Three individuals added to Haiti sanctions

Summary#

This final regulation amends the Special Economic Measures (Haiti) Regulations to add three people to Canada’s list of sanctioned individuals and corrects one previously listed name. The changes came into force on the day they were registered (June 20, 2024) and were published in the Canada Gazette on July 3, 2024.

What it does#

• Adds three people to the schedule of designated persons who are subject to a broad ban on dealings:
  • Luckson Elan (born January 6, 1988) (also known as Lucson Elan and Jeneral Luckson)
  • Gabriel Jean‑Pierre (born March 31, 1984) (also known as Ti‑Gabriel)
  • Ferdens Tilus (born September 15, 1995) (also known as Jeneral Meyer and Jeneral Meyè)
• Replaces one existing listing to correct a name:
  • Joseph Wilson (born February 28, 1993) (also known as Lanmò San Jou)
• Makes it illegal for people in Canada, and Canadians abroad, to:
  • deal with the listed people’s property,
  • enter into transactions with them,
  • provide services to them,
  • transfer property to them, or
  • otherwise make goods or services available to them.
• As a result of listing, the named individuals become inadmissible to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

Who's affected#

• Listed individuals — the three added people and the corrected listing.
• Canadian banks and financial institutions, which must screen for and block dealings with the newly listed names.
• Canadian businesses and people who might otherwise trade with or provide services to the listed persons.
• Global Affairs Canada, which administers and enforces the sanctions and maintains the public sanctions list.
• Law enforcement and border agencies such as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canada Border Services Agency, which have enforcement roles.

Why it matters#

• The government says the listings target people it believes are linked to gang violence and human rights abuses that harm civilians in Haiti. The sanctions are meant to pressure those individuals by cutting off financial and other support.
• For most Canadians the change will be invisible. The main practical effects are for banks, businesses, and anyone who might have dealings with the listed people: they must stop those dealings and update compliance checks.
• Listed people face travel and asset restrictions and become inadmissible to Canada. There are criminal penalties for knowingly breaking the rules, including fines and jail terms (penalties described in the regulations include up to $25,000, up to one year on summary conviction, or up to five years on indictment).