Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act - Canada

B-3

An Act respecting bankruptcy and insolvency

1. This Act may be cited as the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act.

R.S., 1985, c. B-3, s. 1; 1992, c. 27, s. 2.

2. In this Act,

“affidavit” includes statutory declaration and solemn affirmation;

“aircraft objects” has the same meaning as in subsection 2(1) of the International Interests in Mobile Equipment (aircraft equipment) Act;

“application”, with respect to a bankruptcy application filed in a court in the Province of Quebec, means a motion;

“assignment” means an assignment filed with the official receiver;

“bank” means

(a) every bank and every authorized foreign bank within the meaning of section 2 of the Bank Act,

(b) every other member of the Canadian Payments Association established by the Canadian Payments Act, and

(c) every local cooperative credit society, as defined in subsection 2(1) of the Act referred to in paragraph (b), that is a member of a central cooperative credit society, as defined in that subsection, that is a member of that Association;

“bankrupt” means a person who has made an assignment or against whom a bankruptcy order has been made or the legal status of that person;

“bankruptcy” means the state of being bankrupt or the fact of becoming bankrupt;

“child”[Repealed, 2000, c. 12, s. 8]

“claim provable in bankruptcy”, “provable claim” or “claim provable” includes any claim or liability provable in proceedings under this Act by a creditor;

“common-law partner”, in relation to an individual, means a person who is cohabiting with the individual in a conjugal relationship, having so cohabited for a period of at least one year;

“common-law partnership” means the relationship between two persons who are common-law partners of each other;

“corporation” includes any company or legal person incorporated by or under an Act of Parliament or of any province, and any incorporated company, wherever incorporated, that is authorized to carry on business in Canada or that has an office or property in Canada, but does not include banks, authorized foreign banks within the meaning of section 2 of the Bank Act, insurance companies, trust companies, loan companies or railway companies;

“court”, except in paragraphs 178(1)(a) and (a.1) and sections 204.1 to 204.3 and subject to subsection 243(1), means the court having jurisdiction in bankruptcy or a judge thereof, and includes a registrar when exercising the powers of the court conferred on a registrar under this Act;

“creditor” means a person having a claim, unsecured, preferred by virtue of priority under section 136 or secured, provable as a claim under this Act;

“date of the initial bankruptcy event”, in respect of a person, means the earliest of the date of filing of or making of

(a) an assignment by or in respect of the person,

(b) a proposal by or in respect of the person,

(c) a notice of intention by the person,

(d) the first application for a bankruptcy order against the person, in any case

(i) referred to in paragraph 50.4(8)(a) or 57(a) or subsection 61(2), or

(ii) in which a notice of intention to make a proposal has been filed under section 50.4 or a proposal has been filed under section 62 in respect of the person and the person files an assignment before the court has approved the proposal, or

(e) the application in respect of which a bankruptcy order is made, in the case of an application other than one referred to in paragraph (d);

“debtor” includes an insolvent person and any person who, at the time an act of bankruptcy was committed by him, resided or carried on business in Canada and, where the context requires, includes a bankrupt;

“executing officer” includes a sheriff, a bailiff and any officer charged with the execution of a writ or other process under this Act or any other Act or proceeding with respect to any property of a debtor;

“General Rules” means the General Rules referred to in section 209;

“insolvent person” means a person who is not bankrupt and who resides, carries on business or has property in Canada, whose liabilities to creditors provable as claims under this Act amount to one thousand dollars, and

(a) who is for any reason unable to meet his obligations as they generally become due,

(b) who has ceased paying his current obligations in the ordinary course of business as they generally become due, or

(c) the aggregate of whose property is not, at a fair valuation, sufficient, or, if disposed of at a fairly conducted sale under legal process, would not be sufficient to enable payment of all his obligations, due and accruing due;

“legal counsel” means any person qualified, in accordance with the laws of a province, to give legal advice;

“locality of a debtor” means the principal place

(a) where the debtor has carried on business during the year immediately preceding his bankruptcy,

(b) where the debtor has resided during the year immediately preceding his bankruptcy, or

(c) in cases not coming within paragraph (a) or (b), where the greater portion of the property of the debtor is situated;

“Minister” means the Minister of Industry;

“official receiver” means an officer appointed under subsection 12(2);

