CITT Advisory Committee - Terms of Reference
CITT Advisory Committee
Terms of Reference
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Objective
The Canadian International Trade Tribunal (the Tribunal) is establishing an Advisory Committee to assist the Chairperson and Members in maintaining and enhancing the Tribunal’s global reputation of excellence by seeking recommendations related to its accessibility, transparency and fairness. Specifically, the Tribunal is seeking recommendations about the degree to which its rules and procedures are practical and reflective of the commercial realities in which Canadian producers and businesses operate.
Composition
The Advisory Committee will be composed of a wide cross-section of the Tribunal’s stakeholders to ensure an appropriate balance of interests and views (see Annex A for a representative but not exhaustive list).
Representatives of interested government departments and the CITT Secretariat of the Administrative Tribunals Support Services Canada (ATSSC) may participate as observers.
Structure and Term
Members of the Advisory Committee will be invited by the Tribunal to serve based on their positions and/or record of involvement with the Tribunal and/or expertise in its operating rules and procedures.
All Committee Members will be asked to serve on a voluntary basis for five-year renewable terms.
One Member will be selected by the Tribunal to serve as Chair of the Committee for a five-year renewable term. The Chair will appoint two vice-chairs to reflect the diversity of the Advisory Group: one vice-chair will be chosen from legal counsel and one vice-chair will be chosen from representatives of business associations.
Committee Members will be responsible for their own expenses for activities related to their participation in the Committee.
The Committee will strike and structure subcommittees to address specific issues as required.
The Committee will meet at least once per year.
Mandate
The Advisory Committee will replace the Tribunal’s Bench and Bar Committee.
The Committee shall limit its discussion to issues of procedures and exchange views on procedural recommendations to be presented to the Tribunal. The Committee shall not discuss the merits of individual cases or policy and legislation-related matters. The subject matters for discussion should be of general interest to the stakeholders as a whole and the Tribunal itself.
The Chair of the Advisory Committee will set the agenda and schedule with input from the Tribunal as required.
The Committee must provide recommendations to the Tribunal through an annual report in keeping with its overriding objective as set out above. The Tribunal will respond to the Committee’s annual report in a timely, transparent and constructive manner, and could meet the Chair of the Committee for this purpose.
August 24, 2016
Annex A
The Advisory Committee will be composed of a wide cross-section of the Tribunal’s stakeholders to ensure an appropriate balance of interests and views, including but not limited to representatives of the following organizations.
Legal Associations
- Representatives of the Canadian Bar Association – National Commodity Tax, Customs and Trade Section
Business Associations
- Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters
- Canadian Chamber of Commerce
- Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses
- Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters Association
- Canadian Steel Producers Association
- Canadian Federation of Agriculture
- Canadian Society of Customs Brokers
- Association of International Customs and Borders Agencies
- Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries
- Information Technology Association of Canada
Governmental Officials (Observers only)
- CITT Secretariat of the Administrative Tribunals Support Services Canada (ATSSC)
- Department of Justice –Civil Litigation Section
- Public Works and Government Services Canada and Shared Services Canada – Legal Services Branch
- Canada Border Services Agency – Trade and Anti-dumping Programs Directorate
- Canada Border Services Agency – Trade Appeals and Litigation Division
- Public Works and Government Services Canada - Acquisitions Program Policy Directorate
- Department of Finance – Trade Remedies and General Trade Relations
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