IN THE MATTER OF AN ARBITRATION UNDER CHAPTER ELEVEN OF THE NORTH
AMERICAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT AND THE 1976 UNCITRAL ARBITRATION
RULES
between
TENNANT ENERGY, LLC
(the “Claimant”)
and
GOVERNMENT OF CANADA
(the “Respondent” and together with the Claimant, the “Parties”)
PCA CASE NO. 2018-54
ARBITRAL TRIBUNAL
Mr. Cavinder Bull SC (Presiding Arbitrator)
Mr. Doak Bishop
Sir Daniel Bethlehem QC
REGISTRY
Permanent Court of Arbitration
24 June 2019
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1) For this Confidentiality Order:
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Confidential Information that has not been redacted and contains no Restricted Access Information or has been redacted to remove all Restricted Access Information.
2) The Tribunal (and their assistants, if any), the Parties and the Permanent Court of Arbitration (the “Registry”) agree to respect and maintain the confidentiality of information exchanged in this arbitration in accordance with the terms of this Confidentiality Order and, for this purpose, to adopt and maintain appropriate communications modalities and secure data storage systems.
3) A Party may designate Confidential or Restricted Access Information contained in any document that the Party produces to the other Party, and in any Written Submission, transcript, correspondence from the Tribunal to the Parties, order or award. These
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designations shall be made in accordance with the procedures set out in this Confidentiality Order.
4) A Party shall not designate as Restricted Access Information any information belonging to the other Party which that Party has not also designated as Restricted Access Information.
5) The Tribunal may, either proprio motu or on application of a Party, after affording the Parties an opportunity to be heard, designate Confidential or Restricted Access Information contained in any document produced to or generated by it. Such designations shall be made in accordance with the procedures set out in this Confidentiality Order.
6) No document, communication or information submitted in or arising in the course of these proceedings may be made public by the Tribunal (and their assistants, if any), the Registry or the Parties other than by direction of the Tribunal.
7) A document produced by a Party to the other Party shall be protected from disclosure as though it contained Confidential Information in its entirety, unless the document is filed by one of the Parties as part of a Written Submission, in which case the Parties must follow the process for designating Confidential Information as set out in this Confidentiality Order.
8) If a Party contends that a document that it produces to the other Party contains Restricted Access Information, the Party shall provide its proposed designations of Restricted Access Information by clearly labeling each page of the document as “Restricted Access” at the time that it produces the document. A document produced by a Party to the other Party containing such proposed designations shall be deemed to constitute Restricted Access Information in its entirety unless an objection is filed under paragraph 9, or the document is filed by one of the Parties as part of a Written Submission, in which case the Parties shall follow the process for designating Restricted Access Information as set out in this Confidentiality Order.
9) A Party may object to a proposed designation of Restricted Access Information in a document that it obtains through the other Party’s Document Production. If such an objection is made, the Parties shall attempt to agree on the final designations of Restricted Access Information in the document. If the Parties do not agree on the final designations of Restricted Access Information, a Party may submit the objection to the Tribunal for resolution. The Tribunal may invite further submissions on proposed designations of Restricted Access Information.
10) For the purposes of this section, the term “Written Submission” applies to substantive written submission made by way of letter or email, all Memorials, (Memorial, Counter-Memorial, Reply Memorial and Rejoinder Memorial) and accompanying documents filed with the Memorial, including, but not limited to: expert reports, witness statements, and exhibits.
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11) Upon filing a Written Submission which a Party contends contains Restricted Access information, a Party shall provide, at the time that it files a Written Submission, a preliminary Restricted Access Version of the Written Submission containing its proposed designations of Restricted Access Information, if any, and the proposed designations of Restricted Access information provided by the other Party in its document production. Yellow highlighting shall be used to surround designated Restricted Information, and the pages containing such Restricted Access information should indicate so in the heading of that page. A preliminary Confidential Version shall also be provided on the date the filing is due, with the Restricted Access information redacted.
12) A Party shall have twenty-one (21) calendar days from the date of receiving the other Party’s proposed designations of Restricted Access Information in a Written Submission to object to those proposed designations and to provide its own further proposed designations of Restricted Access Information, if any, in the Written Submission. The Parties shall use the attached Disputed Designations Schedule (Annex ‘A’) for filing these objections.
