Bill 34: The Interprovincial Subpoena Amendment Act

This change primarily affects businesses and individuals who appear before regulatory tribunals, administrative boards, or quasi-judicial bodies anywhere in Canada — for example, a Manitoba trucking company called to produce documents before a federal or out-of-province regulatory body, or a contractor whose records are subpoenaed by a labour relations board in another province. If your business operates across provincial lines or deals with industry regulators, labour boards, securities commissions, or similar bodies, you may now be compelled to comply with their subpoenas even if those bodies are not traditional courts. The practical day-to-day impact is mainly felt when you receive a subpoena requiring you to hand over records, attend hearings, or provide testimony in proceedings outside Manitoba. Size of the business matters less than the nature of your regulatory exposure — even a sole operator could be affected if they work in a regulated industry.