R.S., c. 27, (1st Supp.), s. 113	45. Section 574 of the Act is replaced by the following:
Prosecutor may prefer indictment	574. (1) Subject to subsection (3), the prosecutor may, whether the charges were included in one information or not, prefer an indictment against any person who has been ordered to stand trial in respect of
	(a) any charge on which that person was ordered to stand trial; or
	(b) any charge founded on the facts disclosed by the evidence taken on the preliminary inquiry, in addition to or in substitution for any charge on which that person was ordered to stand trial.
Preferring indictment when no preliminary inquiry requested	(1.1) If a person has not requested a preliminary inquiry under subsection 536(4) or 536.1(3) into the charge, the prosecutor may, subject to subsection (3), prefer an indictment against a person in respect of a charge set out in an information or informations, or any included charge, at any time after the person has made an election, re-election or deemed election on the information or informations.
Preferring single indictment	(1.2) If indictments may be preferred under both subsections (1) and (1.1), the prosecutor may prefer a single indictment in respect of one or more charges referred to in subsection (1) combined with one or more charges or included charges referred to in subsection (1.1).
Consent to inclusion of other charges	(2) An indictment preferred under any of subsections (1) to (1.2) may, if the accused consents, include a charge that is not referred to in those subsections, and the offence charged may be dealt with, tried and determined and punished in all respects as if it were an offence in respect of which the accused had been ordered to stand trial. However, if the offence was committed wholly in a province other than that in which the accused is before the court, subsection 478(3) applies.
Private prosecutor requires consent	(3) In a prosecution conducted by a prosecutor other than the Attorney General and in which the Attorney General does not intervene, an indictment may not be preferred under any of subsections (1) to (1.2) before a court without the written order of a judge of that court.
R.S., c. 27 (1st Supp.), s. 115, c. 1 (4th Supp.), s. 18 (Sch. I, s. 15) (F)	46. Section 577 of the Act is replaced by the following:
Direct indictments	577. Despite section 574, an indictment may be preferred even if the accused has not been given the opportunity to request a preliminary inquiry, a preliminary inquiry has been commenced but not concluded or a preliminary inquiry has been held and the accused has been discharged, if
	(a) in the case of a prosecution conducted by the Attorney General or one in which the Attorney General intervenes, the personal consent in writing of the Attorney General or Deputy Attorney General is filed in court; or
	(b) in any other case, a judge of the court so orders.
	47. The Act is amended by adding the following after section 579:
When Attorney General does not stay proceedings	579.01 If the Attorney General intervenes in proceedings and does not stay them under section 579, he or she may, without conducting the proceedings, call witnesses, examine and cross-examine witnesses, present evidence and make submissions.
1999, c. 3, s. 51(2)	48. Subsection 598(2) of the English version of the Act is replaced by the following:
Election deemed to be waived	(2) An accused who, under subsection (1), may not be tried by a court composed of a judge and jury is deemed to have elected under section 536 or 536.1 to be tried without a jury by a judge of the court where the accused was indicted and section 561 or 561.1, as the case may be, does not apply in respect of the accused.
	49. (1) Section 606 of the Act is amended by adding the following after subsection (1):
Conditions for accepting guilty plea	(1.1) A court may accept a plea of guilty only if it is satisfied that the accused
	(a) is making the plea voluntarily; and
	(b) understands
	(i) that the plea is an admission of the essential elements of the offence,
	(ii) the nature and consequences of the plea, and
	(iii) that the court is not bound by any agreement made between the accused and the prosecutor.
Validity of plea	(1.2) The failure of the court to fully inquire whether the conditions set out in subsection (1.1) are met does not affect the validity of the plea.
	(2) Section 606 of the Act is amended by adding the following after subsection (4):
Video links	(5) For greater certainty, subsections 650(1.1) and (1.2) apply, with any modifications that the circumstances require, to pleas under this section if the accused has agreed to use a means referred to in those subsections.
