moved for leave to introduce Bill C-281, an act to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act, the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act (Sergei Magnitsky Law), the Broadcasting Act and the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act.
Madam Speaker, to thunderous applause, I may say, it is a privilege and an honour to rise in the House to introduce my private member's bill, the international human rights act.
I would like to start by thanking the member for Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, our shadow minister for international development, for his support in creating, drafting and seconding this important piece of legislation.
The legislation would accomplish four key objectives.
First, it would impose certain reporting requirements on the Minister of Foreign Affairs, including to produce a list of prisoners of conscience whose behalf the government is working on.
Second, it would impose a requirement on the Minister of Foreign Affairs to respond within 40 days to a report submitted by a parliamentary committee that recommends the imposition of Magnitsky sanctions.
Third, it would make amendments to the Broadcasting Act that prohibit the issue, amendment or renewal of a licence to a broadcaster that may be vulnerable to a foreign national or entity declared of committing genocide or subject to sanctions under Sergei Magnitsky Law.
Fourth, it would create a prohibition against investments into companies that construct, develop or transport cluster munitions as defined by the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act.
I would like to thank the members of the House in advance for their support and for making the world a bit of a better place.
(Motion deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)