Section 159 — Immigration and Refugee Protection Act: Chairperson

The Chairperson is, by virtue of holding that office, a member of each Division of the Board and is the chief executive officer of the Board. In that capacity, the Chairperson has supervision over and direction of the work and staff of the Board; may at any time assign a member appointed under paragraph 153(1)(a) to the Refugee Appeal Division or the Immigration Appeal Division; may at any time, despite paragraph 153(1)(a), assign a member of the Refugee Appeal Division or the Immigration Appeal Division to work in another regional or district office to satisfy operational requirements, but an assignment may not exceed 120 days without the approval of the Governor in Council; may designate, from among the full-time members appointed under paragraph 153(1)(a), coordinating members for the Refugee Appeal Division or the Immigration Appeal Division; assigns administrative functions to the members of the Board; apportions work among the members of the Board and fixes the place, date and time of proceedings; takes any action that may be necessary to ensure that the members of the Board carry out their duties efficiently and without undue delay, including by specifying the manner in which decisions must be rendered and reasons for decisions must be given; may issue guidelines in writing to members of the Board and identify decisions of the Board as jurisprudential guides, after consulting with the Deputy Chairpersons, to assist members in carrying out their duties; and may appoint and, subject to the approval of the Treasury Board, fix the remuneration of experts or persons having special knowledge to assist the Divisions in any matter. The Chairperson may delegate any of his or her powers under this Act to a member of the Board, except that powers referred to in subsection 161(1) may not be delegated; powers referred to in paragraphs (1)(a) and (i) may be delegated to the Executive Director of the Board; powers in relation to the Immigration Appeal Division and the Refugee Appeal Division may only be delegated to the Deputy Chairperson, the Assistant Deputy Chairpersons, or other members, including coordinating members, of either of those Divisions; and powers in relation to the Immigration Division or the Refugee Protection Division may only be delegated to the Deputy Chairperson, the Assistant Deputy Chairpersons or other members, including coordinating members, of that Division.