“person” includes a partnership, an unincorporated association, a corporation, a cooperative society or an organization, the successors of a partnership, association, corporation, society or organization, and the heirs, executors, liquidators of the succession, administrators or other legal representative of a person, according to the law of that part of Canada to which the context extends;

“prescribed”

(a) in the case of the form of a document that is by this Act to be prescribed and the information to be given therein, means prescribed by directive issued by the Superintendent under paragraph 5(4)(e), and

(b) in any other case, means prescribed by the General Rules;

“property” means any type of property, whether situated in Canada or elsewhere, and includes money, goods, things in action, land and every description of property, whether real or person­al, legal or equitable, as well as obligations, easements and every description of estate, interest and profit, present or future, vested or contingent, in, arising out of or incident to property;

“proposal” means

(a) in any provision of Division I of Part III, a proposal made under that Division, and

(b) in any other provision, a proposal made under Division I of Part III or a consumer proposal made under Division II of Part III

and includes a proposal or consumer proposal, as the case may be, for a composition, for an extension of time or for a scheme or arrangement;

“public utility” includes a person or body who supplies fuel, water or electricity, or supplies telecommunications, garbage collection, pollution control or postal services;

“resolution” or “ordinary resolution” means a resolution carried in the manner provided by section 115;

“secured creditor” means a person holding a mortgage, hypothec, pledge, charge or lien on or against the property of the debtor or any part of that property as security for a debt due or accruing due to the person from the debtor, or a person whose claim is based on, or secured by, a negotiable instrument held as collateral security and on which the debtor is only indirectly or secondarily liable, and includes

(a) a person who has a right of retention or a prior claim constituting a real right, within the meaning of the Civil Code of Québec or any other statute of the Province of Quebec, on or against the property of the debtor or any part of that property, or

(b) any of

(i) the vendor of any property sold to the debtor under a conditional or instalment sale,

(ii) the purchaser of any property from the debtor subject to a right of redemption, or

(iii) the trustee of a trust constituted by the debtor to secure the performance of an obligation,

if the exercise of the person’s rights is subject to the provisions of Book Six of the Civil Code of Québec entitled Prior Claims and Hypothecs that deal with the exercise of hypothecary rights;

“settlement” includes a contract, covenant, transfer, gift and designation of beneficiary in an insurance contract, to the extent that the contract, covenant, transfer, gift or designation is gratuitous or made for merely nominal consideration;

“sheriff”[Repealed, 2004, c. 25, s. 7]

“special resolution” means a resolution decided by a majority in number and three-fourths in value of the creditors with proven claims present, personally or by proxy, at a meeting of creditors and voting on the resolution;

“Superintendent” means the Superintendent of Bankruptcy appointed under subsection 5(1);

“Superintendent of Financial Institutions” means the Superintendent of Financial Institutions appointed under subsection 5(1) of the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions Act;

“trustee” or “licensed trustee” means a person who is licensed or appointed under this Act.

R.S., 1985, c. B-3, s. 2; R.S., 1985, c. 31 (1st Supp.), s. 69; 1992, c. 1, s. 145(F), c. 27, s. 3; 1995, c. 1, s. 62; 1997, c. 12, s. 1; 1999, c. 28, s. 146, c. 31, s. 17; 2000, c. 12, s. 8; 2001, c. 4, s. 25, c. 9, s. 572; 2004, c. 25, s. 7; 2005, c. 3, s. 11.

2.1 For the purposes of this Act, the bankruptcy or putting into bankruptcy of a person occurs at the time or date of

(a) the granting of a bankruptcy order against the person;

(b) the filing of an assignment by or in respect of the person; or

(c) the event that causes an assignment by the person to be deemed.

1997, c. 12, s. 2; 2004, c. 25, s. 8.

2.2 Any notification, document or other information that is required by this Act to be given, forwarded, mailed, sent or otherwise provided to the Superintendent, other than an application for a licence under subsection 13(1), shall be given, forwarded, mailed, sent or otherwise provided to the Superintendent at the Superintendent’s division office as specified in directives of the Superintendent.

1997, c. 12, s. 2.

3. (1) For the purposes of this Act, a person who has entered into a transaction with another person otherwise than at arm’s length shall be deemed to have entered into a reviewable transaction.

(2) It is a question of fact whether persons not related to one another within the meaning of section 4 were at a particular time dealing with each other at arm’s length.

(3) Persons related to each other within the meaning of section 4 shall be deemed not to deal with each other at arm’s length while so related.

