Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Resources Accord Implementation Act (S.C. 1988, c. 28)

Marginal note:Authority to issue warrant

• 197.1 (1) On ex parte application, a justice of the peace may issue a warrant if the justice is satisfied by information on oath that there are reasonable grounds to believe that there is in any place anything that will provide evidence or information relating to the commission of an offence under this Part.

• Marginal note:Powers under warrant

  (2) The warrant may authorize an operational safety officer, the Chief Safety Officer, a conservation officer or the Chief Conservation Officer, and any other individual named in the warrant, to at any time enter and search the place and to seize anything specified in the warrant, or do any of the following as specified in it, subject to any conditions that may be specified in it:

  • (a) conduct examinations, tests or monitoring;

  • (b) take samples for examination or testing, and dispose of those samples; or

  • (c) take photographs or measurements, make recordings or drawings, or use systems in the place that capture images.

• Marginal note:Where warrant not necessary

  (3) An operational safety officer, the Chief Safety Officer, a conservation officer or the Chief Conservation Officer may exercise the powers described in this section without a warrant if the conditions for obtaining the warrant exist but by reason of exigent circumstances it would not be feasible to obtain one.

• Marginal note:Exigent circumstances

  (4) Exigent circumstances include circumstances in which the delay necessary to obtain the warrant would result in danger to human life or the environment or the loss or destruction of evidence.

• Marginal note:Operation of computer system and copying equipment

  (5) An individual authorized under this section to search a computer system in a place may

  • (a) use or cause to be used any computer system at the place to search any data contained in or available to the computer system;

  • (b) reproduce or cause to be reproduced any data in the form of a printout or other intelligible output;

  • (c) seize any printout or other output for examination or copying; and

  • (d) use or cause to be used any copying equipment at the place to make copies of the data.

• Marginal note:Duty of person in charge of place

  (6) Every person who is in charge of a place in respect of which a search is carried out under this section shall, on presentation of the warrant, permit the individual carrying out the search to do anything described in subsection (5).

• Marginal note:Transportation, accommodation and food

  (7) The person in charge of a marine installation or structure, as defined in subsection 210.001(1), shall provide to an individual who is executing a warrant under this section at the marine installation or structure, free of charge,

  • (a) suitable return transportation between the marine installation or structure and any location from which transportation services to that marine installation or structure are usually provided, and between marine installations or structures, if the marine installation or structure or marine installations or structures are situated in the offshore area; and

  • (b) suitable accommodation and food at the marine installation or structure.

• Marginal note:Telewarrant provisions to apply

  (8) A warrant may be issued under this section by telephone or other means of telecommunication on information submitted by an operational safety officer, the Chief Safety Officer, a conservation officer or the Chief Conservation Officer by one of those means, and section 487.1 of the Criminal Code applies for that purpose, with any modifications that the circumstances require.