Bill Detail
An Act to amend the State Immunity Act, the Criminal Code and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
This enactment amends the State Immunity Act to provide that a foreign state that supports or has supported torture or extrajudicial killing is not immune from the jurisdiction of any court in Canada. It also amends that Act to require the Minister of Foreign Affairs to respond within a specified period to a report of a parliamentary committee that recommends restricting the immunity of a foreign state under the Act.
In addition, the enactment amends the Criminal Code to provide that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is a listed entity, its property therefore being subject to seizure, restraint or forfeiture under the anti-terrorism provisions of the Act. It also amends that Act to require the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness to respond within a specified period to a report of a parliamentary committee that recommends that an entity become a listed entity.
Finally, the enactment amends the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to provide that a permanent resident or foreign national is not inadmissible to Canada on security grounds for being a member of a certain organization if certain criteria are met.
This bill, also known as the Combating Torture and Terrorism Act, proposes to amend three key Canadian laws. Firstly, it would remove immunity for foreign states that support or have supported torture or extrajudicial killings, allowing Canadian courts to hear cases against them. It also requires the Minister of Foreign Affairs to respond publicly to parliamentary recommendations regarding state immunity. Secondly, it designates the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a listed entity, making their property subject to seizure under anti-terrorism laws, and mandates a response from the Minister of Public Safety to committee recommendations on listing entities. Finally, it clarifies that membership in certain organizations may not make a permanent resident or foreign national inadmissible to Canada on security grounds if specific conditions are met.