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Considering the ATA as an Option to the Inquiry Act
Powers
Overview
As part of British Columbia's administrative
justice reform initiative, the Administrative Tribunals
Act (ATA) was enacted in 2004 to provide British Columbia
tribunals with modern, consistent powers and authorities.
Consideration is now being given to extending those powers
and authorities to other entities.
The first aspect to be considered is whether
to extend the ATA immunity protection, summons powers and
contempt powers to the various entities that still rely on
the Inquiry Act as the basis for their authority in
those areas. There are approximately 50 such entities, and
they include various ministers and statutory decision makers,
certain self governing professional bodies, some local government
entities and several Officers of the Legislature.
These papers are intended to prompt discussion
about the needs of the particular entity and the possibility
of replacing their reliance on Inquiry Act provisions
for immunity protection, summons powers and contempt powers
with the ATA provisions. The next step will be to develop
criteria to determine what is required, and consult with the
affected entities.
Your thoughts and ideas about these Inquiry
Act powers and whether and how they should apply to the
affected entities are important to assist the AJO in developing
criteria, and you are invited to share those thoughts and
ideas with the Ministry of Attorney General's Administrative
Justice Office at:
PO Box 9210 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria, BC
V8W 9J1
Fax: 250-387-0079
Or you can use the Feedback
option on
the AJO Web site at: www.gov.bc.ca/ajo
Submission of comments
by April 28, 2006 would be appreciated.
Statutory
Immunity: A Discussion Paper 
(PDF
- 213KB)
The
Power to Compel Evidence: A Discussion Paper
(PDF
- 199KB)
The
Power to Take Action for Contempt: A Discussion Paper
(PDF
- 184KB)
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