QUESTION PERIOD — Foreign Affairs
Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 Tragedy
December 9, 2021
Leader, tomorrow is Human Rights Day. My question relates specifically to Iran and the shooting down of Flight PS752, which killed 176 people, including 55 Canadians and 30 permanent residents of Canada. Almost two years have passed since this unimaginable tragedy took place, and the families of PS752 are still seeking justice and accountability on behalf of their loved one.
Since the crash, these families have been subjected to intimidation, harassment and abuse from Iranian authorities. The families know very little about the military trial of 10 unnamed individuals that recently began in Tehran. Iran has also refused to participate in negotiations on reparations.
Leader, a lawyer representing the families previously said your government was opaque and unhelpful with their civil case against the Iranian regime. What specific actions are you taking to assist these families now?
The government’s first priority was and remains to do everything it can to assist victims’ families. The actions of Iran and its lack of transparency have been condemned by this government and it continues to do so. It is committed to working closely with its allies and other grieving nations — Ukraine, Sweden, Afghanistan, the United Kingdom — in seeking justice for the victims.
Leader, I previously raised the June 2018 motion that passed in the other place to immediately designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a listed terrorist entity under the Criminal Code of Canada. That, of course, did not happen, and it is clear by now that it will never happen under this current government. Leader, your government has resisted imposing Sergei Magnitsky Law against Iranian officials involved in the downing of PS752. Your government has also said it’s considering taking Iran to the International Court of Justice, but to date nothing has been done on this front either. Leader, what is your government’s current position on these two points: Magnitsky sanctions and the International Court of Justice?
Thank you for the question. The government has used Magnitsky sanctions in the past. It takes very seriously its obligations to review the facts before it comes to that conclusion, and it will continue to do that in such cases.
With regard to the International Court of Justice, I do not know what the current thinking of the government is. I will make every effort to determine what it is and report back.
