What is the test for dismissing an action for want of prosecution?

The law in this regard is complex but not especially hard to follow. In the case of Carey v. Twohig, 1973 CanLII 898 (SK QB), [1973] 4 W.W.R. 378, Bayda J., then of this court, identified the following criteria for the exercise of the court’s inherent jurisdiction to dismiss an action for want of prosecution: (a) there has been inordinate delay on the part of the plaintiff; (b) the inordinate delay is inexcusable and, until a credible excuse is made out, the natural inference is that it is inexcusable; and (c) the defendant is likely to be prejudiced by the delay.