Section 25 — Divorce Act: Definition of competent authority

In this section, competent authority , in respect of a court, or appellate court, in a province means the body, person or group of persons ordinarily competent under the laws of that province to make rules regulating the practice and procedure in that court. Subject to subsection (3), the competent authority may make rules applicable to any proceedings under this Act in a court, or appellate court, in a province, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, rules regulating the practice and procedure in the court, including the addition of persons as parties to the proceedings; respecting the conduct and disposition of any proceedings under this Act without an oral hearing; respecting the application of section 23.1; regulating the sittings of the court; respecting the fixing and awarding of costs; prescribing and regulating the duties of officers of the court; respecting the transfer of proceedings under this Act to or from the court; and prescribing and regulating any other matter considered expedient to attain the ends of justice and carry into effect the purposes and provisions of this Act. The power to make rules for a court or appellate court conferred by subsection (2) on a competent authority shall be exercised in the like manner and subject to the like terms and conditions, if any, as the power to make rules for that court conferred on that authority by the laws of the province. Rules made pursuant to this section by a competent authority that is not a judicial or quasi-judicial body shall be deemed not to be statutory instruments within the meaning and for the purposes of the Statutory Instruments Act .