Special Economic Measures Act
The Special Economic Measures Act (SEMA) is a Government of Canada statute,[1] passed in 1992 under the second Mulroney ministry in the 34th Canadian Parliament. The Government of Canada department responsible for enforcing the Act is the Minister of Foreign Affairs.[2]
History[edit]
In 2011 the Special Economic Measures (Syria) Regulations (SOR/2011-114) were passed.[3]
In 2014 an Iranian plaintiff tried to have the Supreme Court of British Columbia overturn the Special Economic Measures (Iran) Regulations.[4] They had been adopted in 2010, on the recommendation of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 1737.[5]
The Special Economic Measures (Ukraine) Regulations (SOR/2014-60) and the Special Economic Measures (Russia) Regulations, (SOR/2014-58) were passed, to the frustration of one Mr Portnov, who had formerly been employed in the Ukrainian administration headed by Viktor Yanukovych.[6]
Upper-level management of the Iranian nuclear programme have repeatedly tried to infiltrate Canada and the SEMA has been used to stop them.[7]
In September 2017 the Special Economic Measures (Venezuela) Regulations (SOR/2017-204) were passed.[8]
On 1 February 2022 rumours of a Russian invasion were thick and a helpful list of Canadian sanctions tools was provided by consultant attorneys. There were then three pieces of secondary legislation that collectively formed the "Sanctions Regime",[9] under the SEMA:
- Special Economic Measures (Russia) Regulations (SEMRR)
- Special Economic Measures (Ukraine) Regulations (SEMUR)
- Freezing Assets of Corrupt Foreign Officials (Ukraine) Regulations (FACFOUR)
In 2022, Roman Abramovich had some of his assets seized under this Act.[1]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Canada announces first use of seizure and forfeiture mechanism against sanctioned persons | McCarthy Tétrault". 20 December 2022.
- ^ "Consolidated federal laws of Canada, Special Economic Measures Act". 22 June 2023.
- ^ https://canlii.ca/t/jc08r.
{{cite news}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ https://canlii.ca/t/g868d.
{{cite news}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ https://canlii.ca/t/gsp13.
{{cite news}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ https://canlii.ca/t/j4mq5.
{{cite news}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ https://canlii.ca/t/jm7mk.
{{cite news}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ https://canlii.ca/t/jkx2z.
{{cite news}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "Canada considers amendments to sanctions regime targeting Russia". Borden Ladner Gervais S.E.N.C.R.L., S.R.L. 1 February 2022.
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