R.S., 1985, c. B-3, s. 3; 1997, c. 12, s. 3(F).

4. (1) In this section,

“related group” means a group of persons each member of which is related to every other member of the group;

“unrelated group” means a group of persons that is not a related group.

(2) For the purposes of this Act, persons are related to each other and are “related persons” if they are

(a) individuals connected by blood relationship, marriage, common-law partnership or adoption;

(b) a corporation and

(i) a person who controls the corporation, if it is controlled by one person,

(ii) a person who is a member of a related group that controls the corporation, or

(iii) any person connected in the manner set out in paragraph (a) to a person described in subparagraph (i) or (ii); or

(c) two corporations

(i) controlled by the same person or group of persons,

(ii) each of which is controlled by one person and the person who controls one of the corporations is related to the person who controls the other corporation,

(iii) one of which is controlled by one person and that person is related to any member of a related group that controls the other corporation,

(iv) one of which is controlled by one person and that person is related to each member of an unrelated group that controls the other corporation,

(v) one of which is controlled by a related group a member of which is related to each member of an unrelated group that controls the other corporation, or

(vi) one of which is controlled by an unrelated group each member of which is related to at least one member of an unrelated group that controls the other corporation.

(3) For the purposes of this section,

(a) where two corporations are related to the same corporation within the meaning of subsection (2), they shall be deemed to be related to each other;

(b) where a related group is in a position to control a corporation, it shall be deemed to be a related group that controls the corporation whether or not it is part of a larger group by whom the corporation is in fact controlled;

(c) a person who has a right under a contract, in equity or otherwise, either immediately or in the future and either absolutely or contingently, to, or to acquire, shares in a corporation, or to control the voting rights of shares in a corporation, shall, except where the contract provides that the right is not exercisable until the death of an individual designated therein, be deemed to have the same position in relation to the control of the corporation as if he owned the shares;

(d) where a person owns shares in two or more corporations, he shall, as shareholder of one of the corporations, be deemed to be related to himself as shareholder of each of the other corporations;

(e) persons are connected by blood relationship if one is the child or other descendant of the other or one is the brother or sister of the other;

(f) persons are connected by marriage if one is married to the other or to a person who is connected by blood relationship or adoption to the other;

(f.1) persons are connected by common-law partnership if one is in a common-law partnership with the other or with a person who is connected by blood relationship or adoption to the other; and

(g) persons are connected by adoption if one has been adopted, either legally or in fact, as the child of the other or as the child of a person who is connected by blood relationship, otherwise than as a brother or sister, to the other.

R.S., 1985, c. B-3, s. 4; 2000, c. 12, s. 9; 2004, c. 25, s. 9(F).

4.1 This Act is binding on Her Majesty in right of Canada or a province.

1992, c. 27, s. 4.

5. (1) The Governor in Council shall appoint a Superintendent of Bankruptcy to hold office during pleasure who shall be paid such salary as the Governor in Council may fix.

(2) The Superintendent shall supervise the administration of all estates and matters to which this Act applies.

(3) The Superintendent shall, without limiting the authority conferred by subsection (2),

(a) receive applications for licences to act as trustees under this Act and issue licences to persons whose applications have been approved;

(b) [Repealed, 1992, c. 27, s. 5]

(c) where not otherwise provided for, require the deposit of one or more continuing guaranty bonds or continuing suretyships as security for the due accounting of all property received by trustees and for the due and faithful performance by them of their duties in the administration of estates to which they are appointed, in any amount that the Superintendent may determine, which amount may be increased or decreased as the Superintendent may deem expedient, and the security shall be in a form satisfactory to the Superintendent and may be enforced by the Superintendent for the benefit of the creditors;

(d) [Repealed, 1992, c. 27, s. 5]

(e) from time to time make or cause to be made such inspection or investigation of estates or other matters to which this Act applies, including the conduct of a trustee or a trustee acting as a receiver or interim receiver, as the Superintendent may deem expedient and for the purpose of the inspection or investigation the Superintendent or any person appointed by the Superintendent for the purpose shall have access to and the right to examine and make copies of all books, records, data, including data in electronic form, documents and papers pertaining or relating to any estate or other matter to which this Act applies;

(f) receive and keep a record of all complaints from any creditor or other person interested in any estate and make such specific investigations with regard to such complaints as the Superintendent may determine; and

(g) examine trustees' accounts of receipts and disbursements and final statements.

