Inquiry



Inquiry

• 231.4 (1) The Minister may, for any purpose related to the administration or enforcement of this Act, authorize any person, whether or not the person is an officer of the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, to make such inquiry as the person may deem necessary with reference to anything relating to the administration or enforcement of this Act.

• Appointment of hearing officer

  (2) Where the Minister, pursuant to subsection 231.4(1), authorizes a person to make an inquiry, the Minister shall forthwith apply to the Tax Court of Canada for an order appointing a hearing officer before whom the inquiry will be held.

• Powers of hearing officer

  (3) For the purposes of an inquiry authorized under subsection 231.4(1), a hearing officer appointed under subsection 231.4(2) in relation thereto has all the powers conferred on a commissioner by sections 4 and 5 of the Inquiries Act and that may be conferred on a commissioner under section 11 thereof.

• When powers to be exercised

  (4) A hearing officer appointed under subsection 231.4(2) in relation to an inquiry shall exercise the powers conferred on a commissioner by section 4 of the Inquiries Act in relation to such persons as the person authorized to make the inquiry considers appropriate for the conduct thereof but the hearing officer shall not exercise the power to punish any person unless, on application by the hearing officer, a judge of a superior or county court certifies that the power may be exercised in the matter disclosed in the application and the applicant has given to the person in respect of whom the applicant proposes to exercise the power 24 hours notice of the hearing of the application or such shorter notice as the judge considers reasonable.

• Rights of witness at inquiry

  (5) Any person who gives evidence in an inquiry authorized under subsection 231.4(1) is entitled to be represented by counsel and, on request made by the person to the Minister, to receive a transcript of the evidence given by the person.

• Rights of person whose affairs are investigated

  (6) Any person whose affairs are investigated in the course of an inquiry authorized under subsection 231.4(1) is entitled to be present and to be represented by counsel throughout the inquiry unless the hearing officer appointed under subsection 231.4(2) in relation to the inquiry, on application by the Minister or a person giving evidence, orders otherwise in relation to the whole or any part of the inquiry on the ground that the presence of the person and the person’s counsel, or either of them, would be prejudicial to the effective conduct of the inquiry.