Canada Evidence Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-5)

Marginal note:Disclosure prohibited

• 38.02 (1) Subject to subsection 38.01(6), no person shall disclose in connection with a proceeding

  • (a) information about which notice is given under any of subsections 38.01(1) to (4);

  • (b) the fact that notice is given to the Attorney General of Canada under any of subsections 38.01(1) to (4), or to the Attorney General of Canada and the Minister of National Defence under subsection 38.01(5);

  • (c) the fact that an application is made to the Federal Court under section 38.04 or that an appeal or review of an order made under any of subsections 38.06(1) to (3) in connection with the application is instituted; or

  • (d) the fact that an agreement is entered into under section 38.031 or subsection 38.04(6).

• Marginal note:Entities

  (1.1) When an entity listed in the schedule, for any purpose listed there in relation to that entity, makes a decision or order that would result in the disclosure of sensitive information or potentially injurious information, the entity shall not disclose the information or cause it to be disclosed until notice of intention to disclose the information has been given to the Attorney General of Canada and a period of 10 days has elapsed after notice was given.

• Marginal note:Exceptions

  (2) Disclosure of the information or the facts referred to in subsection (1) is not prohibited if

  • (a) the Attorney General of Canada authorizes the disclosure in writing under section 38.03 or by agreement under section 38.031 or subsection 38.04(6); or

  • (b) a judge authorizes the disclosure under subsection 38.06(1) or (2) or a court hearing an appeal from, or a review of, the order of the judge authorizes the disclosure, and either the time provided to appeal the order or judgment has expired or no further appeal is available.

Marginal note:Authorization by Attorney General of Canada

• 38.03 (1) The Attorney General of Canada may, at any time and subject to any conditions that he or she considers appropriate, authorize the disclosure of all or part of the information and facts the disclosure of which is prohibited under subsection 38.02(1).

• Marginal note:Military proceedings

  (2) In the case of a proceeding under Part III of the National Defence Act, other than a summary hearing as defined in subsection 2(1) of that Act, the Attorney General of Canada may authorize disclosure only with the agreement of the Minister of National Defence.

• Marginal note:Notice

  (3) The Attorney General of Canada shall, within 30 days after the day on which they first receive a notice about information under any of subsections 38.01(1) to (4), notify in writing every person who provided notice under section 38.01 about that information of their decision with respect to disclosure of the information.

Marginal note:Disclosure agreement

• 38.031 (1) The Attorney General of Canada and a person who has given notice under subsection 38.01(1) or (2) and is not required to disclose information but wishes, in connection with a proceeding, to disclose any facts referred to in paragraphs 38.02(1)(b) to (d) or information about which he or she gave the notice, or to cause that disclosure, may, before the person applies to the Federal Court under paragraph 38.04(2)(c), enter into an agreement that permits the disclosure of part of the facts or information or disclosure of the facts or information subject to conditions.

• Marginal note:No application to Federal Court

  (2) If an agreement is entered into under subsection (1), the person may not apply to the Federal Court under paragraph 38.04(2)(c) with respect to the information about which he or she gave notice to the Attorney General of Canada under subsection 38.01(1) or (2).

Marginal note:Application to Federal Court — Attorney General of Canada

• 38.04 (1) The Attorney General of Canada may, at any time and in any circumstances, apply to the Federal Court for an order with respect to the disclosure of information about which notice was given under any of subsections 38.01(1) to (4).

• Marginal note:Application to Federal Court — general

  (2) If, with respect to information about which notice was given under any of subsections 38.01(1) to (4), the Attorney General of Canada does not provide notice of a decision in accordance with subsection 38.03(3) or, other than by an agreement under section 38.031, does not authorize the disclosure of the information or authorizes the disclosure of only part of the information or authorizes the disclosure subject to any conditions,

  • (a) the Attorney General of Canada shall apply to the Federal Court for an order with respect to disclosure of the information if a person who gave notice under subsection 38.01(1) or (2) is a witness;

  • (b) a person, other than a witness, who is required to disclose information in connection with a proceeding shall apply to the Federal Court for an order with respect to disclosure of the information; and

  • (c) a person who is not required to disclose information in connection with a proceeding but who wishes to disclose it or to cause its disclosure may apply to the Federal Court for an order with respect to disclosure of the information.

