Appeal court shuts down lawsuit called an 'abuse of process'

Nova Scotia's highest court has shut down a lawsuit launched by an Ontario man against his former Nova Scotia employer, Composites Atlantic Limited. 

In doing so, the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal has delivered a stinging rebuke to Guo Yi Liu.

"Too much time and paper have already been wasted describing the detritus of Mr. Liu’s ill-advised forays into worthless litigation," the court wrote in a decision released Wednesday. 

"The record here is replete with examples of conduct, words and actions that would be seen by any reasonable observer to be scandalous, frivolous, vexatious, and a clear abuse of process."

It started as a simple claim for benefits to the Workers' Compensation Board following a workplace incident in February, 2011.  

By the time the court called a halt to his latest action, Liu was hurling allegations at judges of both the Nova Scotia Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada.

Liu tried to claim damages exceeding $500 million.

"It may be that the person who writes such words as appear throughout this record is in need of help,"  Justice Jamie Saunders wrote on behalf of the three-judge appeal panel.  

"In which case, I would hope the appropriate intervention would be quick, tactful and effective."

Saunders went on to write: "Be that as it may, such disgraceful and venomous language has no place in Canada’s hallways of justice. Mr. Liu has revealed himself to be someone who lashes out at practically every individual 
whom he perceives to have found [fault] against him. He imagines a conspiracy at every level. He initiates proceedings in a variety of courts and, when shut down in one, tries to switch the venue or gain entry to another."

The Court of Appeal granted a request from lawyers for Composites Atlantic to dismiss Liu's latest action.