R.S., c. 27 (1st Supp.), s. 127, c. 1 (4th Supp.), s. 45 (Sch. III, item 6)(F)	50. Subsection 625.1(2) of the Act is replaced by the following:
Mandatory pre-trial hearing for jury trials	(2) In any case to be tried with a jury, a judge of the court before which the accused is to be tried shall, before the trial, order that a conference between the prosecutor and the accused or counsel for the accused, to be presided over by a judge of that court, be held in accordance with the rules of court made under sections 482 and 482.1 to consider any matters that would promote a fair and expeditious trial.
	51. The Act is amended by adding the following after section 626:
Presiding judge	626.1 The judge before whom an accused is tried may be either the judge who presided over matters pertaining to the selection of a jury before the commencement of a trial or another judge of the same court.
	52. (1) Section 631 of the Act is amended by adding the following after subsection (2):
Alternate jurors	(2.1) If the judge considers it advisable in the interests of justice to have one or two alternate jurors, the judge shall so order before the clerk of the court draws out the cards under subsection (3).
1992, c. 41, s. 1	(2) The portion of subsection 631(3) of the Act after paragraph (b) is replaced by the following:
	the clerk of the court shall, in open court, draw out the cards referred to in subsection (1), one after another, and shall call out the name and number on each card as it is drawn, until the number of persons who have answered to their names is, in the opinion of the judge, sufficient to provide a full jury and any alternate jurors ordered by the judge after allowing for orders to excuse, challenges and directions to stand by.
1998, c. 9, s. 5	(3) Subsections 631(4) and (5) of the Act are replaced by the following:
Juror and other persons to be sworn	(4) The clerk of the court shall swear each member of the jury, and any alternate jurors, in the order in which the names of the jurors were drawn and shall swear any other person providing technical, personal, interpretative or other support services to a juror with a physical disability.
Drawing additional names if necessary	(5) If the number of persons who answer to their names under subsection (3) is not sufficient to provide a full jury and the number of alternate jurors ordered by the judge, the clerk of the court shall proceed in accordance with subsections (3) and (4) until twelve jurors and any alternate jurors are sworn.
1992, c. 41, s. 2	53. Paragraph 632(b) of the Act is replaced by the following:
	(b) relationship with the judge presiding over the jury selection process, the judge before whom the accused is to be tried, the prosecutor, the accused, the counsel for the accused or a prospective witness; or
1992, c. 41, s. 2	54. (1) The portion of subsection 634(2) of the Act before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:
Maximum number	(2) Subject to subsections (2.1) to (4), the prosecutor and the accused are each entitled to
	(2) Section 634 of the Act is amended by adding the following after subsection (2):
If alternate jurors	(2.1) If the judge makes an order for alternate jurors, the total number of peremptory challenges that the prosecutor and the accused are each entitled to is increased by one for each alternate juror.
1992, c. 41, s. 3	55. Subsection 641(1) of the Act is replaced by the following:
Calling jurors who have stood by	641. (1) If a full jury and any alternate jurors have not been sworn and no names remain to be called, the names of those who have been directed to stand by shall be called again in the order in which their names were drawn and the jurors necessary to make a full jury and any alternate jurors shall be sworn, unless excused by the judge or challenged by the accused or the prosecutor.
	56. Subsection 642(1) of the Act is replaced by the following:
Summoning other jurors when panel exhausted	642. (1) If a full jury and any alternate jurors considered advisable cannot be provided notwithstanding that the relevant provisions of this Part have been complied with, the court may, at the request of the prosecutor, order the sheriff or other proper officer to summon without delay as many persons, whether qualified jurors or not, as the court directs for the purpose of providing a full jury and alternate jurors.
	57. The Act is amended by adding the following after section 642:
Substitution of alternate jurors	642.1 (1) Alternate jurors shall attend at the commencement of the trial and, if there is not a full jury present, alternate jurors shall be substituted, in the order in which their names were drawn under subsection 631(3), until there are twelve jurors.
Excusing of alternate jurors	(2) An alternate juror who is not required as a substitute shall be excused.
