I wish we didn't have to be here so often, but today is day 441 of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, so it is good to speak with you today.
With regard to this bill, Bill S-8, and the amendments on individuals sanctioned by Canada and by SEMA, we strongly support this legislation as drafted by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress. We believe that with the freezing of assets held in Canada, and hopefully soon the seizure of those assets, the inadmissibility of individuals listed under SEMA will be a key part of Canada's strong sanctions regime against foreign officials whose regimes, as we know and have heard, are engaged in gross human rights violations and in significant corruption activities against individuals who financially and politically support those regimes.
We believe that the proposed amendments to IRPA are a step, as you heard, in closing the statutory gaps in our legislation to harmonize SEMA with the immigration act and to assist in making Canadian sanctions more effective.
We call on the committee to adopt the bill quickly. For our community, it is part of the ongoing effort to significantly strengthen Canada's sanctions regime.
I will turn it over to my colleague to talk about two specific issues we believe can be addressed.