(4) The Superintendent may

(a) intervene in any matter or proceeding in court, where the Superintendent considers it expedient to do so, as if the Superintendent were a party thereto;

(b) issue, to official receivers, trustees, administrators of consumer proposals made under Division II of Part III and persons who provide counselling pursuant to this Act, directives with respect to the administration of this Act and, without restricting the generality of the foregoing, directives requiring them

(i) to keep such records as the Superintendent may require, and

(ii) to provide the Superintendent with such information as the Superintendent may require;

(c) issue such directives as may be necessary to give effect to any decision made by the Superintendent pursuant to this Act or to facilitate the carrying out of the purposes and provisions of this Act and the General Rules, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, directives relating to the powers, duties and functions of trustees, of receivers and of administrators as defined in section 66.11;

(d) issue directives governing the criteria to be applied by the Superintendent in determining whether a trustee licence is to be issued to a person and governing the qualifications and activities of trustees; and

(e) issue directives prescribing the form of any document that is by this Act to be prescribed and the information to be given therein.

(5) Every person to whom a directive is issued by the Superintendent under paragraph (4)(b) or (c) shall comply with the directive in the manner and within the time specified therein.

(6) A directive issued by the Superintendent under this section shall be deemed not to be a statutory instrument within the meaning and for the purposes of the Statutory Instruments Act.

R.S., 1985, c. B-3, s. 5; 1992, c. 27, s. 5; 1997, c. 12, s. 4; 2001, c. 4, s. 26(E).

6. (1) The Superintendent may engage such persons as the Superintendent may deem advisable to conduct any inspection or investigation or to take any other necessary action outside of the office of the Superintendent, and the cost and expenses thereof shall, when certified by the Superintendent, be payable out of the appropriation for the office of the Superintendent.

(2) The Superintendent, or any one duly authorized by him in writing on his behalf, is entitled to have access to and to examine and make copies of the banking accounts of a trustee in which estate funds may have been deposited, and, when required, all deposit slips, cancelled cheques or other documents relating thereto in the custody of the bank or the trustee shall be produced for examination.

(3) The Superintendent, or anyone duly authorized in writing by or on behalf of the Superintendent, may with the leave of the court granted on an ex parte application examine the books, records, documents and deposit accounts of a trustee or any other person designated in the order granting that leave for the purpose of tracing or discovering the property or funds of an estate when there are reasonable grounds to believe or suspect that the property or funds of an estate have not been properly disclosed or dealt with and for that purpose may under a warrant from the court enter on and search any premises.

(4) Where the Superintendent, on ex parte application, satisfies the court that it is necessary and in the public interest to do so, the court may issue an order directing a deposit-taking institution that holds a deposit account of a trustee or such other person as is designated in the order not to make payments out of the account until such time as the court otherwise directs.

R.S., 1985, c. B-3, s. 6; 1997, c. 12, s. 5.

7. and 8. [Repealed, 1992, c. 27, s. 6]

9. Such employees as are required to assist the Superintendent to perform his functions under this Act shall be appointed in accordance with the Public Service Employment Act.

R.S., c. B-3, s. 5.

10. (1) Where, on information supplied by an official receiver, trustee or other person, the Superintendent suspects, on reasonable grounds, that a person has, in connection with any estate or matter to which this Act applies, committed an offence under this Act or any other Act of Parliament, the Superintendent may, if it appears to the Superintendent that the alleged offence might not otherwise be investigated, make or cause to be made such inquiries or investigations as the Superintendent deems expedient with respect to the conduct, dealings and transactions of the debtor concerned, the causes of the bankruptcy or insolvency of the debtor and the disposition of the property of the debtor.

(2) [Repealed, 1992, c. 27, s. 7]

(3) If, on the application of the Superintendent or the Superintendent’s authorized representative, a subpoena has been issued by the court, the Superintendent may, for the purpose of an investigation under subsection (1), examine or cause to be examined under oath before the registrar of the court or other authorized person, the debtor, any person who the Superintendent suspects, on reasonable grounds, has knowledge of the affairs of the debtor, or any person who is or has been an agent or a mandatary, or a clerk, a servant, an officer, a director or an employee of the debtor, with respect to the conduct, dealings and transactions of the debtor, the causes of the bankruptcy or insolvency of the debtor, and the disposition of the property of the debtor, and may order any person liable to be so examined to produce any books, records, papers or documents in the person’s possession or under the control of the person relating to the debtor and the conduct, dealings and transactions of the debtor, the causes of the bankruptcy or insolvency of the debtor or the disposition of the debtor’s property.

