An Act respecting the corruption of foreign public officials and the implementation of the Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, and to make related amendments to other ActsCorruption of Foreign Public Officials ActCorruption of Foreign Public Officials1998December
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C-45.2341998Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:SHORT TITLEShort titleThis Act may be cited as the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act.INTERPRETATIONDefinitionsThe definitions in this section apply in this Act.businessaffairesbusiness means any business, profession, trade, calling, manufacture or undertaking of any kind carried on in Canada or elsewhere for profit.foreign public officialagent public étrangerforeign public official meansa person who holds a legislative, administrative or judicial position of a foreign state;a person who performs public duties or functions for a foreign state, including a person employed by a board, commission, corporation or other body or authority that is established to perform a duty or function on behalf of the foreign state, or is performing such a duty or function; andan official or agent of a public international organization that is formed by two or more states or governments, or by two or more such public international organizations.foreign stateÉtat étrangerforeign state means a country other than Canada, and includesany political subdivision of that country;the government, and any department or branch, of that country or of a political subdivision of that country; andany agency of that country or of a political subdivision of that country.peace officeragent de la paixpeace officer means a peace officer as defined in section 2 of the Criminal Code.personquiconqueperson means a person as defined in section 2 of the Criminal Code.GENERALBribing a foreign public officialEvery person commits an offence who, in order to obtain or retain an advantage in the course of business, directly or indirectly gives, offers or agrees to give or offer a loan, reward, advantage or benefit of any kind to a foreign public official or to any person for the benefit of a foreign public officialas consideration for an act or omission by the official in connection with the performance of the official’s duties or functions; orto induce the official to use his or her position to influence any acts or decisions of the foreign state or public international organization for which the official performs duties or functions.PunishmentEvery person who contravenes subsection (1) is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years.Saving provisionNo person is guilty of an offence under subsection (1) if the loan, reward, advantage or benefitis permitted or required under the laws of the foreign state or public international organization for which the foreign public official performs duties or functions; orwas made to pay the reasonable expenses incurred in good faith by or on behalf of the foreign public official that are directly related tothe promotion, demonstration or explanation of the person’s products and services, orthe execution or performance of a contract between the person and the foreign state for which the official performs duties or functions.Facilitation paymentsFor the purpose of subsection (1), a payment is not a loan, reward, advantage or benefit to obtain or retain an advantage in the course of business, if it is made to expedite or secure the performance by a foreign public official of any act of a routine nature that is part of the foreign public official’s duties or functions, includingthe issuance of a permit, licence or other document to qualify a person to do business;the processing of official documents, such as visas and work permits;the provision of services normally offered to the public, such as mail pick-up and delivery, telecommunication services and power and water supply; andthe provision of services normally provided as required, such as police protection, loading and unloading of cargo, the protection of perishable products or commodities from deterioration or the scheduling of inspections related to contract performance or transit of goods.Greater certaintyFor greater certainty, an “act of a routine nature” does not include a decision to award new business or to continue business with a particular party, including a decision on the terms of that business, or encouraging another person to make any such decision.[Repealed, 2001, c. 32, s. 58]RELATED AMENDMENTS[Amendments]CONDITIONAL AMENDMENT[Amendment]ANNUAL REPORTAnnual reportWithin four months of the end of each fiscal year, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister for International Trade and the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada shall jointly prepare a report on the implementation of the Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, and on the enforcement of this Act, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs shall cause a copy of the report to be laid before each House of Parliament on any of the first fifteen days on which that House is sitting after the report is completed.COMING INTO FORCEComing into forceThis Act or any of its provisions comes into force on a day or days to be fixed by order of the Governor in Council.[Note: Act in force February 14, 1999, see SI/99-13.]