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᐃᑦ ᐊᓂᒍᓚᐅᕐᑎᓇᒋᑦ (ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐊᑦᔨᒌᖕᖏᑐᑦ<br />
ᐱᕕᑦᓴᖃᕐᑎᓯᓂᐅᒍᓐᓇᑐᑦ) ᐊᑑᑎᓐᓂᖏᑐᐊᕈᕕᒋᑦ ᑕᒐ ᐱᖁᔭᑎᒍᑦ ᐱᒍᓐᓇ-<br />
ᐅᑎᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᓴᒃᑯᐃᓂᖁᑎᑦ. ᐆᑦᑐᑎᒋᓗᒍ, ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓂᒃ ᐊᑦᑕᑐᕐᑎᑕᕕᓂᕐᓄᑦ<br />
ᐅᑎᕐᑎᑕᐅᖁᓗᒍ ᐱᖁᔭᑎᒍᑦ ᐱᒍᓐᓇᕕᒋᒐᔭᕐᑌᑦ ᐃᓱᓕᓂᖃᕋᔭᕐᖁᖅ ᐅᑎᕐᑎᓯᖁᓗᒍ<br />
ᐃᕐᖃᑐᐃᕕᒃᑯᑎᒍᑦ ᓵᑦᓯᕕᒋᒍᓐᓇᑌᑦ. ᑭᖑᓂᐊᒍᑦ ᐱᕕᑦᓴᖃᕐᑎᑕᐅᕕᓐᓂᐅᕕᑦ<br />
ᐊᑑᑎᒋᐊᓕᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᑲᔪᓯᑎᑦᓯᓂᖕᖏᑐᐊᕈᕕᑦ ᐱᒍᓐᓇᐅᑎᑎᑦ ᐃᕐᖃᑐᐃᕕᒃᑯᑦ<br />
ᐱᓇᓱᑦᑕᐅᑎᑦᓯᓂᑦᓴᒥᒃ ᐊᑐᕈᓐᓀᓂᖃᕐᓯᒪᓕᕋᔭᕐᖁᑦ. ᐊᓪᓚᓯᒪᔪᑎᒍᑦ ᐱᒍᓐᓇ-<br />
ᐅᑎᑕᕐᑎᑕᐅᒍᑏᑦ ᑌᔭᐅᓲᖑᒋᕗᑦ ᓲᕐᓗ ᑐᓱᓂᑯᒨᓕᖓᔪᒥᒃ (ᓲᕐᓗ ᑎᒍᒥᐊᒐᕐᒥᒃ<br />
ᖃᕆᑕᐅᔭᒥᒃ) ᐁᑉᐹᒍᓪᓗ ᐊᓯᕈᕐᓂᕋᕐᑕᐅᒍᓐᓇᓱᑎᒃ (ᐱᒍᓐᓇᐅᑎᖃᕐᑎᑕᐅᒍᑏᑦ<br />
ᐱᖁᔭᑎᒎᕐᑐᓂᒃ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᑎᑦᓯᒍᑎᖃᓚᖓᓂᕐᓄᑦ).<br />
ᐊᓪᓚᓯᒪᔪᑎᒍᑦ ᐱᒍᓐᓇᐅᑎᑕᕐᑎᑕᐅᒍᑏᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᖏᑕ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᐹᖓ<br />
ᐱᒋᐊᕐᕕᓕᓲᖑᕗᑦ ᐱᒍᓐᓇᐅᑎᐅᓚᖓᓕᕐᑐᖅ ᐱᒍᓐᓇᐅᑎᑕᕈᒪᔪᕕᓂᕐᒨᑕᐅᑐᐊᕐᒪᑦ,<br />
ᐃᓚᖓᓂᒃ ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐱᒋᐊᕐᕕᖃᕈᓐᓇᒥᔪᖅ ᑌᑲᓂ ᐅᓪᓗᒥ ᑐᑭᓯᕕᓐᓂᐅᕕᑦ<br />
ᑐᓱᒋᔭᖃᕐᓯᒪᓂᕐᓂᒃ. ᐆᑦᑑᑎᒋᓗᒍ ᓄᓇᒃᑯᔫᕐᓂᐅᕕᑦ ᑎᓪᓕᒐᐅᔨᐊᖃᑦᓴᕈᕕᑦ ᔭᓄᐊᕆ<br />
1-ᖑᑎᓪᓗᒍ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᖃᐅᔨᓕᕐᓂᕈᕕᑦ ᒣ 20-ᖑᓕᕐᑎᓗᒍ ᔮᓐᒧᑦ ᑎᓪᓕᒐᐅᔪᕕᓂ-<br />
ᐅᒋᐊᖓ. ᑌᒃᑯᐊ ᐅᓪᓗᐃᑦ ᓱᒋᐊᕐᓂᒍᓐᓇᕕᑎᑦ ᔮᓐᒥᒃ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᐃᑦ ᐱᖓᓲᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ<br />
ᔮᓐᒥᒃ ᐃᕐᖃᑐᐃᕕᑎᒍᑦ ᓱᒋᐊᕐᓂᕕᒋᒐᔭᕐᑌᑦ ᒣ 20-ᖑᒐᔭᕐᑐᖅ. ᐱᑦᔪᑎᖃᕐᓱᓂ<br />
ᑖᑦᓱᒪ ᐅᓪᓘᑉ ᓯᕗᓂᖓᓂ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓐᓂᖏᓐᓇᕕᑦ ᑭᓇᒥᒃ ᐃᕐᖃᑐᐃᕕᒃᑯᑦ<br />
ᓵᑦᓯᓴᕋᔭᕐᒪᖔᕐᐱᑦ. ᐱᔪᓐᓇᐅᑎᖃᕐᓃᑦ ᓴᕐᕿᓂᖃᓱᖑᒻᒪᑕ ᐱᑦᓯᐊᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᑯᑦ,<br />
ᑎᒥᒃᑯᓗᓐᓃᑦ ᐱᐅᓕᓂᐊᒐᕐᑎᒍᓪᓗᓃᑦ ᐱᓂᕐᓗᑕᐅᓂᖃᕐᑐᑦ ᑕᒐᑕᒐᑦᓴᐅᑎᒋᓗᓐᓃᑦ<br />
ᑭᖑᓂᑐᖃᒍᓪᓗᓃᑦ ᐱᒐᓗᐊᕐᐸᑕ, ᐱᕕᑦᓴᖃᕐᑎᑕᐅᓃᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᖏᑦ ᐱᒋᐊᕐᕕᓕ-<br />
ᐅᑎᓲᖑᕗᑦ ᑌᑲᓂ ᐅᓪᓗᒥ ᐱᓂᕐᓗᑕᐅᕕᐅᓪᓚᕆᑦᓯᒪᔪᒥ.<br />
ᐊᓪᓚᓯᒪᔪᑎᒍᑦ ᐱᕕᑦᓴᑕᕐᑎᑕᐅᓯᒪᒍᑏᑦ ᐅᓚᐱᑕᐅᒋᐊᕐᕕᖃᕆᕗᑦ<br />
