Source: https://www.leg.bc.ca/content/legacy/web/38th2nd/1st_read/gov23-1.htm
Timestamp: 2018-09-20 18:50:13
Document Index: 713288086

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 2', 'art 3', 'art 5', 'art 3', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2']

BILL 23 -- 2006: PUBLIC INQUIRY ACT
BILL 23 -- 2006
Part 2 -- Establishing a Commission of Public inquiry
Division 1 -- Establishing a Commission
5 Amendment or termination
Division 2 -- Appointment of Commissioners and Staff
6 Appointment of commissioners
7 Responsibilities of chief commissioner
8 Commission staff
Part 3 --Duties and Powers of Commissions
Division 1 -- General Duties and Powers
9 Commissioner duties
10 Power to make directives
11 Power to inspect
12 Who may participate
13 Powers respecting participants
14 Rights of participants
15 Power to accept information
16 Power to prohibit or limit attendance or access
17 Power to maintain order
18 Participant's failure to comply with orders
19 Power to record meetings or hearings
20 Privative clause
Division 2 -- Study Commissions
21 Powers of study commissions
Division 3 -- Hearing Commissions
22 Powers of hearing commissions
23 Service of notice or records
24 Hearings open to public
25 Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act does not apply
Division 4 -- Special Powers
26 Power to compel witnesses and order disclosure
27 Power to apply to court
Division 5 -- Reporting
30 Disclosure by Crown
31 Responsibility for records
32 Compulsion protection
33 Immunity protection
Part 5 -- Transition and Repeal
(b)	if more than one commissioner is appointed, the commissioner designated as chief commissioner under section 6 (2);
"commissioner" means a person appointed as a commissioner under section 6;
"participant" means a person who is provided with notice or is accepted as a participant under section 12;
2	(1)	The Lieutenant Governor in Council may, by order, establish a commission to inquire into and report on a matter that the Lieutenant Governor in Council considers to be of public interest.
(a)	define the purposes of the inquiry;
(c)	designate the inquiry as a study commission, hearing commission or both;
(3)	If the Lieutenant Governor in Council determines that it would be in the public interest, the Lieutenant Governor in Council may, in an order made under subsection (1), provide a commission with any of the powers set out in sections 26 [power to compel witnesses and order disclosure] and 27 [power to apply to court].
3	(1)	The Lieutenant Governor in Council may enter into an agreement to establish a joint commission with either or both of the following:
4	The costs and expenses incurred in connection with an inquiry under this Act must be paid out of the consolidated revenue fund, in the absence of an appropriation of the Legislature available for that purpose.
5	At any time before a commission issues its final report, the Lieutenant Governor in Council may, by order,
(a)	amend the order that established the commission, or
(b)	terminate the commission.
6	(1)	On establishing a commission, the Lieutenant Governor in Council
(3)	Unless the Lieutenant Governor in Council states otherwise in the appointment order, a commissioner may rely on all decisions made and information received by any former or current commissioner of the inquiry to which the commissioner was appointed.
7	The chief commissioner is responsible for
(c)	ensuring that the commission is financially responsible and accountable, and complies with any regulations made under this Act respecting financial matters.
8	(1)	The chief commissioner may appoint employees, in accordance with the Public Service Act, necessary to exercise the powers and perform the duties of a commission.
(2)	The chief commissioner may engage or retain consultants, investigators, lawyers, expert witnesses or other persons the chief commissioner considers necessary to exercise the powers and perform the duties of a commission, and may determine their remuneration.
Part 3 -- Duties and Powers of Commissions
9	Commissioners must faithfully, honestly and impartially perform their duties and, except in the proper performance of those duties, must not disclose to any person any information obtained as a commissioner.
10	(1)	Subject to this Act and the commission's terms of reference, a commission has the power to control its own processes and may make directives respecting practice and procedure to facilitate the just and timely fulfillment of its duties.
