33. Verification of information

Except in the circumstances provided for in section 26, the Director-General shall, during the course of an investigation, satisfy himself as to the accuracy of the information supplied by parties interested upon which his findings are based.

For the purpose of verifying information provided or to obtain further information, the Director-General may carry out investigations in other countries where necessary, with prior consent of the firms concerned, and after notifying the representatives of the government of the country in question.

The procedures specified in the Second Schedule to this Act shall apply with regard to the verifications carried out in the territory of other countries, under subsection (2).

The Director-General shall prepare a report on any verification conducted under this section, and the report shall be made available to the company to which it pertains, and a non-confidential version shall be placed in the public file kept under section 27.

The Director-General shall make every effort to complete any verification, prior to the date of any hearing in the investigation.