National

MPs want transparency in Canada's sanctions regime

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 14 Feb, 2023 02:24 PM

OTTAWA - The House of Commons foreign affairs committee wants the Liberal government to report to Parliament on a regular basis about whether its sanctions regime is actually working.

The committee launched a study of the Russian military buildup at the border with Ukraine shortly before Moscow chose to invade the country a year ago.

Since then, Ottawa has sanctioned hundreds of people linked to Russia's war effort, as well as officials accused of human-rights breaches from Haiti to Sri Lanka.

But the MPs heard from experts and Ukraine's ambassador that it's unclear whether the sanctions are actually having an impact, and to what extent Russian oligarchs are working around these limitations.

The MPs are asking the Liberals to go beyond occasional updates on the total amount of funds that have been frozen, and report regularly on who's had assets frozen, what shell companies are involved and whether those targeted are evading the sanctions.

The committee wrapped up hearings last October but took months to issue the report, in part due to squabbles between the parties on a handful of issues.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Avalanche kills two in B.C.'s backcountry

Search and rescue crews were notified when the victims were reported overdue and their bodies were later recovered from the scene of the avalanche. Avalanche Canada says the area of the slide was highly wind-affected, leaving some parts of the slope thin and rocky, while other sections had up to 130 centimetres of snow.

Avalanche kills two in B.C.'s backcountry

Pandemic support lowered B.C.'s child poverty rate

It's the largest one-year drop in the rate since 2000, but one in eight children were still living in poverty, and the report says rates were "dramatically higher" among children living on First Nation reserves and those who recently immigrated.

Pandemic support lowered B.C.'s child poverty rate

MPs want more earthquake donations matched

The federal government has offered to match up to $10 million in donations to the Canadian Red Cross for their partners on the ground to help people who are suddenly homeless. Conservative, Bloc Québécois and New Democrat MPs want to see that expanded to include other groups, an idea that is supported by at least one Liberal MP, Sameer Zuberi.

MPs want more earthquake donations matched

Canadian's body found in Turkey earthquake rubble

Saad Zora says his twin sister Samar was found earlier today by searchers as an excavator dug through pieces of a five-storey building in the city of Antakya. He said, "Samar was found," and added, "she didn't make it."

Canadian's body found in Turkey earthquake rubble

Across the continent, eyes on the sky — and Norad

Three separate objects were blown out of the sky in as many days over the weekend, a flurry of close encounters that followed what U.S. officials say was a Chinese surveillance balloon that floated across the continent two weeks ago.

Across the continent, eyes on the sky — and Norad

Big grocery store CEOs called to testify in Ottawa

The proposal to hear from the grocery leaders came from NDP MP Alistair MacGregor, and it received unanimous support from Liberal, Conservative and Bloc Québécois MPs. Executives from all three companies, as well as Save-On-Foods, have testified at past committee meetings focused on the rising cost of food — but not their CEOs.