The complainant may appeal this decision to the Complainant Appeal Committee, which will review the matter and determine if a hearing is required. The executive secretary may direct that an alternative resolution process be used when appropriate. If a hearing is directed, the executive secretary appoints a hearing committee of three to five members of the Professional Conduct Committee to conduct a hearing. Specific charges are formulated and the investigated member is notified of the time and place of the hearing and the particulars. The investigated member is responsible for his or her own defence and may retain legal counsel.
Hearings are open to the public and procedures are formal.
Witnesses can be called to testify and are cross-examined under oath, but strict legal rules of evidence are not necessarily observed. The Professional Conduct Committee hearing committee retains legal counsel to advise on questions of procedure and law. The hearing committee notifies the executive secretary of the outcome of the hearing. The executive secretary sends a copy of the decision to the investigated member, the complainant, Provincial Executive Council and the registrar, if applicable. The decision of a hearing committee is available to the public on request and free of charge.