• 1 When an accused is to be tried with a jury, a pre-trial conference shall be held at a time, date, place and manner as directed by a judge of the court, or at such further dates and times as may be ordered by the judge who presides at the pre-trial conference.

• 2 Unless otherwise ordered, the pre-trial conference shall be attended by:

  • (a) the counsel who will represent the accused at trial, or the accused if he does not have counsel; and

  • (b) by the prosecutor who will appear at trial, or a senior counsel in charge of prosecutions.

• 3 The purpose of the pre-trial conference is to consider such matters as will promote a fair and expeditious trial.

• 4 Unless otherwise ordered, a pre-trial conference shall be an informal meeting conducted in chambers at which a full and free discussion of the issues raised may occur without prejudice to the rights of the parties.

• 5 At the pre-trial conference, counsel shall disclose to the judge the nature and particulars of any preliminary motion which counsel intend to make.

• 6 The presiding judge, in his discretion, may direct that such motion be reduced to writing and be heard at such time as he deems fit, prior to the date fixed for trial, or he may direct that the motion be heard at the outset of the trial.

• 7 At the pre-trial conference, counsel shall disclose to the presiding judge the nature and particulars of any matter which may arise in the course of the trial and which would ordinarily be dealt with in the absence of the jury after it has been sworn, and the anticipated length of time which such matter would require for hearing.

• 8 The trial judge, in his discretion, may direct that such matter be dealt with before any juror on a panel of jurors is called, at such date and time as the judge deems fit, or may direct that the matter be dealt with in the absence of the jury after it has been sworn.

• 9 A judge conducting a pre-trial conference shall upon its completion endorse the indictment, or a true copy thereof, as to the date the pre-trial conference was held.

• 10 Nothing contained in these rules shall preclude the court from conducting other informal pre-trial conferences in addition to the mandatory conference provided for in subsection 553.1(2), on such terms as the judge sees fit.

• 11 These Rules come into force on the day section 553.1 of the Criminal Code as enacted by section 127 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1985, S.C. 1985, c. 19, comes into force.

March 25, 1986