C-CAT begins the 8-year campaign for passage of the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act (JVTA), which allows terror victims to launch civil suits in Canadian courts against states, organizations and individuals that have sponsored terrorism.
Various versions of C-CAT’s bill have been introduced over the years, most have been private member’s bills:
April 2005
Bill C-367 introduced by MP Stockwell Day
May 2005
Bill C-394 introduced by MP Stockwell Day
May 2005
Bill S-35 introduced by Senator David Tkachuk
June 2006
Bill S-218 introduced by Senator Tkachuk
June 2006
Bill C-346 introduced by MP Nina Grewal
Dec. 2007
Bill S-225 introduced by Senator Tkachuk
April 2009
Bill S-233 introduced by Senator Tkachuk
June 2009
Bill C-408 introduced by MPs Irwin Cotler and Bob Rae
June 2009
Bill C-35 introduced by Public Safety Min Peter Van Loan
It was the first piece of government legislation modeled on C-CAT’s proposal, although it differed from C-CAT’s model in several significant respects. C-35 died on the order paper in December 2009, when Parliament was prorogued.
April 2010
Bill S-7: The same government bill was reintroduced by Senator Tkachuk as Bill S-7: the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act
This time originating in the Senate rather than the House of Commons. S-7 was passed by the Senate on November 16, 2010 with several amendments. S-7 was then introduced in the House by Minister Stockwell Day in February 2011 but the bill died on the order paper with advent of the federal elections.
Sept. 2011
Bill C-10 introduced by the government.
An omnibus bill, Bill C-10: the Safe Streets and Communities Act, also included the provisions of the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act which was passed by Senate in November 2010 as Bill S-7.
2012
The JVTA passed by parliament after being introduced 11 times since 2004.
Iran and Syria listed under the JVTA as State Supporters of Terrorism, enabling terror victims to sue these two states in Canada for sponsoring terrorism.
Iran and Syria listed under the JVTA as State Supporters of Terrorism, enabling terror victims to sue these two states in Canada for sponsoring terrorism.
2017
Canada reaffirms listing of Iran and Syria as State Supporters of Terrorism under the JVTA.
2012-2018
First Successful JVTA lawsuit against Iran resulting in a multi-billion-dollar judgment against the regime.
May 2019
Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench master registered a $7 billion judgment against Iran, the IRGC and other Iranian agencies and state-owned companies. “The applicants cited the New York judge, who found they had sufficiently established “that … Iran provided material support and resources to al-Qaida for acts of terrorism” carried out on 9/11, including planning, funding and facilitation of the hijackers’ travel and training.”
Sept. 2019
$30 million of Iranian regime assets located in Canada seized and distributed to terror victims.