• Marginal note:Notice to Attorney General of Canada

  (3) A person who applies to the Federal Court under paragraph (2)(b) or (c) shall provide notice of the application to the Attorney General of Canada.

• Marginal note:Court records

  (4) Subject to paragraph (5)(a.1), an application under this section is confidential. During the period when an application is confidential, the Chief Administrator of the Courts Administration Service may, subject to section 38.12, take any measure that he or she considers appropriate to protect the confidentiality of the application and the information to which it relates.

• Marginal note:Procedure

  (5) As soon as the Federal Court is seized of an application under this section, the judge

  • (a) shall hear the representations of the Attorney General of Canada and, in the case of a proceeding under Part III of the National Defence Act, other than a summary hearing as defined in subsection 2(1) of that Act, the Minister of National Defence, with respect to making the application public;

  • (a.1) shall, if he or she decides that the application should be made public, make an order to that effect;

  • (a.2) shall hear the representations of the Attorney General of Canada and, in the case of a proceeding under Part III of the National Defence Act, other than a summary hearing as defined in subsection 2(1) of that Act, the Minister of National Defence, concerning the identity of all parties or witnesses whose interests may be affected by either the prohibition of disclosure or the conditions to which disclosure is subject, and concerning the persons who should be given notice of any hearing of the matter;

  • (b) shall decide whether it is necessary to hold any hearing of the matter;

  • (c) if he or she decides that a hearing should be held, shall

    • (i) determine who should be given notice of the hearing,

    • (ii) order the Attorney General of Canada to notify those persons, and

    • (iii) determine the content and form of the notice; and

  • (d) if he or she considers it appropriate in the circumstances, may give any person the opportunity to make representations.

• Marginal note:Disclosure agreement

  (6) After the Federal Court is seized of an application made under paragraph (2)(c) or, in the case of an appeal from, or a review of, an order of the judge made under any of subsections 38.06(1) to (3) in connection with that application, before the appeal or review is disposed of,

  • (a) the Attorney General of Canada and the person who made the application may enter into an agreement that permits the disclosure of part of the facts referred to in paragraphs 38.02(1)(b) to (d) or part of the information or disclosure of the facts or information subject to conditions; and

  • (b) if an agreement is entered into, the Court’s consideration of the application or any hearing, review or appeal shall be terminated.

• Marginal note:Termination of Court consideration, hearing, review or appeal

  (7) Subject to subsection (6), after the Federal Court is seized of an application made under this section or, in the case of an appeal from, or a review of, an order of the judge made under any of subsections 38.06(1) to (3), before the appeal or review is disposed of, if the Attorney General of Canada authorizes the disclosure of all or part of the information or withdraws conditions to which the disclosure is subject, the Court’s consideration of the application or any hearing, appeal or review shall be terminated in relation to that information, to the extent of the authorization or the withdrawal.

Marginal note:Report relating to proceedings

38.05 If he or she receives notice of a hearing under paragraph 38.04(5)(c), a person presiding or designated to preside at the proceeding to which the information relates or, if no person is designated, the person who has the authority to designate a person to preside may, within 10 days after the day on which he or she receives the notice, provide the judge with a report concerning any matter relating to the proceeding that the person considers may be of assistance to the judge.

Marginal note:Disclosure order

• 38.06 (1) Unless the judge concludes that the disclosure of the information or facts referred to in subsection 38.02(1) would be injurious to international relations or national defence or national security, the judge may, by order, authorize the disclosure of the information or facts.

• Marginal note:Disclosure — conditions

  (2) If the judge concludes that the disclosure of the information or facts would be injurious to international relations or national defence or national security but that the public interest in disclosure outweighs in importance the public interest in non-disclosure, the judge may by order, after considering both the public interest in disclosure and the form of and conditions to disclosure that are most likely to limit any injury to international relations or national defence or national security resulting from disclosure, authorize the disclosure, subject to any conditions that the judge considers appropriate, of all or part of the information or facts, a summary of the information or a written admission of facts relating to the information.

• Marginal note:Order confirming prohibition

  (3) If the judge does not authorize disclosure under subsection (1) or (2), the judge shall, by order, confirm the prohibition of disclosure.

• Marginal note:When determination takes effect

  (3.01) An order of the judge that authorizes disclosure does not take effect until the time provided or granted to appeal the order has expired or, if the order is appealed, the time provided or granted to appeal a judgment of an appeal court that confirms the order has expired and no further appeal from a judgment that confirms the order is available.

