Madam Speaker, I rise in the House today to speak to Bill C-219, the Sergei Magnitsky international anti-corruption and human rights act.
I would like to thank the hon. member for Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman for bringing this legislation forward. It was very helpful to have more of the context and the story behind why he has been pushing forward this bill.
Bill C-219 reflects core values that Canada has always represented. These values are represented in the institutions we have built as a country, including the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The charter was introduced under a Liberal government and reflects our nationwide commitment to fundamental freedoms, equality, democratic rights and the rule of law. These values do not stop at our borders. They also shape how we engage internationally. When we speak out against human rights abuses or take action against corruption and repression abroad, we do so because these are the core values that Canadians believe in.
Bill C-219 would build on these principles by strengthening Canada's ability to better respond to international human rights challenges and violations while also continuing to uphold the humanitarian principles that define us.
Bill C-219 proposes amendments to three laws: the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act; the Special Economic Measures Act; and the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act. The amendments would strengthen Canada's sanctions and update human rights frameworks. These amendments would occur in the following ways.
Firstly, the bill would amend the DFATD Act to require the minister to report annually on human rights efforts, including efforts to secure the release of human rights defenders and prisoners of conscience.
The bill would also amend the Special Economic Measures Act and the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act to lower the threshold for the use of sanctions to be inclusive of emerging threats like transnational repression and cybercrime. It would also provide for increased penalties, establish clear timelines and rename Canada's existing sanctions legislation to commemorate Sergei Magnitsky.
The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development also made important amendments to further strengthen the bill. The reporting provisions were amended to take into consideration the complex situation that prisoners of conscience and human rights defenders are in, while still making sure the government is accountable in publishing an annual report on these activities.
The committee also adopted a broadened trigger related to conduct that undermines peace, stability and democracy, allowing the government to sanction individuals for a wide range of activities including cybercrime, organized crime, arbitrary detention and other forms of transnational misconduct. These changes recognize that threats to human rights increasingly cross borders. Canada must be equipped to respond to evolving challenges.
The amendments would also ensure that the seizure of private assets of sanctioned individuals follows a clear legislative process and timeline while ensuring that due process is respected. These changes would also increase and align evasion penalties to provide greater consistency through a Canada sanctions framework.
The work on this bill shows what we can achieve when parliamentarians work productively together. The committee spent weeks working collaboratively to strengthen the legislation by removing provisions that could have created unnecessary burdens, hindered the government's ability to adapt sanctions or potentially put human rights defenders at risk. This is a strong example of how multipartisan efforts can make Canada stronger, both here at home and abroad.
Bill C-219 would make important changes to modernize Canada's sanctions regime. These measures would increase accountability by requiring the government to publish an annual report on efforts to advance human rights.
In recent months, our country has been having important discussions about how Canada can strengthen its role on the stage as a middle power. As Prime Minister Mark Carney has noted, middle powers like Canada are not powerless in the face of global uncertainty. By working with like-minded partners—