Basic Search

83 (1) A judge may, on ex parte application by the Minister, issue a warrant authorizing any person named in the warrant to enter and search any building, receptacle or place for any record or thing that may afford evidence of the commission of an offence under this Act and to seize the record or thing and, as soon as is practicable, bring it before, or make a report in respect of it to, the judge or, where that judge is unable to act, another judge of the same court, to be dealt with by the judge in accordance with this section.

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(3) A judge may issue a warrant referred to in subsection (1) if the judge is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to believe that

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• (b) a record or thing that may afford evidence of the commission of the offence is likely to be found; and

• (c) the building, receptacle or place specified in the application is likely to contain such a record or thing.

Marginal note:Contents of warrant

(4) A warrant issued under subsection (1) shall refer to the offence for which it is issued, identify the building, receptacle or place to be searched and the person who is alleged to have committed the offence, and it shall be reasonably specific as to any record or thing to be searched for and seized.

Marginal note:Seizure of record

(5) Any person who executes a warrant issued under subsection (1) may seize, in addition to the record or thing referred to in that subsection, any other record or thing that the person believes on reasonable grounds affords evidence of the commission of an offence under this Act and shall, as soon as is practicable, bring the record or thing before, or make a report in respect of it to, the judge who issued the warrant or, if that judge is unable to act, another judge of the same court, to be dealt with by the judge in accordance with this section.

Marginal note:Retention of things seized

(6) Subject to subsection (7), if any record or thing seized under subsection (1) or (5) is brought before a judge or a report in respect of it is made to a judge, the judge shall, unless the Minister waives retention, order that it be retained by the Minister, who shall take reasonable care to ensure that it is preserved until the conclusion of any investigation into the offence in relation to which the record or thing was seized or until it is required to be produced for the purposes of a criminal proceeding.

Marginal note:Return of things seized

(7) If any record or thing seized under subsection (1) or (5) is brought before a judge or a report in respect of it is made to a judge, the judge may, on the judge’s own motion or on summary application by a person with an interest in the record or thing on three clear days notice of application to the Deputy Attorney General of Canada, order that the record or thing be returned to the person from whom it was seized or the person who is otherwise legally entitled to it, if the judge is satisfied that the record or thing

• (a) will not be required for an investigation or a criminal proceeding; or

Marginal note:Access and copies

(8) The person from whom any record or thing is seized under this section is entitled, at all reasonable times and subject to any reasonable conditions that may be imposed by the Minister, to inspect the record or thing and, in the case of a record, to obtain one copy of the record at the expense of the Minister.

84 (1) The following definitions apply in this section.

court of appeal

court of appeal  has the same meaning as in section 2 of the Criminal Code. (cour d’appel)

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(4) Subsections (2) and (3) do not apply in respect of

• (a) criminal proceedings that have been commenced by the laying of an information or the preferring of an indictment under an Act of Parliament;

• (b) any legal proceedings relating to the administration or enforcement of this Act, the Customs Act, the Export and Import Permits Act or any other Act of Parliament or law of a province that provides for the imposition or collection of a tax or duty, before a court of record, including a court of record in a jurisdiction outside Canada; or

• (c) any legal proceedings under an international agreement relating to trade before

  • (i) a court of record, including a court of record in a jurisdiction outside Canada,

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(6) An official may

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• (i) provide access to records of confidential information to the Librarian and Archivist of Canada or a person acting on behalf of or under the direction of the Librarian and Archivist, solely for the purposes of section 12 of the Library and Archives of Canada Act, and transfer such records to the care and control of such persons solely for the purposes of section 13 of that Act;

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• (k) provide confidential information to a police officer, within the meaning assigned by subsection 462.48(17) of the Criminal Code, solely for the purpose of investigating whether an offence has been committed under the Criminal Code, or the laying of an information or the preferring of an indictment, if

  • (i) that information can reasonably be regarded as being relevant for the purpose of ascertaining the circumstances in which an offence under the Criminal Code may have been committed, or the identity of the person or persons who may have committed an offence, with respect to an official, or with respect to any person related to that official,

(7) The person presiding at a legal proceeding relating to the supervision, evaluation or discipline of an authorized person may order any measures that are necessary to ensure that confidential information is not used or provided to any person for any purpose not relating to that proceeding, including

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• (d) sealing the records of the proceeding.