13) Within fourteen (14) calendar days, the filing Party shall file its responses to the objecting Party’s objections. The parties shall then attempt to reach an agreement on the objected designations. If no such agreement is made, the Parties shall submit the Disputed Designations Schedule to the Tribunal for resolution. The Tribunal may invite further submissions on proposed designations of Restricted Access information.
14) Materials designated as containing confidential information are generally assumed to contain confidential information only in part, and, thus, to be capable of redaction.
15) Upon filing a Written Submission which a Party contends contains confidential information, a Party must clearly label the cover page of the submission “Confidential Information – Unauthorized Disclosure Prohibited” upon filing of the Written Submission.
16) Within twenty-one (21) calendar days from the date of filing of its Written Submission, the Party must file a preliminary Confidential Version of the Written Submission which should include grey highlighting surrounding the confidential information as well as a heading on each particular page of the submission that the Party contends contains confidential information which should be labeled “Confidential”, or some variation thereof. Equivalent measures should be used with respect to confidential information contained in the material produced in electronic and similar media. A Party shall have twenty-one (21) calendar days from the date of receiving the other Party’s proposed designations of Confidential Information in a Written Submission to object to those proposed designations and to provide its own further proposed designations of Confidential Information, if any, in the Written Submission. The Parties shall use the attached Disputed Designations Schedule (Annex ‘A’) for filing these objections.
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17) Within fourteen (14) calendar days, the filing Party shall file its responses to the objecting Party’s objections. The Parties shall then attempt to reach an agreement on the objected designations. If no such agreement is made, the Parties shall submit the Disputed Designations Schedule to the Tribunal for resolution. The Tribunal may invite further submissions on proposed designations of Confidential Information.
18) Materials designated as containing confidential information are generally assumed to contain confidential information only in part, and, thus, to be capable of redaction.
19) Within thirty (30) calendar days from the date on which the final designations of Confidential and Restricted Access Information have been confirmed by the agreement of the Parties or by order of the Tribunal, the Party that originally filed the Written Submission shall file:
20) Once the Public Version of the Written Submission has been received, the Registry shall post it on the PCA website as soon as possible.
21) Each page of a Restricted Access Version must be labeled “Restricted Access, Unauthorized Disclosure Prohibited.” Each page of a Confidential Version must be labeled, “Confidential Information, Unauthorized Disclosure Prohibited.” Each page of a Public Version must be labeled “Public Version.” Public Documents shall be labeled “Public Document” on the first page of the document.
22) A procedural timetable for Restricted Access and Confidential Information designations in Written Submissions is provided in Schedule 1 of this Confidentiality Order.
23) The Parties shall have twenty (20) calendar days from the receipt of an order or correspondence from the Tribunal to designate information as Confidential or Restricted Access Information in the order and to exchange such designations. The Parties shall have thirty (30) calendar days from the date of the hearing to designate information as Confidential or Restricted Access Information in the transcript and to exchange such designations. The Parties shall have an additional twenty-one (21) calendar days from the receipt of such designations to raise any objections to the other Party’s designations. After that period, if the Parties are unable within twenty-one (21) calendar days to agree on any
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designations of Confidential or Restricted Access Information, a Party may submit the issues to the Tribunal for resolution.
24) If the Tribunal’s award discloses Confidential or Restricted Access Information, the Tribunal shall issue the following versions of the award, as applicable:
25) The Parties shall have thirty (30) calendar days from the receipt of an award to designate information as Confidential or Restricted Access Information in the award and to exchange such designations. The Parties shall have an additional twenty-one (21) calendar days from the receipt of such designations to raise any objections to the other Party’s designations. After that period, if the Parties are unable within twenty-one (21) calendar days to agree on any designations of Confidential or Restricted Access Information, a Party may submit the issues to the Tribunal for resolution.
26) Within twenty-one (21) calendar days from the date on which the final designations of Confidential or Restricted Access Information have been confirmed by agreement of the Parties or by order of the Tribunal, the Parties shall consolidate their final designations and file with the Tribunal, as appropriate, a final Restricted Access Version, Confidential Version, and Public Version of the transcript, correspondence from the Tribunal to the Parties, order or award.
