Can the person in charge of my hearing ask for more evidence or change the rules mid-way?

In your asylum claim process, the person running your hearing (the member of the Division) does indeed have the authority to change the scope of the evidence. Under the law, the members of the Refugee Protection Division have the "powers and authority of a commissioner appointed under Part I of the Inquiries Act and may do any other thing they consider necessary to provide a full and proper hearing" [cite:ca-irpa-sec165]. This means they are not strictly bound to only the documents you submitted during your initial program, even though you have already spent $2,500 on translations and legal help. Furthermore, the law gives the Division broad powers regarding how they conduct your proceedings. Specifically, the Division "may inquire into any matter that it considers relevant to establishing whether a claim is well-founded" [cite:ca-irpa-sec170]. This includes the power to "question the witnesses, including the person who is the subject of the proceeding" [cite:ca-irpa-sec170]. Because the officer mentioned needing to look into details about your home country, they are exercising this right to ensure the facts are accurate. It is also important to know that the Division is "not bound by any legal or technical rules of evidence" [cite:ca-irpa-sec170]. In a normal court, there are very strict rules about what can be said or shown, but in your refugee hearing, the officer has more flexibility to accept information they consider "credible or trustworthy" [cite:ca-irpa-sec170]. While the officer has this authority, they must still follow the rules set by the Board. While they can ask for more, they must also ensure you have a "reasonable opportunity to present evidence, question witnesses and make representations" [cite:ca-irpa-sec170]. This ensures that while they can add new elements to the case, the process remains fair to you. State, provincial, or local laws may add further rules regarding specific administrative procedures.