(e)	respecting the transcription or recording of meetings and hearings and the process and fees for reproduction of a recording if a person requests one;
11	Subject to this Act and the commission's terms of reference, a commission may
12	(1)	A person may act as a participant if the person
(2)	If a hearing commission intends to make a finding of misconduct against a person, or a report that alleges misconduct by a person, the commission must first provide the person with
(3)	A person other than one described in subsection (2) may apply to be a participant by applying to the commission in the manner and form it requires.
13	(1)	Subject to section 14, a commission may make orders respecting
(3)	In making an order under subsection (1), a hearing commission must ensure that a participant who responds to a notice under section 12 (2) has a reasonable opportunity to be heard by the commission before making a finding of misconduct against the participant, or a report that alleges misconduct by that participant.
14	(1)	A participant may
15	(1)	A commission may receive and accept information that it considers relevant, necessary and appropriate, whether or not the information would be admissible in a court of law.
(2)	Without limiting section 13 [powers respecting participants], a commission may exclude anything unduly repetitious.
16	(1)	A commission may, by order, prohibit or restrict a person or a class of persons, or the public, from attending all or part of a meeting or hearing, or accessing all or part of any information provided to or held by the commission, if section 30 [disclosure by Crown] applies or if the commission has reason to believe that
(a)	the order is necessary for the effective and efficient fulfillment of the commission's terms of reference, or
(b)	the order is necessary to protect
(i)	a person from undue interference with the person's personal or financial privacy rights,
(iii)	a person's right to a fair trial in a criminal proceeding, or
(iv)	the public interest.
17	(1)	At a meeting or hearing, a commission may make orders or give directions that it considers necessary for the maintenance of order at the meeting or hearing, and, if any person disobeys or fails to comply with any order, the commission may call on the assistance of any peace officer to enforce the order.
18	Without limiting any other power of enforcement, if a participant fails to comply with an order or a directive of a commission, including any time limits specified for taking any actions, the commission, after giving notice to the participant, may do any of the following:
19	(1)	A commission may transcribe or record its meetings or hearings.
20	(1)	A commission has exclusive jurisdiction to inquire into, hear and determine all matters and questions of fact and law arising or required to be determined under this Act and to make any order it is permitted to make.
21	(1)	Subject to this Act and the commission's terms of reference, a study commission may engage in any activity necessary to effectively and efficiently fulfill the duties of the commission, including doing any of the following:
(c)	consulting with the public generally, and for that purpose, issuing directives respecting any of the matters set out in subsection (2).
(2)	A study commission may make directives respecting any of the following:
(a)	the notification of participants and the public regarding the consultation;
(3)	A study commission must not exercise the powers of a hearing commission as set out in section 22 (1) (a) to (d), unless the study commission
(a)	is also designated as a hearing commission, or
(b)	has a power under section 26 to compel witnesses or order disclosure of information.
Powers of hearing commissions
22	(1)	Subject to this Act and the commission's terms of reference, a hearing commission may engage in any activity necessary to effectively and efficiently fulfill the duties of the commission, including doing any of the following:
(d)	making a finding of misconduct against a person, or a report that alleges misconduct by a person.
(2)	A hearing commission may make directives respecting any of the following:
(a)	the holding of pre-hearing conferences, including confidential pre-hearing conferences, and requiring one or more participants to attend a pre-hearing conference;
(f)	the service and filing of notices, records and orders, including substituted service and requiring participants to provide an address for service;
(3)	A hearing commission must not exercise the powers of a study commission as set out in section 21 (1) (a) to (c) unless also designated as a study commission.
23	(1)	A hearing commission may provide a notice or record to a person by personal service of a copy of the notice or record or by sending the copy to the person by any of the following means:
(2)	If a hearing commission is of the opinion that, because there are so many participants or for any other reason, it is impracticable to give notice of a hearing to a participant directly or by a method referred to in subsection (1), the commission may give notice of a hearing by public advertisement or otherwise as the commission directs.
(3)	If a notice or record is not served to a person in accordance with this Act or the regulations made under it, an inquiry is not invalidated if
(b)	the person consents, or
24	Subject to sections 16 [power to prohibit or limit attendance or access] and 30 [disclosure by Crown], a hearing commission must
(b)	make accessible to the public information submitted in a hearing.
