Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Welcome to all the new committee members.
I'd like to thank the witnesses for being here today and for taking the time to do so.
I'd like to reset what we're talking about with respect to sanctions regimes. It's been a long time, a whole summer, since we actually discussed this issue. I'm happy we're coming to a conclusion with respect to this study.
When it comes to SEMA, it is a sanctions regime that applies to individuals, entities and states. It includes an asset freeze. Imports and exports are also implicated. They can be seized and stopped. Also, Magnitsky is essentially a kind of layer on top of that. It applies to individuals who have committed gross and serious human rights abuses. It is basically SEMA but with a specific application through a human rights lens to really target individuals.
That was just to reset the room and frame what we're talking about with respect to the study.
I'd like to focus my questions to your organization. I'm happy that we as a government have actually imposed four important sanctions on prominent individuals who were involved in the Tamil genocide, including two previous leaders of Sri Lanka. That was a very important moment for Canada but also for justice, human rights, dignity and respect for the Tamil people.
What are your thoughts on focusing, in addition to sanctions, on moving beyond that? Some organizations, such as the People for Equality and Relief in Lanka, or PEARL, have said that beyond or in addition to sanctions, we should move to supporting victim-centric international justice mechanisms.
Do you have any thoughts on that?