In Canada, amendments to the law enabling the confiscation of assets subject to sanctions due to Russia's war and their use to support Ukraine have come into force.

The Parliament of Canada voted in favour of Bill C-19 on the federal budget, section 31 of which contains amendments to the Special Economic Measures Act and the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act (the so-called Magnitsky Act). These amendments include the possibility to confiscate assets that have been blocked or seized under these laws.

From now on, Canada can apply economic measures to certain persons under the following conditions

- when international organisations or associations of states to which Canada is a member recognise the need for their application;

- when there is a violation of international law and security;

- When gross and systematic human rights violations have been committed in a foreign country;

- when acts of serious corruption involving a foreigner have been committed.

The proceeds from the sale of confiscated assets may be transferred only for

- restoration of a foreign state that has suffered from a serious violation of international law and security;

- restoration of international peace and security;

- compensation to victims of a serious breach of international law and security, gross and systematic violations of human rights or acts of serious corruption.

The Canadian law also contains a general legal framework for this mechanism, including a defined judicial procedure for the case, the need for judicial notification, the possibility of reviewing the decision and removing property from the list, compensation for errors, etc.

Earlier, Canada's Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland stated that funds must be found to rebuild Ukraine, and the most appropriate source of such funding should be confiscated Russian assets.

Read all about the confiscation of Russian assets and the Ukrainian model in our research.