Foreign Affairs committee  You're basically asking us for advice as to how we should amend the act, and I don't know that we're in a position to do that. Given our roles as public servants, we're here to explain the facts as they exist, in terms of what they currently are. As I mentioned a moment ago, in

Foreign Affairs committee  Perhaps I'll make an observation on what has gone on south of the border. Obviously, you're talking about a Magnitsky act, which they have in the United States. What's interesting in its application is that it has been met with retaliation that you might characterize as being of

Foreign Affairs committee  What SEMA currently enables you to do—“you” being the Government of Canada—is to identify states. As mentioned in some of the examples, you can identify individuals under those regulations. There's nothing in the current legal construct precluding you from identifying individuals

Foreign Affairs committee  That is a very good question, and I'm looking at Hugh to see whether or not he might....

Foreign Affairs committee  We'll come back to you in writing, Chair, but if memory serves there was a significant human rights dimension in the form of internally displaced and internationally displaced people.

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you.

Foreign Affairs committee  I might add that it's important to note that SEMA, the current legislation, can allow sanctions in relation to human rights violations. As we've mentioned previously, that's either where one of the organizations or associations of states that we're party to calls upon its members

Foreign Affairs committee  As I just mentioned, I think the short answer is that SEMA, as currently structured, does enable sanctions to be taken, when the two tests, if you will, the thresholds, have been met. Under those conditions sanctions can be taken for human rights-related situations. As I mentione

Foreign Affairs committee  Canada, similar to all of our allies, has autonomous sanctions regimes. We work through the UN system, and when, for various reasons, there's a gridlock, there's an inability to pass a sanction through that fora, each of us has instruments to do that. SEMA is the Canadian version

Foreign Affairs committee  Sanctions entail some obvious consequences for the target state, but also for the sending state, the state that's using these sanctions. From the target state perspective, obviously there's loss of commerce. There's adverse effect on civilians, in terms of lost jobs and economic

Foreign Affairs committee  If I understood what you said, you are wondering about the negative impact that could result from applying restrictions?

Foreign Affairs committee  Yes. I would add that there are Department of Finance agencies, in particular the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions, and also FINTRAC, that send information to clients, that is to say to the private sector, to keep them abreast of new regulations. In additio

Foreign Affairs committee  The chair will know that our role here as public servants is to explain, if you will, the “how” of the legislation as opposed to the “what” and “why,” and whether or not we should be servicing potential amendments to the act. At this point, it would probably be premature for me t

Foreign Affairs committee  Sure. Perhaps I could understand the question a bit better. Are you asking whether I am aware of or have views on improvements to SEMA, or are you asking how the use of SEMA has evolved over time?

Foreign Affairs committee  Marc-Yves Bertin, Director General of International Economic Policy.