27) A procedural timetable for Restricted Access and Confidential Information designations in transcripts, correspondence from the Tribunal to the Parties, orders, and awards is provided in Schedule 2 of this Confidentiality Order.
28) Until the final designations of Restricted Access Information have been confirmed by the agreement of the Parties or by order of the Tribunal, each Party’s proposed designations of Restricted Access Information shall be presumed valid. For greater certainty, the Parties and the Tribunal shall not disclose the preliminary Restricted Access Version of a Written Submission, transcript, correspondence from the Tribunal to the Parties, order or award to any person not authorized to receive Restricted Access Information under the terms of this Confidentiality Order until the final designations of Restricted Access Information have been confirmed in accordance with the terms of this Confidentiality Order.
29) Until the elapse of any period for a Party to provide the other Party with its proposed designations of Confidential Information therein, or such earlier time should the Parties communicate in writing that they have no proposed designations or requests for changes of
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highlighted information, a Written Submission, transcript, correspondence from the Tribunal to the Parties, order or award shall be deemed to be designated as Confidential. After that, until the final designations of Confidential Information have been confirmed by the agreement of the Parties or by order of the Tribunal, each Party’s proposed designations of Confidential Information shall be presumed valid. For greater certainty, the Parties and the Tribunal shall not disclose the Written Submission, transcript, correspondence from the Tribunal to the Parties, order or award to any person not authorized to receive Confidential Information under the terms of this Confidentiality Order until the final designations of Confidential Information have been confirmed in accordance with the terms of this Confidentiality Order.
30) Materials already exchanged by the Parties before the execution of this Confidentiality Order can be designated as confidential by notifying the other Party of such designation within twenty-one (21) calendar days from the execution of this Confidentiality Order. Restricted Access, Confidential, and Public Versions of the materials shall also be provided to the other Party, as appropriate.
31) The time periods set out in this Confidentiality Order may be amended by agreement of the Parties, or by order of the Tribunal after hearing the Parties and taking into account all relevant circumstances.
32) Except with the prior written consent of the Party that claimed confidentiality with respect to the information and, in the case of materials from provincial, territorial or municipal governments or third parties, the owner of such Confidential Information, Confidential Information may be used only in these proceedings and may be disclosed only for such purposes to and among:
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33) Except with the prior written consent of the Party that claimed confidentiality with respect to the information and, in the case of materials from provincial, territorial or municipal governments or third parties, the owner of such Restricted Access Information, Restricted Access Information may be used only in these proceedings and may be disclosed only to and among the following people, where their access to the information is necessary for the preparation of the conduct of the case:
34) No Party shall file any confidential material covered by the terms of this Confidentiality Order in any Court without first bringing this Confidentiality Order to the attention of the Court and seeking directions concerning the filing of such material in a manner that protects its confidentiality. A Party shall notify the other Party and any affected parties or persons prior to requesting such direction from the Court.
35) Inadvertent or improper disclosure of Confidential Information, as set forth in the present Order, does not constitute a waiver of the designation of the information as confidential.
36) All persons receiving Confidential Information or Restricted Access Information shall be bound by this Confidentiality Order. Each Party shall have the obligation of notifying all persons receiving Confidential Information or Restricted Access Information of the obligations under this Confidentiality Order and to ensure that such persons execute a Confidentiality Undertaking in the form attached as Appendix A, or a Restricted Access Information Confidentiality Undertaking in the form attached as Appendix B, as appropriate, before gaining access to any such information. Each Party shall maintain copies of Confidentiality or Restricted Access Undertakings under Appendix A and B and shall make such copies available to the other Party upon order of the Tribunal or upon the termination of this arbitration.
37) Where Confidential Information is used or discussed at any hearing, the following rules shall apply:
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38) Notwithstanding any other provision in this Confidentiality Order, any request for documents, or for the production of documents under the applicable domestic law of the disputing State, including documents produced to Canada in these proceedings, shall be wholly governed by the relevant law.
