Wage Earner Protection Program Act (S.C. 2005, c. 47, s. 1)

Overpayments

Marginal note:Determination of overpayment

• 32 (1) If the Minister determines that an individual received a payment in an amount greater than the amount that they were eligible to receive, the Minister shall send them a notice

  • (a) informing them of the determination; and

  • (b) specifying the amount that they were not eligible to receive.

• Marginal note:Notification

  (2) The Minister shall also inform the trustee or receiver of the determination and the amount that the individual was not eligible to receive.

• (3) [Repealed, 2018, c. 27, s. 642]

Marginal note:Request for review

32.1 An individual who is informed of the Minister’s determination under subsection 32(1), other than a determination made as a result of a review under section 12, may request a review of the determination.

Marginal note:Review

32.2 The Minister may confirm, vary or rescind a determination made under subsection 32(1).

Marginal note:Notification

32.3 The Minister shall inform the individual and the trustee or receiver of a decision made under section 32.2.

Marginal note:Review is final

32.4 Subject to the right of appeal under section 32.5, the Minister’s confirmation, variation or rescission, as the case may be, is final and may not be questioned or reviewed in any court.

Marginal note:Board

32.41 For the purposes of sections 32.5 to 32.92, the Board is considered to be composed of only the Chairperson and Vice-Chairpersons as its members.

Marginal note:Appeal on question of law or jurisdiction

• 32.5 (1) The individual may appeal the decision made by the Minister under section 32.2 to the Board only on a question of law or jurisdiction.

• Marginal note:Regulations

  (2) The Board may make regulations respecting the period during which and the manner in which an appeal may be made.

Marginal note:Assignment or appointment

• 32.51 (1) The Chairperson of the Board may assign a member of the Board or appoint an external adjudicator to determine an appeal that comes before the Board.

• Marginal note:Powers, duties and functions

  (2) A member of the Board and an external adjudicator have all the powers, duties and functions that are conferred on the Board by any of sections 32.5 to 32.9 with respect to any matter that has been assigned to them or for which they have been appointed, as the case may be, other than the power referred to in subsection 32.5(2).

• Marginal note:Decision of member or external adjudicator

  (3) A decision made by a member of the Board or an external adjudicator under any of sections 32.5 to 32.9 is deemed to be a decision made by the Board.

• Marginal note:Limitation of liability

  (4) A member of the Board and an external adjudicator are not personally liable, either civilly or criminally, for anything done or omitted to be done by them in good faith in the exercise or purported exercise of any power, or in the performance or purported performance of any duty or function, conferred on them under any of sections 32.5 to 32.9.

• Marginal note:Remuneration and expenses — external adjudicator

  (5) An external adjudicator shall be paid the remuneration and the fees that may be fixed by the Chairperson of the Board and is entitled to be paid reasonable travel and living expenses incurred by them in the course of their duties while absent from their ordinary place of residence.

Marginal note:Minister informed of appeal

• 32.6 (1) The Board shall inform the Minister in writing when an appeal is brought and provide him or her with a copy of the request for appeal.

• Marginal note:Board provided with documents

  (2) The Minister shall, on request of the Board, provide the Board with a copy of any document that the Minister relied on for the purpose of making the decision being appealed.

• Marginal note:Minister provided with documents

  (3) The Board shall, on request of the Minister, provide the Minister with a copy of any document that is filed with the Board in the appeal.

• Marginal note:Power of Minister

  (4) The Minister may, in an appeal, make representations to the Board in writing.

Marginal note:Appeal on the record

32.7 The appeal is to be an appeal on the record and no new evidence is admissible.

Marginal note:Board’s decision

32.8 The Board may confirm, vary or rescind the decision made by the Minister under section 32.2.

Marginal note:Copies of decision

32.9 The Board shall send a copy of its decision, and the reasons for it, to each party to the appeal, to the Minister and to the trustee or receiver.

Marginal note:No review by certiorari, etc.

32.91 No order may be made to review, prohibit or restrain and no process entered or proceeding taken to question, review, prohibit or restrain in any court — whether by way of injunction, certiorari, prohibition, quo warranto or otherwise — an action of the Board under any of sections 32.5 to 32.9.

Marginal note:Decision is final

32.92 The Board’s decision is final and shall not be questioned or reviewed in any court.

Marginal note:Debt due to Her Majesty

• 32.93 (1) An amount determined to be owing under section 32, 32.2 or 32.8 constitutes a debt due to Her Majesty in right of Canada and the debt may be recovered by the Minister of National Revenue.

• Marginal note:Certificate of default

  (2) The amount of any debt referred to in subsection (1) may be certified by the Minister, and registration of the certificate in the Federal Court has the same effect as a judgment of that Court for the amount specified in the certificate and all related registration costs.

Marginal note:Garnishment

33 If the Minister is of the opinion that a person is or is about to become liable to pay an amount to an individual who is indebted to Her Majesty under subsection 32.93(1), the Minister may, by written notice, order the person to pay to the Receiver General on account of the individual’s liability all or part of the amount otherwise payable to the individual.

Marginal note:When debt may be recovered

34 Any action to recover a debt under subsection 32.93(2) or section 33 may be taken only after the end of the period within which an individual may request a review under section 32.1 or, if the individual requests a review within that period, after final disposition of the review and any appeals.

Financial Provisions

Marginal note:Payments out of C.R.F.

35 There may be paid out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund all payments authorized to be made under this Act.