Examination of witnesses

Canada

Canada - Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Act 1985 (2019) EN/FR

PART I FOREIGN INVESTIGATIONS OR OTHER PROCEEDINGS IN RESPECT OF OFFENCES
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22.1 (1) If the Minister approves a request of a state or entity to compel a person to provide evidence or a statement regarding an offence by means of technology that permits the virtual presence of the person in the territory over which the state or entity has jurisdiction, or that permits the parties and the court to hear and examine the witness, the Minister shall provide a competent authority with any documents or information necessary to apply for the order.
(2) The competent authority who is provided with the documents or information shall apply ex parte to a judge of the province in which the person may be found for an order for the taking of the evidence or statement from the person under subsection (1).

22.2 (1) The judge may make the order if satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to believe that
(a) an offence has been committed; and
(b) the state or entity believes that the person's evidence or statement would be relevant to the investigation or prosecution of the offence.
(2) An order made under subsection (1) shall order the person
(a) to attend at the place fixed by the judge for the taking of the evidence or statement by means of the technology and to remain in attendance until the person is excused by the authorities of the state or entity;
(b) to answer any questions put to the person by the authorities of the state or entity or by any person authorized by those authorities, in accordance with the law that applies to the state or entity;
(c) to make a copy of a record or to make a record from data and to bring the copy or record, when appropriate; and
(d) to bring any record or thing in his or her possession or control, when appropriate, in order to show it to the authorities by means of the technology.
(3) An order made under subsection (1) may be executed anywhere in Canada.
(4) An order made under subsection (1) may include any terms or conditions that the judge considers desirable, including those relating to the protection of the interests of the person named in it and of third parties.
(5) The judge who made the order under subsection (1) or another judge of the same court may vary its terms and conditions.
(6) A person named in an order made under subsection (1) is entitled to be paid the travel and living expenses to which the person would be entitled if the person were required to attend as a witness before the judge who made the order.

22.3 For greater certainty, when a witness gives evidence or a statement pursuant to an order made under section 22.2, the evidence or statement shall be given as though the witness were physically before the court or tribunal outside Canada, for the purposes of the laws relating to evidence and procedure but only to the extent that giving the evidence would not disclose information otherwise protected by the Canadian law of non-disclosure of information or privilege.

22.4 When a witness gives evidence under section 22.2, the Canadian law relating to contempt of court applies with respect to a refusal by the person to answer a question or to produce a record or thing as ordered by the judge under that section.

Rome Statute

Article 93 Other forms of cooperation

1. States Parties shall, in accordance with the provisions of this Part and under procedures of national law, comply with requests by the Court to provide the following assistance in relation to investigations or prosecutions:

(c) The questioning of any person being investigated or prosecuted;