Recent changes to the Review Tribunal Rules of Procedures include:

1.  A requirement that witnesses testify under oath - as a matter of practice, the Chairperson will ask the witnesses to simply state that he or she promises to tell the truth, rather than do so while holding a holy book or sacred object.  In law, this approach is called making a solemn affirmation.

2.  Review Tribunal panels will have the discretion to decide whether to exclude witnesses while others are testifying or to allow them to be present.  It is worth noting that formal rules of evidence requiring the exclusion of witnesses are intended to enhance the reliability and credibility of the evidence on which a decision-maker relies.

This information has been provided to me from the Office of the Commissioner of Review Tribunals by way of the Representative's Bulletin.