(4) A person being examined pursuant to this section is bound to answer all questions relating to the conduct, dealings and transactions of the debtor, the causes of the debtor’s bankruptcy or insolvency and the disposition of the debtor’s property.

(5) Where a person being examined pursuant to this section objects to answering any question on the ground that his answer may tend to criminate him or may tend to establish his liability to a civil proceeding at the instance of the Crown or of any person and if, but for this section or section 5 of the Canada Evidence Act, he would have been excused from answering that question, the answer so given shall not be used or admitted in evidence against him in any proceeding, civil or criminal, thereafter taking place other than a prosecution for perjury in the giving of that evidence.

(6) No person shall hinder, molest or interfere with any person doing anything that he is authorized by or pursuant to this section to do, or prevent or attempt to prevent any person doing any such thing, and, notwithstanding any other Act or law, every person shall, unless he is unable to do so, do everything he is required by or pursuant to this section to do.

(7) Where any book, record, paper or other document is examined or produced in accordance with this section, the person by whom it is examined or to whom it is produced or the Superintendent may make or cause to be made one or more copies thereof, and a document purporting to be certified by the Superintendent or a person thereunto authorized by him to be a copy made pursuant to this section is admissible in evidence and has the same probative force as the original document would have if it were proven in the ordinary way.

R.S., 1985, c. B-3, s. 10; 1992, c. 27, s. 7; 2004, c. 25, s. 10.

11. (1) Where after an investigation pursuant to section 10 or otherwise the Superintendent has obtained evidence of an offence having been committed in connection with an estate or matter to which this Act applies, the Superintendent shall report the alleged offence to the deputy attorney general of the province concerned or to such person as is duly designated by that deputy attorney general for that purpose.

(2) Notwithstanding section 136, a recovery made as the result of any inquiries or investigation made or caused to be made pursuant to section 10 shall be applied to the reimbursement of any costs and expenses incurred by the Superintendent thereon, not being ordinary costs or expenses of the office of the Superintendent, and the balance thereafter remaining in respect of the recovery shall be made available for the benefit of the creditors of the debtor.

R.S., 1985, c. B-3, s. 11; 1992, c. 27, s. 8; 2004, c. 25, s. 11(F).

11.1 (1) The Superintendent shall keep, or cause to be kept, in such form as the Superintendent deems appropriate and for the prescribed period, a public record of

(a) proposals,

(b) bankruptcies,

(c) licences issued to trustees by the Superintendent, and appointments or designations of administrators made by the Superintendent, and

(d) notices sent to the Superintendent by receivers pursuant to subsection 245(1)

and, on request therefor and on payment of such fee as may be prescribed, shall provide, or cause to be provided, any information contained in that public record.

(2) The Superintendent shall keep, or cause to be kept, in such form as the Superintendent deems appropriate and for the prescribed period, such other records relating to the administration of this Act as the Superintendent deems advisable.

1992, c. 27, s. 8.

12. (1) Each of the provinces constitutes one bankruptcy district for the purposes of this Act but the Governor in Council may divide any bankruptcy district into two or more bankruptcy divisions and name or number them.

(2) The Governor in Council shall appoint one or more official receivers in each bankruptcy division who shall be deemed to be officers of the court and shall have and perform the duties and responsibilities specified by this Act and the General Rules.

(3) The official receiver shall make a report to the Superintendent, in the prescribed form, of every bankruptcy originating in his division, and he shall also notify the Superintendent of any subsequent increase or decrease in the security filed by the trustee.

(4) In the absence or illness of the official receiver or pending the appointment of a successor when the office is vacant, the registrar of the court shall perform the duties of the official receiver.

R.S., c. B-3, s. 8.

13. (1) A person who wishes to obtain a licence to act as a trustee shall file with the Superintendent an application for a licence in the prescribed form.

(2) The Superintendent, after such investigation concerning an applicant for a licence to act as a trustee as the Superintendent considers necessary, may issue the licence if the Superintendent is satisfied, having regard to the criteria referred to in paragraph 5(4)(d), that the applicant is qualified to obtain the licence.

(3) The Superintendent may refuse to issue a licence to an applicant who is insolvent or has been convicted of an indictable offence.

