Proposed Bill (C-281) to Bring Human Rights to Forefront.
On November 6, 2022, Conservative Members of parliament, Philip Lawrence and Garnett Genuis hosted an event to discuss Bill C-281: the International Human Rights act with more than 100 attendees to discuss this private member’s bill that aims at supporting prisoners of conscience abroad and targeting rights offenders with Magnitsky-style sanctions.
Bill C-281 that was presented in the House of Commons on June 13, includes provisions in which the foreign affairs minister would publish, at least once a year, a list of prisoners of conscience for whose release the government of Canada is actively working; request the use of Magnitsky-style sanctions against alleged human rights abusers; and prohibit the renewal of broadcasting licences to entities with foreign influences that are complicit in acts of genocide.
During the event, Genuis said the logic of bill C281 is to put together a number of important human rights issues that are going to impact many different communities and in totality to shift Canadian policy-making to force the government of Canada to be at forefront of human rights going forward and In the process motivating a larger group of people to stand behind and push that goal forward.” Also mentioned that private bills have a long road to go through.
“There are a lot of steps that the bill has to follow, has to get adopted by the house of commence go through committee, get adopted again, go though senate process.”
Genius said that this bill is not going to solve all your problems but it will make a meaningful difference to the human rights concerns that you re thinking about and that applies to everybody.
Philip Lawrence also explained the reason of putting this private members bill forward.
“because I believe whether you are a child in Ottawa, or in Baku, or in Tehran or Moscow or in Kiev, every child has the same opportunity to have certain needs, certain freedom.”
Genuis believes that the bill is a game-changer in terms of allowing Parliament to hold the Canadian government accountable when advancing international human rights.
In response to the status of the bill-S223 against organ harvesting in China, Genius said that it is currently before the foreign affair committee.
“This is a example where the delays can have an impact unfortunately while the bill was passed only five months ago foreign affairs committee yet to hold any meetings looking at organ harvesting bill. “I suspect though that we are able to proceed soon.”
On the news over unofficial Chinese police stations in Canada and considering Netherlands and Ireland have already ordered the Chinese embassy to close those in their country, Genuis explained.
“CCP police stations, no excuse for it we should shut it down. They had a statement on it this past week saying looking into it. This us frustrating obviously.”