Buck Estate v. Canada (Attorney General)

Decided: 2026-09-14. Docket: A-130-25. Citation: 2026 FCA 153 (CanLII). Procedure — Appeals — Federal Courts Rules, Rule 51 — Standard of review — Whether the Associate Judge committed an error of law or palpable and overriding error — “Strong tactical burden” where Federal Court appears to have given a complete answer — Requests to reweigh the evidence rejected — Appeal dismissed with costs | Procedure — Confidentiality order — Open court principle — Sherman Estate v. Donovan — Whether the confidentiality order should be set aside for not explicitly setting out the controlling legal test — Federal Courts Act, s. 52(b)(i), power to make the decision that should have been made — Distinguishing Fletcher v. Ontario on these facts — Appeal dismissed with costs | Evidence — Settlement privilege