R.S., 1985, c. B-3, s. 13; 1992, c. 27, s. 9; 1997, c. 12, s. 6.

13.1 A licence shall

(a) be in the prescribed form;

(b) specify the bankruptcy district or part thereof in which the trustee is entitled to act; and

(c) be subject to such conditions and limitations as the Superintendent considers appropriate and may specify therein.

1992, c. 27, s. 9; 1997, c. 12, s. 7.

13.2 (1) Prior to the issue of a licence, the applicant shall pay such fees as may be prescribed.

(2) On the December 31 following the day on which a licence is issued, and on December 31 in each year thereafter, the trustee shall pay such fees as may be prescribed.

(3) A licence ceases to be valid on the failure of the trustee to pay a fee in accordance with subsection (2) or if the trustee becomes bankrupt.

(4) Where a licence has ceased to be valid by reason of

(a) failure to pay fees, the Superintendent may reinstate it where the trustee pays the outstanding fees together with a prescribed penalty amount and provides a reasonable written explanation of the failure to pay them in accordance with subsection (2); or

(b) the trustee becoming bankrupt, the Superintendent may, on written representations made by the trustee, reinstate the licence subject to such conditions and limitations as the Superintendent considers appropriate and may specify therein.

(5) A licence may be suspended or cancelled by the Superintendent

(a) if the trustee is convicted of an indictable offence;

(b) if the trustee has failed to comply with any of the conditions or limitations to which the licence is subject;

(c) if the trustee has ceased to act as a trustee; or

(d) at the request of the trustee.

(6) Notice of an intended decision under subsection (5) shall be in writing setting out the Superintendent’s reasons therefor and shall be sent to the trustee at least ten days before the decision takes effect.

(7) If a licence ceases to be valid by virtue of subsection (3) or is suspended or cancelled under subsection (5), the Superintendent may impose on the trustee any requirements that the Superintendent considers appropriate, including a requirement that the trustee provide security for the protection of an estate.

(8) For greater certainty, section 14.02 does not apply in respect of a suspension or cancellation of a licence under subsection (5).

1992, c. 27, s. 9; 1997, c. 12, s. 8; 2004, c. 25, s. 12.

13.3 (1) Except with the permission of the court and on such conditions as the court may impose, no trustee shall act as trustee in relation to the estate of a debtor

(a) where the trustee is, or at any time during the two preceding years was,

(i) a director or officer of the debtor,

(ii) an employer or employee of the debtor or of a director or officer of the debtor,

(iii) related to the debtor or to any director or officer of the debtor, or

(iv) the auditor, accountant or legal counsel, or a partner or an employee of the auditor, accountant or legal counsel, of the debtor; or

(b) where the trustee is

(i) the trustee under a trust indenture issued by the debtor or any person related to the debtor, or the holder of a power of attorney under an act constituting a hypothec within the meaning of the Civil Code of Québec that is granted by the debtor or any person related to the debtor, or

(ii) related to the trustee, or the holder of a power of attorney, referred to in subparagraph (i).

(2) No trustee shall act as a trustee in relation to the estate of a debtor where the trustee is already

(a) the trustee in the bankruptcy of, or in a proposal concerning, any person related to the debtor, or

(b) the receiver or the liquidator of the property of any person related to the debtor,

without making, at the time of being appointed as trustee in relation to the estate of the debtor and at the first meeting of creditors, full disclosure of that fact and of the potential conflict of interest.

1992, c. 27, s. 9; 1997, c. 12, s. 9(F); 2004, c. 25, s. 13.

13.4 (1) No trustee shall, while acting as the trustee of an estate, act for or assist a secured creditor of the estate to assert any claim against the estate or to realize or otherwise deal with the security that the secured creditor holds, unless the trustee has obtained a written opinion of a legal counsel who does not act for the secured creditor that the security is valid and enforceable as against the estate.

(1.1) Forthwith on commencing to act for or assist a secured creditor of the estate in the manner set out in subsection (1), a trustee shall notify the Superintendent and the creditors or the inspectors

(a) that the trustee is acting for the secured creditor;

(b) of the basis of any remuneration from the secured creditor; and

(c) of the opinion referred to in subsection (1).

(2) Within two days after receiving a request therefor, a trustee shall provide the Superintendent with a copy of the opinion referred to in subsection (1) and shall also provide a copy to each creditor who has made a request therefor.

