86006 Ministers of the Crown - Facsimile Signature
Bulletin information:
Issue Date: May 15, 1986
Bulletin content:
Ministers of the Crown – whether of Ontario, Canada or another Province – may be authorized, under general or special legislation to use a facsimile signature for the execution of documents. Any such facsimile signature, purporting to be that of a Minister of the Crown, may be accepted without further inquiry. An affidavit of subscribing witness is not required. A seal or the statement “I have authority to bind the corporation” is not required.
It is our assumption that appropriate statutory authority exists for the use of facsimile signature and any necessary administrative authorizations for the use by any individual of the facsimile signature have been made. In the absence of fraud, it would be impossible for any government to deny the validity of the signature on the basis that internal authorizations were not made. The use of a facsimile signature is most common on routine documents such as discharges of liens. However, a facsimile signature of a Minister might appear on a transfer or similar document.
This Bulletin supersedes Bulletin 84022.