39) A Party shall be free to disclose to the public Public Documents and the redacted, Public Versions of Written Submissions of the Parties, including the Notice of Arbitration, and decisions of the Tribunal, transcripts of hearings, correspondence from the Tribunal to the Parties, procedural rulings and orders and awards.
40) Notwithstanding any other provision in this Confidentiality Order, the Parties may make such disclosure of documents or information as is required by law.
41) Nothing in this Confidentiality Order shall be construed to abrogate or support a claim or entitlement concerning a refusal to disclose any information based on a privilege, ground for an exemption or non-disclosure or a public interest immunity arising at common law, or under national or provincial legislation.
42) The obligations created by this Order shall survive the termination of these proceedings.
43) This Confidentiality Order shall be effective and binding upon a Party, the Tribunal (and their assistants, if any) and the Registry upon the signature of the Confidentiality Order by the Tribunal.
44) A Party may apply to the Tribunal for an amendment to, or a derogation from, this Order if circumstances so require.
Signature
24 June 2019
Date
Cavinder Bull SC
(Presiding Arbitrator)
On behalf of the Tribunal
Signed by both Parties in acknowledgement of the obligation to abide by this Confidentiality Order:
Signature
25 June 2019
Date
On behalf of the Government of Canada
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Ms. Heather Squires
Ms. Lori Di Pierdomenico
Ms. Annie Ouellet
Ms. Susanna Kam
Mr. Mark Klaver
Ms. Maria Cristina Harris
Ms. Johannie Dallaire
Trade Law Bureau (JLTB)
Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0G2
Canada
Signature
June 28, 2019
Date
On behalf of Tennant Energy LLC
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APPENDIX A
CONFIDENTIALITY UNDERTAKING
TO: The Government of Canada (and its legal counsel) and Tennant Energy, LLC (and its legal counsel).
FROM: _________________________________________________
IN CONSIDERATION of being provided with materials in connection with the arbitration between Tennant Energy, LLC and the Government of Canada, over which claims for confidentiality have been advanced (“Confidential Information”), I hereby agree to maintain the confidentiality of such material. It shall not be copied or disclosed to any other person who has not signed a Confidentiality Undertaking nor shall the material so obtained be used by me for any purposes other than in connection with this proceeding.
I acknowledge that I am aware of the Confidentiality Order that has been agreed to by the Parties, a copy of which is attached to this Undertaking, and agree to be bound by it.
I will promptly return or otherwise destroy any Confidential Information received by me to the Party that provided me with such materials, or the information recorded in those materials, at the conclusion of my involvement in these proceedings.
I acknowledge and agree that either of the Parties to this arbitration is entitled to relief to restrain breaches of this Confidentiality Order, to enforce the terms and provisions hereof in addition to any other remedy to which any Party to this arbitration may be entitled at law or in equity.
I agree to submit to the jurisdiction of the courts:
[Please check one box]
SIGNED, SEALED AND DELIVERED before a witness this _____ day of __________________ 20___.
____________________________________ ____________________________________
(Print Name) (Print Witness Name)
____________________________________ ____________________________________
(Signature) (Witness Signature)
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APPENDIX B
RESTRICTED ACCESS INFORMATION CONFIDENTIALITY UNDERTAKING
TO: The Government of Canada (and its legal counsel) and Tennant Energy, LLC (and its legal counsel).
FROM: _________________________________________________
IN CONSIDERATION of being provided with materials in connection with the arbitration between Tennant Energy, LLC and the Government of Canada, over which claims for confidentiality have been advanced (“Confidential Information”) and for which access has been restricted (“Restricted Access Information”), I hereby agree to maintain the confidentiality of such material. It shall not be copied or disclosed to any other person who has not signed a Restricted Access Information Confidentiality Undertaking nor shall the material so obtained be used by me for any purposes other than in connection with this proceeding.
I acknowledge that I am aware of the Confidentiality Order that has been agreed to by the Parties, a copy of which is attached to this Undertaking, and agree to be bound by it.
I will promptly return or otherwise destroy any Restricted Access Information and Confidential Information received by me to the Party that provided me with such materials, or the information recorded in those materials, at the conclusion of my involvement in these proceedings.
