22 Belarus Defence Officials Sanctioned

Summary#

These final regulations amend the Special Economic Measures (Belarus) Regulations to add 22 Belarusian defence officials to Canada’s sanctions list. The changes took effect on March 16, 2022 (the registration date) and prohibit most financial and property dealings with the named people.

What it does#

• Adds 22 individuals (senior officials of the Ministry of Defence of the Government of Belarus) to Part 1.1 of Schedule 1 of the regulations.
• Prohibits people in Canada from providing property, money, financial services, or related support to the listed individuals. This is commonly called a “broad dealings” ban.
• States that the regulations apply from their registration date (they were published in the Canada Gazette on March 30, 2022, but took effect on March 16, 2022).

Who's affected#

• The 22 named Belarusian defence officials (they are the ones targeted by the measures).
• Canadian banks and financial institutions, which must screen for and block prohibited transactions.
• Businesses or people in Canada who might try to do business with the listed individuals or who need a permit to carry out transactions that would otherwise be banned. Permits are handled by Global Affairs Canada.
• Enforcement agencies such as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canada Border Services Agency.

Why it matters#

• For the listed people, it effectively freezes any assets they have in Canada and cuts off access to Canadian financial services.
• For Canadians, it means banks will block transactions involving these people and businesses may face extra checks or need permits for certain dealings.
• The measure is part of Canada’s response to Belarus’s support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (which began on February 24, 2022). It aligns Canada with other international sanctions.
• Penalties for knowingly breaking the rules include a fine of up to $25,000 and/or imprisonment for up to one year on summary conviction, or up to five years on indictment.
• These amendments add to earlier measures; Canada had already listed 115 individuals and 37 entities in relation to Belarus before this change.