James Bezan

Madam Speaker, Thanks · 28 wordsI want to thank all my colleagues who participated in tonight’s debate. I particularly want to thank the member for Stormont—Dundas—Glengarry for seconding the bill at third reading.¹Thanks Claims · 8 wordsHe is our shadow minister for foreign affairs. Thanks · 45 wordsOur previous shadow minister for foreign affairs, the member for Wellington—Halton Hills North, was a huge asset in helping to get the bill through committee, making amendments and trying to negotiate compromise where necessary to get a better bill at the end of the day.Thanks Positioning · 21 wordsThere were some things that I wish were still in there but were gutted by the majority on committee, the Liberals.Positioning Thanks · 74 wordsI also want to recognize the member for Northumberland—Clarke, because in the last Parliament he brought forward a private member’s bill called the international human rights act.² Part of his bill is in the bill before us. It would require the minister to have an annual report on advocating for human rights, political prisoners and prisoners of conscience around the world. I think it is also important to recognize the Minister of Foreign Affairs.Thanks Claims · 19 wordsIt was with her support that we were able to get to all-party consensus on this private member’s bill. Thanks · 104 wordsIt is important that we recognize the efforts of a number of diaspora communities here in Canada that have been wanting these changes, have worked closely with me and my office for quite some time and have been the targets of transnational repression and foreign interference. I want to recognize the Hong Konger community; the Taiwanese community; Ukrainians; Belarusians; Tibetans; Russians for democracy; the Uyghurs, whom I have met with many times; members of the Falun Dafa; and the Burmese, Persian and of course the Iranian communities right across this country. I also have to recognize and thank Ian Lynch from Integrity Initiatives International, ThanksClaims · 21 wordswhich is leading the charge to establish an international anti-corruption court in The Hague. He has definitely had input in this. Thanks · 25 wordsWe have also had great assistance from the Hon. Irwin Cotler and the Hon. John McKay. They have been supportive. They have been huge assets.Thanks Claims · 22 wordsThey are people who have stood up for human rights around the world and have been backing the bill from the start. Thanks · 49 wordsFinally, we have to thank all the witnesses who appeared at committee, providing their expert testimony: Kate McInnes; Brandon Silver, who works with Irwin Cotler; Marcus Kolga, who has done so much in fighting for the Belarusian community and the Baltics as well, fighting against Russian aggression and corruption; ThanksClaims · 63 wordsand Bill Browder, who is the founder and CEO of Hermitage Capital Management.³ He is the one who hired Sergei Magnitsky, he is the one on whom the Russians committed the $230 million tax fraud, ⁴and he is the one who has been advocating for Sergei Magnitsky sanctions, not just in Canada but in the U.K., the United States and around the world. Thanks · 17 wordsI also want to recognize the testimony from Vladimir Kara-Murza, who is the vice-president of Open Russia.⁵Thanks Claims · 38 wordsHe has been poisoned twice by the Kremlin, has been jailed twice by the Kremlin and continues to fight against Vladimir Putin, stand up for democracy and human rights and fight corruption in Russia and around the world.⁶ Thanks · 26 wordsThere were many people behind the scenes, of course, including my staff and people we have worked with across party lines to make the bill possible.Thanks Claims · 26 wordsBy passing Bill C-219, we would be advancing human rights and standing up for our shared democratic values and the freedom that everyone needs to enjoy.