25	(1)	The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, other than section 44 (2), (2.1) and (3) [power of commissioner in conducting investigations, audits or inquiries], does not apply to any of the following in respect of a hearing commission:
(b)	any information received by the commission in a hearing to which section 16 [power to prohibit or limit attendance or access] or 30 [disclosure by Crown] applies;
(d)	information submitted, in a hearing, for which public access is provided by the commission.
26	(1)	At any time before making its final report, a commission, if empowered to do so in the order establishing the commission and subject to subsection (2), may serve a summons requiring a person to do either or both of the following:
(a)	attend a meeting or hearing to give evidence on oath or affirmation or in any other manner that is admissible and relevant to an issue in the inquiry;
(b)	produce for the commission or a participant information or a thing in the person's possession or control that is admissible and relevant to an issue in the inquiry.
(2)	A person cannot be compelled to disclose to a commission anything that, in a court, would be privileged under the law of evidence.
(3)	A commission may
(4)	A commission may apportion fees and expenses under subsection (3) between one or more participants, and between one or more participants and the commission.
(5)	Subject to this Act and the commission's terms of reference, a commission may make directives respecting appearance fees and expenses reasonably and necessarily incurred by a person summoned to appear before the commission.
27	A commission, if empowered to do so in the order establishing the commission, may apply to the court for any of the following:
(a)	an order directing a person to comply with a summons served by the commission under section 26;
(b)	an order directing any directors and officers of a person to cause the person to comply with a summons served by the commission under section 26;
(ii)	answer questions of the commission or a participant, or
(iii)	produce the information or thing in their custody or possession to the commission;
(f)	an order finding a person to be in contempt, as if in breach of an order or a judgment of the court, for a reason other than as set out in paragraph (d) or (e).
28	(1)	If required by the commission's terms of reference, a commission must make an interim report to the minister at the times and on the matters stated in the terms of reference.
(3)	Section 29 (2) to (8) applies to an interim report as if it were a final report.
29	(1)	A commission must make its final report to the minister in writing, setting out
(a)	any findings of fact made by the commission that are relevant to the commission's terms of reference and the reasons for those findings, and
(2)	A commission must not release its report to any person other than the minister.
(3)	The minister must submit the report to the Executive Council at its next meeting.
(4)	A person must not release the report to any other person except with the approval of the Executive Council.
(5)	If the Executive Council approves the release of a report to a person, the Executive Council must
(a)	determine whether any portion of the report is based on information to which section 16 [power to prohibit or limit attendance or access] or 30 [disclosure by Crown] applies, and
(b)	withhold those portions of the report.
(6)	Without limiting subsection (5), if the Executive Council approves the release of the report, the Executive Council may withhold portions of the report if necessary to protect
(a)	a person from undue interference with the person's personal or financial privacy rights,
(b)	a person's personal security,
(c)	a person's right to a fair trial in a criminal proceeding, or
(d)	the public interest.
(7)	If the Executive Council withholds any portion of a report, the person who has approval to release the report must identify in the report the withheld portion and, to the extent possible, summarize it.
(8)	If a report includes a finding of misconduct against a participant, or alleges misconduct by a participant, the minister must provide to the participant a copy of the report except that, if under section 16 the participant was not present while information was provided or did not have access to information, the minister must
(a)	withhold from the participant any portion of the report that refers to the information, and
(b)	identify in the report the withheld portion and, to the extent possible, summarize it.
30	(1)	If the government discloses to a commission, either voluntarily or in response to a request or summons, any information over which the government asserts privilege or immunity, the privilege or immunity is not waived or defeated for any other purpose by the disclosure.
(2)	If a commission determines that it is necessary to disclose information over which the government asserts privilege or immunity to a participant, in the public interest or as part of the commission's report, the privilege or immunity is not waived or defeated for any other purpose by the disclosure.
31	Following the completion or termination of an inquiry, the minister has primary responsibility for the final report and all records of the commission.
