Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:
Marginal note: Short title
1 This Act may be cited as the Remote Sensing Space Systems Act .
Marginal note: Definitions
2 The following definitions apply in this Act.
, subject to subsection 8(6), means any of the following activities in the operation of a remote sensing space system:
means the protection of information and information systems by ensuring their availability, integrity, authentication, confidentiality and non-repudiation. ( assurance de l’information )
means a licence issued under subsection 8(1). ( licence )
means a remote sensing space system for whose operation a licence has been issued. ( système agréé )
means a person who is the holder of a licence. ( titulaire de licence )
, subject to section 3, means the Minister of Foreign Affairs. ( ministre )
includes a partnership, a government, a government agency and an unincorporated organization. ( personne )
means prescribed by the regulations. ( Version anglaise seulement )
means sensor data from a remote sensing satellite, and any auxiliary data required to produce remote sensing products from the sensor data, that have not been transformed into a remote sensing product. ( données brutes )
means an image or data produced from raw data in any way that transforms the raw data. ( produit dérivé )
means a satellite that is capable of sensing the surface of the Earth through the use of electromagnetic waves. ( satellite de télédétection )
means a person who is designated in a licence condition referred to in paragraph 8(5)(b). ( participant autorisé )
, with respect to raw data, means, having regard to the regulations, to so process them that it is substantially impossible to reconstitute them from the resulting remote sensing product. ( traitement )
Marginal note: Power of Governor in Council
3 The Governor in Council may designate a member of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada to be the Minister for the purposes of this Act.
Marginal note: Binding on Crown
Marginal note: System operator requires licence
5 No person shall operate a remote sensing space system in any manner, directly or indirectly, except under the authority of a licence.
Marginal note: Activities outside Canada
6 Section 5 applies also to the following persons with respect to their activities outside Canada:
Marginal note: Applications regarding licences
7 An application to the Minister to issue, amend or renew a licence must be made in the prescribed form and manner, be supported by a proposed system disposal plan, proposed guarantee arrangements referred to in paragraph 9(1)(b) and any other prescribed information, documents and undertakings and be accompanied by any prescribed application fee.
Marginal note: Issuance, amendment or renewal of licences
The receipt, communication, processing or storage of raw data by such persons is not a controlled activity.
Marginal note: System disposal plan and arrangements
Marginal note: Amendment of conditions on Minister’s initiative
Marginal note: Suspension of licence
The suspension may be effective immediately on notice to the person, but the Minister shall, in the notice, set out the reasons for the suspension and give to the person an opportunity — during a period of 15 days after the notice or any longer period that the Minister specifies — to make representations regarding it.
Marginal note: Cancellation of licence
12 The Minister may cancel a licence if it is suspended and a reason for the suspension continues to exist or if, at any time, the Minister is otherwise satisfied, having regard to national security, the defence of Canada, the safety of Canadian Forces, Canada’s conduct of international relations, Canada’s international obligations and any prescribed factors, that the licence ought to be cancelled. But the Minister shall first give to the licensee notice of the reasons for the proposed cancellation and an opportunity — during a period of 45 days after the notice or any longer period that the Minister specifies — to make representations regarding it.
Marginal note: Measures ordered on suspension or termination of licence
The order may be effective immediately on notice to the person, but the Minister shall give to the person an opportunity — during a period of 15 days after the notice or any longer period that the Minister specifies — to make representations regarding it.
Marginal note: Minister’s order
Marginal note: Minister’s order for priority access
Marginal note: Prohibition on transfer of control
Marginal note: Designation of inspectors
Marginal note: Powers of inspectors
Marginal note: Notice for disclosure of information
Marginal note: Regulations
Marginal note: Minister
Marginal note: No right to compensation
Marginal note: Violations
23 Every person who contravenes a provision, requirement or condition designated under subparagraph 20(1)(k)(i) commits a violation and is liable to an administrative monetary penalty not exceeding the maximum prescribed or, if no maximum has been prescribed, to a penalty not exceeding $5,000, in the case of an individual, and $25,000, in any other case.
Marginal note: Designation of enforcement officers
Marginal note: Issuance and service
Marginal note: Payment
26 If the person pays the penalty proposed in the notice of violation, the person is considered to have committed the violation and proceedings in respect of it are ended.
Marginal note: Making of representations
The enforcement officer shall cause notice of any decision made under paragraph (b) to be issued and served on the person together with notice of the person’s right of appeal under subsection 29(1).
Marginal note: Failure to act
28 A person who neither pays the penalty nor makes representations in accordance with the notice of violation is considered to have committed the violation, and the enforcement officer shall impose the penalty proposed and notify the person of it.
Marginal note: Right of appeal
Marginal note: Vicarious liability — acts of employees, agents and mandataries
30 A person is liable for a violation that is committed by the person’s employee acting in the course of the employment or the person’s agent or mandatary acting within the scope of their authority, whether or not the employee, agent or mandatary who actually committed the violation is identified or proceeded against.
Marginal note: Due diligence
31 Due diligence is a defence in a proceeding in relation to a violation.
Marginal note: Continuing violation
32 A violation that is committed or continued on more than one day constitutes a separate violation for each day on which it is committed or continued.
Marginal note: Limitation period
33 Any proceedings in respect of a violation may be instituted at any time within, but not later than, two years after the time when the subject-matter of the proceedings arose.
Marginal note: Violation or offence
Marginal note: Admissibility of documents
35 In the absence of evidence to the contrary, a document that appears to be a notice issued under subsection 25(1) or 27(1) or (4) or given under section 28 or a certificate issued under subsection 37(1) is presumed to be authentic and is proof of its contents in any proceeding in respect of a violation or a prosecution for an offence.
Marginal note: Debts to Her Majesty
Marginal note: Certificate
Marginal note: Contravention — section 5, 13 or 14 or subsection 16(1)
Marginal note: Jurisdiction — contravention outside Canada
Marginal note: Liability of officers, directors, agents or mandataries
40 If a corporation commits an offence under this Act, any officer, director, agent or mandatary of the corporation who directed, authorized, assented to, acquiesced in or participated in the commission of the offence is a party to and guilty of the offence and is liable to the punishment provided for the offence, whether or not the corporation has been prosecuted or convicted.
Marginal note: Offences by employees, agents or mandataries
41 In a prosecution for an offence under this Act, it is sufficient proof of the offence to establish that it was committed by an employee, an agent or a mandatary of the accused, whether or not the employee, agent or mandatary is identified or has been prosecuted for the offence.
Marginal note: Due diligence
Marginal note: Continuing offence
43 A contravention of this Act that is committed or continued on more than one day constitutes a separate offence for each day on which it is committed or continued.
Marginal note: Limitation period
44 Any proceedings by way of summary conviction in respect of an offence under this Act may be instituted at any time within, but not later than, two years after the time when the subject-matter of the proceedings arose.
Marginal note: Injunctions
45 If a court of competent jurisdiction — including the Federal Court — is satisfied, on application by the Minister, that a contravention of section 5 is being or is likely to be committed, the court may grant an injunction, subject to any conditions that the court considers appropriate, ordering any person to cease or refrain from any activity related to that contravention, or ordering the person to take any measure that a licensee could, under this Act, be required to take.
Marginal note: Independent review
46 [Amendments]
Marginal note: Order in council
Footnote * 47 This Act, other than section 46, comes into force on a day to be fixed by order of the Governor in Council.
Return to footnote * [Note: Section 46 in force on assent November 25, 2005; Act, other than section 46, in force April 5, 2007, see SI/2007-47.]