Remove IRGC affiliates
Petitioners ask Canada to investigate and, if lawful, remove IRGC affiliates, freeze related Canadian assets, and speed immigration decisions for affected Iranians. The government responds it is using existing listings, sanctions and screening.
Why we would sign this petition
- It would apply the IRGC terrorist listing to pursue removals and asset freezes, potentially reducing threats by removing suspected affiliates from Canadian territory.
- Freezing or seizing assets and enforcing sanctions could disrupt alleged IRGC financial networks and hinder their ability to operate from Canada.
- Speeding and extending immigration processing for affected Iranians would reduce prolonged family separation caused by the embassy closure and sanctions.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Removing individuals and seizing assets depends on lawful evidence and complex procedures; rushed action risks wrongful expulsions or prolonged legal challenges.
- Enforcement and asset seizures require interagency capacity and international cooperation, so results may be slow, limited or costly to implement.
- Speeding immigration decisions could conflict with necessary security screening, risking public-safety oversights or unequal treatment of applicants.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
Petition to the Government of Canada WHEREAS PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA • Canada has designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, and its activities, directly or through proxies, threaten democracy, human rights, and national security; • Evidence suggests individuals linked to the IRGC may be residing in Canada and using Canadian territory for money laundering, property acquisition, and business operations; • The closure of the Canadian Embassy in Iran, along with sanctions and travel restrictions, has delayed immigration applications for Iranian nationals and prolonged family separation; • The Government of Canada has a duty to protect national security, democratic institutions, and the safety of its citizens; THEREFORE We, the undersigned citizens and permanent residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to investigate and, where warranted under Canadian law, remove members and affiliates of the IRGC and its proxy organizations from Canada and freeze or seize assets linked to them; provide deadline extensions and expedite immigration applications for Iranian nationals affected by sanctions and the closure of the Canadian Embassy in Iran; and affirm that enforcing Canada's terrorist designation of the IRGC while supporting the Iranian people strengthens national security and protects democratic values.
Government response
Response by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Signed by PETER FRAGISKATOS, M.P. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) takes matters of national security seriously and works closely with security and intelligence partners, who conduct comprehensive assessments to detect security risks and threats to protect the health, safety and security of Canadians. Our security screening is a multi-layered, multi-departmental effort. Officers work together throughout the immigration and arrival process to review applications and investigate risks and concerns. All foreign nationals must meet the admissibility and eligibility requirements set out in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR)before entry to Canada, including security screening. On June 19, 2024, the Minister of Public Safety listed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist entity under 83.05(1) of the Criminal Code. Current and former senior officials of the Iranian regime and/or IRGC and affiliated entities are not admissible to Canada. As such, there is a risk these individuals may have concealed their roles in order to obtain status in Canada. To identify these individuals, the Government of Canada is conducting comprehensive security assessments to detect possible risk and threats. Complexity of these applications may increase processing timelines. IRCC is responsible for making decisions on visas and immigration applications, and conducts preliminary assessment with applications assessed individually by immigration officers against risk indicators. IRCC relies on security partners for more in-depth review, investigation and assessment when risk indicators are detected, comprehensive security screening is initiated. Both the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) conduct screening using intelligence resources and databases. This includes information-sharing and information provided by Five Eyes allies such as the United States. When comprehensive security screening is needed, applications are referred to security partners for in-depth investigations. IRCC refers cases to the CBSA when it has concerns a person might be inadmissible due to security risks, human rights violations, or organized crime. CBSA works to prevent all inadmissible persons from travelling to or entering Canada, and pursues appropriate immigration enforcement actions. CBSA is responsible for making determinations of inadmissibility of persons seeking to enter Canada at ports of entry, as well as conducting immigration investigations against permanent residents and foreign nationals in Canada. Immigration enforcement, particularly for persons in Canada, is a multi-stage process involving both CBSA and the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB). When the CBSA becomes aware of cases where a temporary or permanent resident inside Canada may be inadmissible as a member of the IRGC or other terrorist entities, it conducts an investigation. If the investigation determines the concern is well-founded, the CBSA reports the individual and refers the case to the IRB as the decision-maker in these types of cases. The IRB presides over quasi-judicial admissibility hearings to determine whether individuals are inadmissible to Canada, and makes the final decision. The individual has the right to due process, including making submissions at the hearing and to be represented by counsel. The CBSA is represented by a Hearings Officer. If an IRB decision-maker determines the person is inadmissible, they will issue a removal order against them. The CBSA actively pursues immigration enforcement against members of the IRGC under the IRPA s.34(1)(f), for being a member of an organization that engages, has engaged, or will engage in terrorism. There are a number of factors that affect the ability to remove a person from Canada, including availability of subsequent applications that they can make, such as pre-removal risk assessment applications. All persons are afforded due process against any decision made against them, which can include seeking judicial review. The CBSA actions a removal order once a person has waived or exhausted all legal avenues of recourse that can stay the removal. Thereafter, a variety of factors can affect how quickly the CBSA can enforce a removal from Canada, including availability of a travel document, flight availability, and medical issues related to the client. Immigration legislation also allows for the arrest and detention of inadmissible individuals if there are grounds to believe they pose a risk to public safety or constitute a flight risk. Detention is an essential tool to support the removal of inadmissible persons. The primary objective of detention is to protect the health and safety of Canadians and to maintain the security of Canadian society. Timelines for processing applications can vary for several reasons, including whether an application is complete, the number of applications currently in process, the need to verify information, and the complexity of individual cases. IRCC aims to process 80% of complete applications within established service standards. However, some applications may require additional review to ensure that decisions are made carefully and fairly. As the situation in Iran remains unstable, Canada is continuing to support Iranians who are already in Canada. These measures allow eligible Iranian temporary residents to extend their work permits, providing them with continued access to employment in Canada. Response by the Minister of Public Safety Signed by JACQUES RAMSAY, PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY Under Canada’s terrorist listing regime, listing an entity under the Criminal Code makes it an offence for any person in Canada, and any Canadian outside Canada, to knowingly deal (directly or indirectly) in property that is owned or controlled by or on behalf of a terrorist group, to facilitate transactions in relation to that property, or to provide financial or related services in respect of that property. There is also a mandatory disclosure requirement, requiring individuals to report to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) or the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) if their property is supporting a terrorist group. This also applies to designated bodies, such as key financial sector entities. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was listed as a terrorist entity in June 2024. Since then, the RCMP has been working collaboratively with its partners at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), CSIS, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) to identify and investigate possible IRGC activity in Canada. While the RCMP is not able to comment on specific investigative steps or potential enforcement actions, it can say that the full range of lawful investigative tools are being deployed as required to respond to IRGC activity in Canada. It is important to note that the listing regime is not the only tool being leveraged by the Government of Canada. The Special Economic Measures Act (SEMA), and its regulations, is another tool that can be leveraged to seize finances related to IRGC activities. For example, between February 24, 2022, and November 28, 2025, disclosures received by the RCMP reported an approximate equivalent of CAD $78,908 in property in Canada frozen, and the same amount in financial transactions blocked, due to prohibitions under the Special Economic Measures (Iran) Regulations. Note these figures reflect disclosures received by the RCMP and should not be treated as a complete total across Canada’s sanctions regime. Where sanctions contraventions may constitute criminal offences, the RCMP is also able to conduct criminal investigations. Enforcing Canada's terrorist designation of the IRGC while supporting the Iranian people strengthens national security and protects democratic values. The RCMP, in collaboration with its partners across the security and intelligence community, is using all of the tools and capabilities at its disposal to investigate reported IRGC activity.