I acknowledge and agree that either of the Parties to this arbitration is entitled to relief to restrain breaches of this Confidentiality Order, to enforce the terms and provisions hereof in addition to any other remedy to which any Party to this arbitration may be entitled at law or in equity.
I agree to submit to the jurisdiction of the courts:
[Please check one box]
SIGNED, SEALED AND DELIVERED before a witness this _____ day of __________________ 20___.
____________________________________ ____________________________________
(Print Name) (Print Witness Name)
____________________________________ ____________________________________
(Signature) (Witness Signature)
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SCHEDULE 1
Timetable For Restricted Access And Confidential Designations
Of Written Submissions And Exhibits
| Action | Reference | Day |
|---|---|---|
| Party “A” files Written Submission as preliminary Restricted Access Version containing Restricted Access Information designations (and preliminary Confidential Version) | ¶ 11 | 0 |
| Party “B” provides Restricted Access Information objections and its own additional proposed Restricted Access Information designations in Written Submission | ¶ 12 | 21 |
| Party “A” shall file its responses to the objections and Restricted Access Information designations of Party “B” | ¶ 13 | 35 |
| Any disputes about Restricted Access designations in Written Submission are resolved by the Parties or may be submitted by a Party to the Tribunal for resolution | ¶ 13 | 56 |
| Party “A” files Confidential Version of Written Submission and Exhibits containing Confidential Information designations | ¶ 16 | 21 |
| Party “B” provides Confidential Information objections and its own additional proposed Confidential Information designations | ¶ 16 | 42 |
| Party “A” shall file its responses to the objections and Confidential Information designations of Party “B”. | ¶ 17 | 56 |
| Any disputes about Confidential designations are resolved by the Parties or may be submitted by a Party to the Tribunal for resolution | ¶ 17 | 77 |
| Parties consolidate final designations and file with the Tribunal Restricted Access Version, Confidential Version and Public Version, of Written Submission and Exhibits as appropriate | ¶ 19 | Within 30 days after resolution of designations by Parties or Tribunal |
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SCHEDULE 2
Timetable For Restricted Access And Confidential Designations
Of Transcripts, Correspondence, Orders And Awards
| Action | Reference | Day |
|---|---|---|
| Order, award or correspondence is issued by the Tribunal or hearing has ended | ¶¶ 23, 25 | 0 |
| Parties make designations of Restricted Access or Confidential Information in order and exchange designations | ¶ 23 | 20 |
| A Party may raise objections to the other Party’s designations in the order | ¶ 23 | 41 |
| Parties make designations of Restricted Access or Confidential Information in correspondence from the Tribunal and exchange designations | ¶ 23 | 20 |
| A Party may raise objections to the other Party’s designations in the correspondence from the Tribunal | ¶ 23 | 41 |
| Parties may make designations of Restricted Access or Confidential Information in hearing transcript | ¶ 23 | 30 |
| A Party may raise objections to the other Party’s designations in the hearing transcript | ¶ 23 | 51 |
| Parties make designations of Restricted Access or Confidential Information in award | ¶ 25 | 30 |
| Parties may raise objections to the other Party’s designations in award | ¶ 25 | 51 |
| Parties may submit disagreement over designations for order to the Tribunal for resolution | ¶ 23 | 62 |
| Parties may submit disagreement over designations for correspondence from the Tribunal to the Tribunal for resolution | ¶ 23 | 62 |
| Parties may submit disagreement over designations for hearing transcript to the Tribunal for resolution | ¶ 23 | 72 |
| Parties may submit disagreement over designations in the award to Tribunal for resolution | ¶ 25 | 72 |
| Parties consolidate final designations and file with the Tribunal Restricted Access Version, Confidential Version and Public Version of transcript, correspondence from the Tribunal, order or award as appropriate | ¶ 26 | Within 21 days after resolution of designations by Parties or Tribunal |
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Annex A: Disputed Designations Schedule
| Designation | Reasons for Designation | Designation Requested | Reply to Objections | Tribunal’s Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHALLENGES TO [CLAIMANTS’/RESPONDENTS’] CONFIDENTIALITY DESIGNATIONS IN [MEMORIAL XX] | ||||
| 1. | ||||