Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to speak to this private member's bill, Bill C-219, 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; and the Special Economic Measures Act, which will also be known as the Sergei Magnitsky Law No. 2.
I want to begin by again acknowledging the member for Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman for his leadership in introducing and championing this bill.
For generations, countries around the world have regarded Canada as a global leader in the protection of human rights and the promotion of democratic values.
Bill C‑219 will introduce significant reforms to increase transparency and modernize Canada's sanctions regime so that it reflects the challenges we face today. This all-party effort will improve Canada's ability to hold those who violate human rights to account.
I was encouraged by the constructive discussions that took place on Bill C-219 at the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development. As a committee, we worked together to adopt several amendments to strengthen the bill, improving the effectiveness and flexibility of its key elements while mitigating risks and unintended consequences. I will focus my remarks today on these key improvements.
First, we brought greater coherence to how the Minister of Foreign Affairs should report on the government's efforts. Bill C-219 proposes amendments to the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act that introduce a new requirement for the minister to report annually on Canada's efforts to advance human rights internationally. We welcome this requirement as an important step to demonstrate how Canada is promoting and protecting human rights, but how we report is important.
It is essential to protect the safety and privacy of human rights activists. Canada's approach to supporting human rights activists is guided by the do no harm principle.
In its original form, the bill required the report to include a detailed list of the names and circumstances of the prisoners of conscience whom Canada was trying to help. Many witnesses told the committee that publishing such a list could have serious consequences, including causing undue harm to detainees or having unintended consequences on the delivery of consular services to Canadians.
Instead, the report would now protect those most vulnerable, and it would outline more broadly the measures taken by the government to support human rights defenders and prisoners of conscience internationally as part of Canada's foreign policy.
Second, to honour the life and work of Sergei Magnitsky, the committee agreed to rename Canada's existing sanctions laws. This would make Canada the first country to have Sergei Magnitsky laws with a total of three in the franchise: the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act, the first Sergei Magnitsky law; SEMA, Sergei Magnitsky Law No. 2; and Bill C-219, Sergei Magnitsky Law No. 3.
Third, Bill C-219 seeks to expand and clarify the circumstances under which sanctions may be imposed, including in response to transnational repression. Committee amendments were adopted to further strengthen and expand Canada's legal basis for sanctions.
We have adopted not only a criterion for imposing sanctions in cases of transnational repression but also a broader criterion related to threats to peace, stability and democracy. This will enable the government to impose sanctions on those responsible for a wide variety of transnational crimes, including cybercrime, organized crime, arbitrary detention, threats to democracy and so on.
Fourth, Bill C-219 imposes mandatory timelines for the forfeiture and disposal of property seized under existing laws.
Fifth, we have increased and aligned evasion penalties, to be consistent throughout our existing legislation.
Finally, the committee removed elements of the bill in order to increase its effectiveness, reduce red tape and ensure the overall coherence of Canadian legislation. Simply put, these problematic provisions would not have improved Canada's ability to respond to human rights abuses.
In a world of growing uncertainty, Canada's core values continue to guide our government's foreign policy. We will always work to hold anyone to account who violates human rights, democracy or the rule of law.
In closing, I want to thank the member for Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman and my colleagues on the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development once again for the cross-party work that has made Bill C-219 a solid piece of legislation. By working together, we reaffirm Canada's leadership on human rights and send a clear message: Canada will never stand idly by or keep silent when confronted with attacks against human dignity.
By working together, we will continue to make sure that Canada can serve as a beacon in an uncertain world. Our government will continue to add to Canada's human rights legacy and will honour the sacrifices that have been made in fights against tyranny and oppression.
I look forward to seeing Bill C-219 implemented.