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Bill C-89

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2nd Session, 35th Parliament,
45-46 Elizabeth II, 1996-97

The House of Commons of Canada

BILL C-89

An Act to amend the Customs Act and the Criminal Code

      Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:

R.S., c. 1 (2nd Supp); R.S., c. 7 (2nd Supp.), cc. 26, 41 (3rd Supp.), cc. 1, 47 (4th Supp.); 1988, c. 65; 1990, cc. 8, 16, 17, 36, 45; 1992, cc. 1, 28, 31, 51; 1993, cc. 25, 27, 28, 44; 1994, cc. 13, 37, 47; 1995, cc. 15, 39, 41; 1996, cc. 16, 31, 33

customs act

1. The Customs Act is amended by adding the following after section 163.3:

PART VI.1

ENFORCEMENT OF CRIMINAL OFFENCES OTHER THAN OFFENCES UNDER THIS ACT

Powers of Designated Officers

Designation by Minister

163.4 (1) The Minister may designate any officer for the purposes of this Part and shall furnish the officer with a certificate of designation.

Admissibility of certificate

(2) A certificate of designation is admissible in evidence as proof of an officer's designation without proof of the signature or official character of the person appearing to have signed it.

Powers of designated officers

163.5 (1) In addition to the powers conferred on an officer for the enforcement of this Act, a designated officer who is at a customs office and is performing the normal duties of an officer has, in relation to a criminal offence under any other Act of Parliament, the powers and obligations of a peace officer under sections 495 to 497 of the Criminal Code, and subsections 495(3) and 497(3) of that Act apply to the designated officer as if he or she were a peace officer.

Impaired driving offences

(2) A designated officer who is at a customs office and is performing the normal duties of an officer has the powers and obligations of a peace officer under sections 254 and 256 of the Criminal Code and may, on demanding samples of a person's blood or breath under subsection 254(3) of that Act, require that the person accompany the officer, or a peace officer referred to in paragraph (c) of the definition ``peace officer'' in section 2 of that Act, for the purpose of taking the samples.

Power to detain

(3) A designated officer who arrests a person in the exercise of the powers conferred under subsection (1) may detain the person until the person can be placed in the custody of a peace officer referred to in paragraph (c) of the definition ``peace officer'' in section 2 of the Criminal Code.

Limitation on powers

(4) A designated officer may not use any power conferred on the officer for the enforcement of this Act for the sole purpose of looking for evidence of a criminal offence under any other Act of Parliament.

R.S., c. C-46; R.S., cc. 2, 11, 27, 31, 47, 51, 52 (1st Supp.), cc. 1, 24, 27, 35 (2nd Supp.), cc. 10, 19, 30, 34 (3rd Supp.), cc. 1, 23, 29, 30, 31, 32, 40, 42, 50 (4th Supp.); 1989, c. 2; 1990, cc. 15, 16, 17, 44; 1991, cc. 1, 4, 28, 40, 43; 1992, cc. 1, 11, 20, 21, 22, 27, 38, 41, 47, 51; 1993, cc. 7, 25, 28, 34, 37, 40, 45, 46; 1994, cc. 12, 13, 38, 44; 1995, cc. 5, 19, 22, 27, 29, 32, 39, 42; 1996, cc. 8, 16, 19, 31, 34

criminal code

2. The portion of subsection 498(1) of the Criminal Code before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:

Release from custody by officer in charge

498. (1) Where a person who has been arrested without warrant by a peace officer is taken into custody, or where a person who has been arrested without warrant and delivered to a peace officer under subsection 494(3) or placed in the custody of a peace officer under subsection 163.5(3) of the Customs Act is detained in custody under subsection 503(1) for

3. The portion of subsection 503(1) of the Act before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:

Taking before justice

503. (1) A peace officer who arrests a person with or without warrant or to whom a person is delivered under subsection 494(3) or into whose custody a person is placed under subsection 163.5(3) of the Customs Act shall cause the person to be detained in custody and, in accordance with the following provisions, to be taken before a justice to be dealt with according to law:

COMING INTO FORCE

Coming into force

4. This Act or any of its provisions comes into force on a day or days to be fixed by order of the Governor in Council.