NP-UN Western Bureau.
The Government of Canada should be looking at ways “to cut off the flow of hard currency that keeps the Lukashenka Government alive,” says St. Albert – Edmonton MP Michel Cooper.
Speaking with New Pathway – Ukrainian News on November 3, he stressed that he is speaking as an individual MP at this time, but will be raising this issue with other caucus members.
“We have seen a continuation of violence, torture and human rights abuses being perpetrated by the Lukashenka regime and it is positive that the Government of Canada, in concert with its allies have imposed targeted sanctions on Belarusian officials 11 initially. It’s good to see that’s been expanded with an additional 31 individuals. But even in terms of the sanctions list it could be expanded well beyond 55 as other countries including Baltic states have done. With respect to sanctions, broadly speaking, it’s important that they have teeth to be effective,” he stated.
Cooper added that the current sanctions of the Liberal government are far less restrictive than the sanctions the Harper Government imposed between 2006 and 2017.
“Those were very restrictive sanctions on Belarus – on par with those imposed against North Korea,” he said.
“Given that situation in Belarus has deteriorated it is most appropriate to take much more restrictive measures against the Lukashenka regime and, in that regard, targeting businesses that enrich Lukashenka and his henchmen has to be part of that,” added Cooper.
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