Border measures to keep war criminals out of Canada

From: Canada Border Services Agency

Our team works with partner organizations to deny safe haven in Canada to individuals who may have been involved in war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide.

Our response to suspected war criminals

Individuals who commit crimes against humanity, war crimes or genocide are not welcome in Canada. If such an individual is identified in Canada, or suspected to be in Canada, the CBSA can:

• provide support to criminal investigations and prosecutions under the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act
• participate in an investigation or process to revoke or prohibit citizenship
• present evidence that could deny refugee status to individuals suspected of war crimes or crimes against humanity
• presenting evidence that could deny entry to individuals suspected of crimes against humanity or war crimes in admissibility proceedings
• remove individuals from Canada who are inadmissible on the grounds of crimes against humanity or war crimes

Investigating crimes in Ukraine

Canada is aware of the serious allegations that war crimes and crimes against humanity have been committed in Ukraine. In response, Canada will continue to cooperate with international partners, including the International Criminal Court, to seek accountability for these most serious crimes.

Canada’s national police service, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), through its participation in Canada’s Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Program, has opened an investigation into these allegations. If you were in Ukraine during the conflict and you are planning to come to Canada, or are already in Canada, you may have information and evidence that can assist with this investigation.

To submit information, please visit the RCMP's webpage on its investigation.

Regimes Designated Pursuant to Paragraph 35(1)(b) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act

The Minister of Public Safety has the authority, pursuant to subparagraph 35(1)(b) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), to designate a regime which, in the opinion of the Minister, engages or has engaged in terrorism, systematic or gross human rights violations, or genocide, a war crime or a crime against humanity within the meaning of subsections 6(3) to (5) of the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act.

Prescribed senior officials encompass a wide array of individuals in a regime, including heads of state, members of the Cabinet, ambassadors, senior diplomats, members of the judiciary, senior military and intelligence officials and senior public servants.

The following is a list of all regimes designated by the Government of Canada pursuant to subparagraph 35(1)(b) of the IRPA. Any foreign nationals or permanent residents who were or are prescribed senior officials in these regimes are inadmissible to Canada.

1. Designated June 16, 1993, extended on August 15, 1997: the Bosnian-Serb regime from March 27, 1992, to October 10, 1996.
2. Designated October 12, 1993: the Siad Barre regime in Somalia from 1969 to 1991.
3. Designated April 8, 1994: the former military governments in Haiti from 1971 to 1986 and from 1991 to 1994, except for the period from August to December 1993.
4. Designated October 21, 1994: the former Marxist regimes in Afghanistan from 1978 to 1992.
5. Designated September 3, 1996, amended September 9, 2004: the governments of Ahmed Hassan Al Bakr and Saddam Hussein in power in Iraq from 1968 until May 22, 2003.
6. Designated April 27, 1998: the government of Rwanda under Juvénal Habyarimana from October 1990 to April 1994 as well as the interim government in power from April 1994 to July 1994.
7. Designated June 30, 1999, amended March 14, 2001: the governments of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Republic of Serbia under Slobodan Milosevic from February 28, 1998, to October 7, 2000.
8. Designated March 14, 2001, amended September 9, 2004: the Taliban regime in Afghanistan from September 27, 1996, to December 22, 2001.
9. Designated November 21, 2003: the Government of Ethiopia under Mengistu Haile Mariam from September 12, 1974, to May 21, 1991.
10. Designated November 13, 2022: the Islamic Republic of Iran from November 15, 2019 onwards.

Related links

• Statement from the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Program partners
• War Crimes Program
• War crimes
• Crimes against humanity
• Genocide