(ᐅᑎᕐᑎᑕᐅᓗᑎᒃ ᐅᓪᓗᒧᑦ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᐹᕆᒋᐊᓕᕕᓂᕐᒥᓄᑦ) ᐅᕝᔭᓗᓐᓃᑦ ᕿᑲᕐᑎᑕ-<br />
ᐅᑫᓐᓇᓗᑎᒃ (ᓲᕐᓗ ᕿᑲᕿᑎᑕᐅᓗᑎᒃ ᑎᑭᐅᑎᓗᒍ ᐅᓪᓗᖏᑕ ᑕᓪᓕᒪᒋᒐᔭᕐᓯᒪᔭᖓᑦ<br />
ᑌᒣᓕᖓᓚᕿᓗᓂᓗ ᓇᑯᐃᓪᓕᐅᕈᑎᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐅᓪᓗᐃᑦ ᑕᓪᓕᒪᒋᓕᕐᑕᖓᓂ ᑭᓯᐊᓂ<br />
ᓄᐃᑦᓯᓴᕋᑕᕐᓂᕋᕕᑦ). ᑯᐯᒃ ᓄᓇᓕᕐᔪᐊᖓᓂ ᐃᓄᓕᒫᓄᓕᖓᔪᑦ ᐱᖁᔦᑦ<br />
ᐊᓪᓚᓯᒪᔪᕐᑕᖃᕐᐳᑦ ᐃᓗᓐᓈᒍᑦ ᒪᓕᑦᑕᐅᒋᐊᓕᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᖓᑦᓱᑎᒃ ᐊᓪᓚᓯᒪᔪᑎᒍᑦ<br />
ᐱᕕᑦᓴᑕᕐᑕᐅᒪᒍᑎᓄᑦ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓗᑦᑕᐅᖅ ᐊᓯᖏᑦ ᐊᒥᓱᑦ ᐱᖁᔦᑦ ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓂᒃ<br />
ᐊᓪᓚᓯᒪᔪᑎᒍᑦ ᐱᕕᕐᓴᑕᕐᑕᐅᒪᒍᑎᐅᒍᓐᓇᑐᓂᒃ ᑕᐅᑐᑦᑕᖃᕐᒥᔪᑦ.<br />
ᖃᓄᑎᒌᒃ ᐊᑯᓂᕆᓂᓕᒻᒥᒃ ᐊᓪᓚᓯᒪᔪᑎᒍᑦ ᐱᕕᑦᓴᖃᕐᑎᑕ ᐅᒍᑏᑦ<br />
ᐃᓱᓕᒐᓱᓲᖑᕙᑦ?<br />
ᐱᐅᓯᕆᔭᐅᒍᓪᓕᐅᓂᕐᐹᖑᓲᖅ ᐊᓪᓚᓯᒪᔪᑎᒍᑦ ᐱᕕᑦᓴᖃᕐᑎᓯᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐱᓇᓱᒍ-<br />
ᑎᑦᓴᓕᐊᖑᒪᑦᓱᓂ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᓄᑦ ᐱᖓᓱᓄᑦ ᐃᓕᖓᓲᖑᕗᖅ. ᐅᑦᑑᑎᒋᓗᒍ, ᐊᕐᕌᒍᓂ<br />
ᐱᖓᓱᓂ ᐱᕕᑦᓴᖃᕐᑐᑎᑦ ᐃᕐᖃᑐᐃᕕᑎᒍᑦ ᐊᑭᓕᕐᑕᐅᒍᑎᑖᕋᓱᒐᔭᕐᓂᒥᒃ ᐃᓄᒻᒥᑦ<br />
ᐃᓕᓐᓄᑦ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓂᒃ ᐊᑦᑕᑐᐊᑎᒍᑦ ᐊᑭᓕᕋᑦᓴᑖᕐᓯᒪᔪᕕᓂᕐᒥᒃ. ᑌᒣᒃᑲᓗ-<br />
ᐊᕐᑎᓗᒍ, ᐊᑦᔨᒋᖕᖏᒥᔭᖏᑦ ᓲᕐᓗ ᐋᓐᓂᑕᐅᒍᑎᕕᓂᕐᓄᑦ ᐊᑭᓕᕐᑕᐅᒍᒪᓐᓂᕈᕕᑦ<br />
ᒪᑭᕕᒃ ᕿᒥᕐᕈᐊᖏᑦ<br />
50<br />
Time limits to exercise your rights<br />
You have limited time to exercise your rights, say for instance to sue<br />
an individual for an injury, obtaining a financial compensation for a<br />
work-related accident or a car crash, etc. Indeed, law foresees many<br />
different time limits. A time limit is called a “prescription” in legal jargon.<br />
What is a prescription?<br />
A prescription is a time limit to gain (e.g., an object such as an iPod)<br />
or if you lose something (e.g., a right to institute legal proceedings). For<br />
instance, if you find an iPod on the street and did whatever you could<br />
to find its owner, you will become the legal owner of it after a certain<br />
period of time. If you do not institute legal proceedings within the<br />