• Marginal note:Evidence

  (3.1) The judge may receive into evidence anything that, in the opinion of the judge, is reliable and appropriate, even if it would not otherwise be admissible under Canadian law, and may base his or her decision on that evidence.

• Marginal note:Introduction into evidence

  (4) A person who wishes to introduce into evidence material the disclosure of which is authorized under subsection (2) but who may not be able to do so in a proceeding by reason of the rules of admissibility that apply in the proceeding may request from a judge an order permitting the introduction into evidence of the material in a form or subject to any conditions fixed by that judge, as long as that form and those conditions comply with the order made under subsection (2).

• Marginal note:Relevant factors

  (5) For the purpose of subsection (4), the judge shall consider all the factors that would be relevant for a determination of admissibility in the proceeding.

Marginal note:Notice of order

38.07 The judge may order the Attorney General of Canada to give notice of an order made under any of subsections 38.06(1) to (3) to any person who, in the opinion of the judge, should be notified.

Marginal note:Automatic review

38.08 If the judge determines that a party to the proceeding whose interests are adversely affected by an order made under any of subsections 38.06(1) to (3) was not given the opportunity to make representations under paragraph 38.04(5)(d), the judge shall refer the order to the Federal Court of Appeal for review.

Marginal note:Appeal to Federal Court of Appeal

• 38.09 (1) Subject to subsection (1.1), an order made under any of subsections 38.06(1) to (3) may be appealed to the Federal Court of Appeal.

• Marginal note:Limitation — person charged with offence

  (1.1) A person who is charged with an offence may appeal an order referred to in subsection (1) that is made in relation to a criminal trial or other criminal proceeding only if they are convicted of the offence.

• Marginal note:Limitation period for appeal

  (2) An appeal under this section shall be brought

  • (a) in the case of an appeal permitted under subsection (1.1), after conviction and within the same period in which the accused may appeal from their conviction or any further time that the Court considers appropriate in the circumstances; or

  • (b) in any other case, within 15 days after the day on which the order is made or any further time that the Court considers appropriate in the circumstances.

• Marginal note:Exceptional circumstances

  (3) Despite subsection (1.1) and paragraph (2)(a), the Court may, on application by the person charged with the offence, permit the appeal to be brought before conviction if the Court is satisfied that there are exceptional circumstances that justify doing so.

Marginal note:Limitation periods for appeals to Supreme Court of Canada

38.1 Notwithstanding any other Act of Parliament,

• (a) an application for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada from a judgment made on appeal shall be made within 15 days after the day on which the judgment appealed from is made or within any further time that the Supreme Court of Canada considers appropriate in the circumstances; and

• (b) if leave to appeal is granted, the appeal shall be brought in the manner set out in subsection 60(1) of the Supreme Court Act but within the time specified by the Supreme Court of Canada.

Marginal note:Special rules — hearing in private

• 38.11 (1) The judge conducting a hearing under subsection 38.04(5) or the court hearing an appeal or review of an order made under any of subsections 38.06(1) to (3) may make an order that the hearing be held, or the appeal or review be heard, in private.

• Marginal note:Special rules — hearing in National Capital Region

  (1.1) A hearing under subsection 38.04(5) or an appeal or review of an order made under any of subsections 38.06(1) to (3) shall, at the request of either the Attorney General of Canada or, in the case of a proceeding under Part III of the National Defence Act, other than a summary hearing as defined in subsection 2(1) of that Act, the Minister of National Defence, be held or heard, as the case may be, in the National Capital Region, as described in the schedule to the National Capital Act.

• Marginal note:Ex parte representations

  (2) The judge conducting a hearing under subsection 38.04(5) or the court hearing an appeal or review of an order made under any of subsections 38.06(1) to (3) may give any person who makes representations under paragraph 38.04(5)(d), and shall give the Attorney General of Canada and, in the case of a proceeding under Part III of the National Defence Act, other than a summary hearing as defined in subsection 2(1) of that Act, the Minister of National Defence, the opportunity to make representations ex parte.

• Marginal note:Ex parte representations — public hearing

  (3) If a hearing under subsection 38.04(5) is held, or an appeal or review of an order made under any of subsections 38.06(1) to (3) is heard, in public, any ex parte representations made in that hearing, appeal or review shall be made in private.