Section 166 — Oath or affirmation
Text of provision
Proceedings before a Division are to be conducted as follows:
(a) subject to the other provisions of this section, proceedings must be held in public;
(b) on application or on its own initiative, the Division may conduct a proceeding in the absence of the public, or take any other measure that it considers necessary to ensure the confidentiality of the proceedings, if, after having considered all available alternate measures, the Division is satisfied that there is
(i) a serious possibility that the life, liberty or security of a person will be endangered if the proceeding is held in public,
(ii) a real and substantial risk to the fairness of the proceeding such that the need to prevent disclosure outweighs the societal interest that the proceeding be conducted in public, or
(iii) a real and substantial risk that matters involving public security will be disclosed;
(c) subject to paragraph (d), proceedings before the Refugee Protection Division and the Refugee Appeal Division must be held in the absence of the public;
(c.1) subject to paragraph (d), proceedings before the Immigration Division must be held in the absence of the public if they concern a person who is the subject of a proceeding before the Refugee Protection Division or the Refugee Appeal Division that is pending or who has made an application for protection to the Minister that is pending;
(d) on application or on its own initiative, the Division may conduct a proceeding in public, or take any other measure that it considers necessary to ensure the appropriate access to the proceedings if, after having considered all available alternate measures and the factors set out in paragraph (b), the Division is satisfied that it is appropriate to do so;
(e) despite paragraphs (b) to (c.1), a representative or agent of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is entitled to observe proceedings concerning a protected person or a person who has made a claim for refugee protection or an application for protection; and
(f) despite paragraph (e), the representative or agent may not observe any part of the proceedings that deals with information or other evidence in respect of which an application has been made under section 86, and not rejected, or with information or other evidence protected under that section.
Plain English
Section 166 requires that all oral evidence given before any division of the IRB must be given under oath or solemn affirmation. A member of the division may administer the oath or affirmation.
Witnesses who are not competent or willing to take an oath or affirmation may be permitted to affirm in a manner consistent with their beliefs, as provided by the Canada Evidence Act.
Practical effect
The oath requirement reinforces the gravity of the proceeding and creates a legal foundation for perjury charges if false evidence is given. In practice, refugee claimants and witnesses are routinely sworn in at the start of an RPD hearing. The consequences of giving false testimony under oath at the IRB include potential criminal charges under s 127 of IRPA (misrepresentation) and adverse credibility findings that affect the outcome of the claim.