given time limit (differs case-by-case), then you lose your right to take<br />
legal action. For instance, if someone owes you money you only have<br />
a certain amount of time in which you can sue him or her. After that<br />
prescribed time limit, you lose your right to take legal action. Prescription<br />
is called acquisitive in the first case (the iPod example) and extinctive<br />
in the second (the right to institute legal proceedings).<br />
Day one of a prescription normally starts on the day that the right<br />
is infringed, but sometimes it starts when you get aware of the cause<br />
of your prejudice. For instance, your car is stolen on January 1 st , but it’s<br />
on May 20 th that you learn that it’s “John” who stole it. Day one of your<br />
three-year time limit to sue John will be May 20 th , because before that<br />
date, you did not know whom to sue. Where the right of action arises<br />
from moral, bodily or material injury appearing progressively or tardily,<br />
the period runs from the day the injury appears for the first time.<br />
Prescriptions can be interrupted (restarted to day one) or suspended<br />
(e.g., paused to day five because you filed your complaint on day five).<br />
The Civil Code of Québec contains the general rules regarding the<br />
prescriptions, but several other acts foresee different prescriptions.<br />
How long is a prescription period?<br />
The most common prescription period is three years. For instance, you<br />
have three years to sue an individual who owes you money. Nevertheless,<br />
there are some exceptions such as for injuries that happened in a plane<br />
or in a cruise ship that are ruled by international conventions. Here’s a<br />
non-exhaustive list of different prescription periods:
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