Canadian International Trade Tribunal Rules

18 (1) At the time of giving notice of a hearing to be held in any proceeding or at any time after the giving of that notice, the Tribunal may direct that all parties to the proceeding or their counsel appear before the Tribunal or before a member, at a day, time and place fixed by the Tribunal, for a pre-hearing conference for the purpose of making representations, settling questions of procedure or merit before the hearing or receiving guidance from the Tribunal with respect to any of the following matters:

• (a) the clarification and simplification of issues;

• (b) the procedure to be followed at the hearing;

• (c) the mutual exchange between parties to the proceeding of written submissions, exhibits and other material presented or to be presented to the Tribunal;

• (d) the question of whether any written submission, other document or testimony presented or proposed to be presented to the Tribunal contains confidential information;

• (d.1) the question of whether a person who is to appear on behalf of a party is acknowledged by the parties to be an expert;

• (e) the question of the confidential information, if any, to which a person who is to appear on behalf of a party in the capacity of an expert on any matter should be given access; and

• (f) any other matter that is relevant to the proceeding.

(2) Counsel for any party to a proceeding may, if notice of a hearing has been given in the proceeding, make a written request to the Tribunal to direct that a pre-hearing conference be held to consider any matter referred in subrule (1).

(3) On receipt of a request referred to in subrule (2), the Tribunal may direct that a pre-hearing conference be held if it determines that a pre-hearing conference would assist in the orderly conduct of the hearing or in settling questions of merit.

(4) The Tribunal may conduct the pre-hearing conference in any manner that gives the parties or their counsel a fair opportunity to participate.

(5) [Repealed, SOR/2000-139, s. 9]