International Human Rights Act

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

Sponsor

Philip Lawrence  Conservative

Introduced as a private member’s bill. (These don’t often become law.)

Status

Second reading (Senate), as of Oct. 19, 2023

Subscribe to a feed (what's a feed?) of speeches and votes in the House related to Bill C-281.

Summary

This is from the published bill. The Library of Parliament often publishes better independent summaries.

This enactment amends the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act to impose certain requirements on the Minister of Foreign Affairs in relation to international human rights. It also amends the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act (Sergei Magnitsky Law) to require the Minister of Foreign Affairs to respond to a report submitted by a parliamentary committee that recommends that sanctions be imposed under that Act against a foreign national.
In addition, this enactment amends the Broadcasting Act to prohibit the issue or renewal of a licence in relation to a broadcasting undertaking that is vulnerable to being significantly influenced by a foreign national or entity that has committed acts or omissions that theSenate or the House of Commons has recognized as genocide or that is subject to sanctions under the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act (Sergei Magnitsky Law) or under the Special Economic Measures Act .
Finally, it amends the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act to prohibit a person from investing in an entity that has contravened certain provisions of the Act.

Elsewhere

All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from the Library of Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.

Votes

June 7, 2023 Passed 3rd reading and adoption of 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
May 31, 2023 Passed Concurrence at report stage of 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
May 31, 2023 Passed 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 (report stage amendment)
Nov. 16, 2022 Passed 2nd reading of 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

Foreign Affairs and International Development Committee, on March 23, 2023

  • Heidi Hulan, Assistant Deputy Minister and Political Director, International Security and Political Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
  • Amy Awad, Senior Director, Marketplace and Legislative Policy, Department of Canadian Heritage
  • Marie-Josée Langlois, Director General, Strategic Policy Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
  • Angelica Liao-Moroz, Executive Director, Non-Proliferation, Disarmament and Space, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Foreign Affairs and International Development Committee, on March 28, 2023

  • Excellency Robert Rae, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
  • Alex Neve, Senior Fellow, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa, As an Individual
  • Laura Harth, Campaign Director, Fundacion Safeguard Defenders

Foreign Affairs and International Development Committee, on March 30, 2023

  • Daniel Turp, Emeritus Professor, Faculty of Law, Université de Montréal, As an Individual
  • Sherap Therchin, Executive Director, Canada Tibet Committee
  • Katherine Leung, Policy Adviser, Hong Kong Watch
  • Earl Turcotte, As an Individual
  • William Browder, Head of the Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign, Author, and Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Hermitage Capital Management Ltd
  • Farida Deif, Canada Director, Human Rights Watch Canada

Foreign Affairs and International Development Committee, on April 18, 2023

  • Jeffrey Marder, Executive Director, Human Rights and Indigenous Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
  • Philippe Méla, Legislative Clerk
  • Marie-Josée Langlois, Director General, Strategic Policy Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development

Foreign Affairs and International Development Committee, on April 20, 2023

Foreign Affairs and International Development Committee, on April 25, 2023

Foreign Affairs and International Development Committee, on April 27, 2023

  • Ashlyn Milligan, Deputy Director, Non-Proliferation and Disarmament, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
  • Paul Prévost, Director of Staff, Strategic Joint Staff, Department of National Defence
  • Philippe Méla, Legislative Clerk
  • Jennifer Keeling, Acting Executive Director, Human Rights and Indigenous Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
  • Clerk of the Committee, Ms. Ariane Gagné-Frégeau