1992, c. 27, s. 9; 1997, c. 12, s. 10; 2004, c. 25, s. 14(E).

13.5 A trustee shall comply with such code of ethics respecting the conduct of trustees as may be prescribed.

1992, c. 27, s. 9.

13.6 A trustee shall not engage the services of a person whose trustee licence has been cancelled under paragraph 13.2(5)(a) or subsection 14.01(1).

1997, c. 12, s. 11.

14. The creditors may, at any meeting by special resolution, appoint or substitute another licensed trustee for the trustee named in an assignment, a bankruptcy order or a proposal, or otherwise appointed or substituted.

R.S., 1985, c. B-3, s. 14; 1992, c. 27, s. 9; 2004, c. 25, s. 15.

14.01 (1) Where, after making or causing to be made an investigation into the conduct of a trustee, it appears to the Superintendent that

(a) a trustee has not properly performed the duties of a trustee or has been guilty of any improper management of an estate,

(b) a trustee has not fully complied with this Act, the General Rules, directives of the Superintendent or any law with regard to the proper administration of any estate, or

(c) it is in the public interest to do so,

the Superintendent may do one or more of the following:

(d) cancel or suspend the licence of the trustee;

(e) place such conditions or limitations on the licence as the Superintendent considers appropriate including a requirement that the trustee successfully take an exam or enrol in a proficiency course, and

(f) require the trustee to make restitution to the estate of such amount of money as the estate has been deprived of as a result of the trustee’s conduct.

(1.1) This section and section 14.02 apply, in so far as they are applicable, in respect of former trustees, with such modifications as the circumstances require.

(2) The Superintendent may delegate by written instrument, on such terms and conditions as are therein specified, any or all of the Superintendent’s powers, duties and functions under subsection (1), subsection 13.2(5), (6) or (7) or section 14.02 or 14.03.

(3) Where the Superintendent delegates in accordance with subsection (2), the Superintendent or the delegate shall

(a) where there is a delegation in relation to trustees generally, give written notice of the delegation to all trustees; and

(b) whether or not paragraph (a) applies, give written notice of the delegation of a power to any trustee who may be affected by the exercise of that power, either before the power is exercised or at the time the power is exercised.

1992, c. 27, s. 9; 1997, c. 12, s. 12.

14.02 (1) Where the Superintendent intends to exercise any of the powers referred to in subsection 14.01(1), the Superintendent shall send the trustee written notice of the powers that the Superintendent intends to exercise and the reasons therefor and afford the trustee a reasonable opportunity for a hearing.

(2) At a hearing referred to in subsection (1), the Superintendent

(a) has the power to administer oaths;

(b) is not bound by any legal or technical rules of evidence in conducting the hearing;

(c) shall deal with the matters set out in the notice of the hearing as informally and expeditiously as the circumstances and a consideration of fairness permit; and

(d) shall cause a summary of any oral evidence to be made in writing.

(3) The notice referred to in subsection (1) and, where applicable, the summary of oral evidence referred to in paragraph (2)(d), together with such documentary evidence as the Superintendent receives in evidence, form the record of the hearing and the record and the hearing are public, unless the Superintendent is satisfied that personal or other matters that may be disclosed are of such a nature that the desirability of avoiding public disclosure of those matters, in the interest of a third party or in the public interest, outweighs the desirability of the access by the public to information about those matters.

(4) The decision of the Superintendent after a hearing referred to in subsection (1), together with the reasons therefor, shall be given in writing to the trustee not later than three months after the conclusion of the hearing, and is public.

(5) A decision of the Superintendent given pursuant to subsection (4) is deemed to be a decision of a federal board, commission or other tribunal that may be reviewed and set aside pursuant to the Federal Courts Act.

1992, c. 27, s. 9; 1997, c. 12, s. 13; 2002, c. 8, s. 182.

14.03 (1) The Superintendent may, for the protection of an estate in the circumstances referred to in subsection (2),

(a) direct a person to deal with property of the estate described in the direction in such manner as may be indicated in the direction, including the continuation of the administration of the estate;

(b) direct any person to take such steps as the Superintendent considers necessary to preserve the books, records, data, including data in electronic form, and documents of the estate;

(c) direct a bank or other depository not to pay out funds held to the credit of the estate except in accordance with the direction; and

(d) direct the official receiver not to appoint the trustee i