It's not a surprise that part of the skepticism people in the human rights field have with regard to the lack of Canadian enforcement has a lot to do with the fact that so many natural resource companies are based in Canada, particularly gold mine companies and companies that exploit natural resources in some of the world's worst places. By worst places, I mean not just the standard of living which in great part results from the sort of government they have there, but also the conditions that these governments impose on their people. It's no surprise that so many gold mining companies based in Canada are engaged in, if not outright bribery, bribery of a different kind. Let me just start off by saying that.
I am certainly no fan of the United States government in respect of sanctions, because they often are extremely slow and they begin things either when people are out of power or at the tail end of it. However, it's better than what currently exists in Canada and certainly better than what exists in the European Union. OFAC can be a rather effective unit, but OFAC already has a considerable amount of experience, and it is certainly not the only regulatory body. OFAC will cover things like people violating sanctions with regard to Cuba or Iran, but with regard to freezing the assets and going after any number of people, I believe in a wider approach. Law enforcement in general should be counted on and should be empowered to do this at the municipal, federal or provincial levels, however you wish, depending on what specific structure we're speaking about in Canada.
My view is that more is better, not less. As long as someone is also watching the watchers, I think we will all be happier. In the end, the media are a key component of blowing the whistle, but once the whistle has been blown, someone needs to be there to make sure there is follow-through, and Canada at present has structures that are lacking.
I'm also very surprised that the Magnitsky Act is still stalled. Obviously, realpolitik comes into play, but it is rather pitiable that you folks have not yet carried the Magnitsky Act.