In ensuring that interested parties have the right to be heard, it is important that:

• • each party or person clearly knows the position of the other party;
• • each party have the opportunity to be represented by counsel;
• • each party has a reasonable opportunity to prepare for the hearing, a reasonable opportunity to put forward their position and a reasonable opportunity to know and test the position of other parties. Testing the position of the other party can include cross-examining witnesses of the other party or calling witnesses to contradict. No person should be caught by surprise; and
• • each party has the opportunity to put the facts that they consider relevant before the committee and to make submissions on the law as it applies to the facts.