Conservative MP Philip Lawrence has introduced a private member’s bill aimed at supporting prisoners of conscience abroad and targeting rights offenders with Magnitsky-style sanctions.
Presented in the House of Commons on June 13, Bill C-281, or the “International Human Rights Act,” includes four specific provisions: create a list of prisoners of conscience for whom the government of Canada would advocate, request the use of Magnitsky-style sanctions against alleged human rights abusers, prohibit the renewal of broadcasting licences to entities with foreign influences that are complicit in acts of genocide, and ban business relationships with munition manufacturers, transporters, or sellers.
During a June 13 press conference, Lawrence said whether it is advocating for individuals fighting for democracy or freedom in their home countries, or pushing back against munitions that harm children around the world, “it is incredibly important that we advocate and that we take a stand as a country that has a great history of human rights.”…