1992, c. 41, s. 5	58. Subsection 643(1) of the Act is replaced by the following:
Who shall be jury	643. (1) The twelve jurors who are sworn in accordance with this Part and present at the commencement of the trial shall be the jury to try the issues of the indictment.
Names of jurors	(1.1) The name of each juror, including alternate jurors, who is sworn shall be kept apart until the juror is excused or the jury gives its verdict or is discharged, at which time the name shall be returned to the box as often as occasion arises, as long as an issue remains to be tried before a jury.
	59. Section 646 of the Act is replaced by the following:
Taking evidence	646. On the trial of an accused for an indictable offence, the evidence of the witnesses for the prosecutor and the accused and the addresses of the prosecutor and the accused or counsel for the accused by way of summing up shall be taken in accordance with the provisions of Part XVIII, other than subsections 540(7) to (9), relating to the taking of evidence at preliminary inquiries.
1994, c. 44, s. 61	60. Subsection 650(1) of the Act is replaced by the following:
Accused to be present	650. (1) Subject to subsections (1.1) to (2) and section 650.01, an accused, other than a corporation, shall be present in court during the whole of his or her trial.
	61. The Act is amended by adding the following after section 650:
Designation of counsel of record	650.01 (1) An accused may appoint counsel to represent the accused for any proceedings under this Act by filing a designation with the court.
Contents of designation	(2) The designation must contain the name and address of the counsel and be signed by the accused and the designated counsel.
Effect of designation	(3) If a designation is filed,
	(a) the accused may appear by the designated counsel without being present for any part of the proceedings, other than
	(i) a part during which oral evidence of a witness is taken,
	(ii) a part during which jurors are being selected, and
	(iii) an application for a writ of habeas corpus;
	(b) an appearance by the designated counsel is equivalent to the accused's being present, unless the court orders otherwise; and
	(c) a plea of guilty may be made, and a sentence may be pronounced, only if the accused is present, unless the court orders otherwise.
When court orders presence of accused	(4) If the court orders the accused to be present otherwise than by appearance by the designated counsel, the court may
	(a) issue a summons to compel the presence of the accused and order that it be served by leaving a copy at the address contained in the designation; or
	(b) issue a warrant to compel the presence of the accused.
Technological appearance	650.02 The prosecutor or the counsel designated under section 650.01 may appear before the court by any technological means satisfactory to the court that permits the court and all counsel to communicate simultaneously.
	62. Section 657.3 of the Act is amended by adding the following after subsection (2):
Notice for expert testimony	(3) For the purpose of promoting the fair, orderly and efficient presentation of the testimony of witnesses,
	(a) a party who intends to call a person as an expert witness shall, at least thirty days before the commencement of the trial or within any other period fixed by the justice or judge, give notice to the other party or parties of his or her intention to do so, accompanied by
	(i) the name of the proposed witness,
	(ii) a description of the area of expertise of the proposed witness that is sufficient to permit the other parties to inform themselves about that area of expertise, and
	(iii) a statement of the qualifications of the proposed witness as an expert;
	(b) in addition to complying with paragraph (a), a prosecutor who intends to call a person as an expert witness shall, within a reasonable period before trial, provide to the other party or parties
	(i) a copy of the report, if any, prepared by the proposed witness for the case, and
	(ii) if no report is prepared, a summary of the opinion anticipated to be given by the proposed witness and the grounds on which it is based; and
	(c) in addition to complying with paragraph (a), an accused, or his or her counsel, who intends to call a person as an expert witness shall, not later than the close of the case for the prosecution, provide to the other party or parties the material referred to in paragraph (b).
If notices not given	(4) If a party calls a person as an expert witness without complying with subsection (3), the court shall, at the request of any other party,
	(a) grant an adjournment of the proceedings to the party who requests it to allow him or her to prepare for cross-examination of the expert witness;
	(b) order the party who called the expert witness to provide that other party and any other party with the material referred to in paragraph (3)(b); and
	(c) order the calling or recalling of any witness for the purpose of giving testimony on matters related to those raised in the expert witness's testimony, unless the court considers it inappropriate to do so.