32	A commissioner, or a person acting on behalf of or under the direction of a commissioner, must not be required to testify or produce evidence in any proceeding, other than a criminal proceeding, about information obtained in the discharge of duties under this Act.
33	(1)	Subject to subsection (2), no legal proceeding for damages lies or may be commenced or maintained against the government, a commission, a commissioner or a person acting on behalf of or under the direction of a commissioner because of anything done or omitted
34	(1)	The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations referred to in section 41 of the Interpretation Act.
(a)	the preparation and review of commission budgets, including interim budgets;
(b)	expenditures or classes of expenditures by commissions, including setting limits or rates and requiring approvals;
(c)	procurement procedures of commissions, including requiring the use of real estate, goods or services that are owned or leased by the government or a government agency;
(d)	financial reporting by a commission;
(e)	audits, including interim audits, of a commission;
(f)	procedures for commissions, or classes of commissions;
(g)	any matter about which a commission may make orders or directives;
(h)	service of notice or records by the commission or a participant;
(i)	limits and conditions on participation;
(j)	appearance fees and expenses reasonably and necessarily incurred by participants.
(3)	The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make different regulations under subsection (2) for
(4)	Despite any provision of this Act empowering a commission to make an order or a directive, if the Lieutenant Governor in Council makes a regulation under subsections (1) or (2), a commission must not make an order or a directive that is inconsistent with the regulation.
35	For the purposes of any enactment that refers to the Inquiry Act, the reference is to be read as a reference to the Inquiry Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 224, as it read immediately before its repeal, and that Act is deemed to continue for those purposes despite its repeal.
36	The Inquiry Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 224, is repealed.
37	Section 39 of the Agricultural Land Commission Act, S.B.C. 2002, c. 36, is repealed and the following substituted:
39	(1)	In sections 40 to 45, "board" means a commissioner appointed under the Public Inquiry Act for the purpose of inquiring into a matter described in section 40.
(2)	The board has the powers of a commissioner appointed to a study commission under the Public Inquiry Act and the powers set out in sections 26 and 27 of that Act.
38	Section 287.2 (1) of the Local Government Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 323, is amended in paragraph (c) of the definition of "indemnification" by striking out "Part 2 of the Inquiry Act," and substituting "the Public Inquiry Act,".
39	Section 50 (3) (f) of the Police Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 367, is repealed and the following substituted:
(i)	the issues in respect of which the inquiry is recommended are so serious or so widespread that an inquiry is necessary in the public interest,
(iii)	powers granted under the Public Inquiry Act are needed; .
40	Section 63.1 (9) (b) is repealed and the following substituted:
(b)	recommend that the minister initiate an inquiry under the Public Inquiry Act.
41	Sections 95 (1) (b) and 166.43 (1) (a) (ii) of the School Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 412, are amended by striking out "Part 2 of the Inquiry Act" and substituting "the Public Inquiry Act".
42	Section 180 (2) of the Vancouver Charter, S.B.C. 1953, c. 55, is amended by striking out "Part 2 of the Inquiry Act" and substituting "the Public Inquiry Act".
43	This Act comes into force by regulation of the Lieutenant Governor in Council.
This Bill repeals and replaces the Inquiry Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 224, with a new Public Inquiry Act. The new Act will do the following:
provide powers to establish a commission of inquiry and appoint commissioners;
divide commissions into 2 categories (study commissions and hearing commissions) and set out the powers and duties of each;
limit the use of special powers to compel witnesses and records and to apply to the court for a contempt order;
create a regulatory financial framework.
Over 50 statutes refer to the current Inquiry Act. This Bill deals with these in 2 ways:
If a statute adopts the powers, duties or authorities of a commissioner under the Inquiry Act, the Bill deems that Act to continue for the purposes of that statute. Consequential amendments to statutes in this category will be completed at a later time.
If a statute relies on the Inquiry Act to commence an inquiry or a similar proceeding, the Bill amends the statute to enable any proceeding to be commenced under the new Act.