Listing the IRGC in Canada – Bipartisan Support
Is there a history of bipartisan support for listing the IRGC as a terrorist entity under the Criminal Code?
Yes. Here a few examples:
a. (May 7, 2019) – Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer: “I will immediately act to list Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity, as well as make full use of the Magnitsky Law to punish Iran’s worst human rights offenders.”
b. (June 11, 2018) – PM Trudeau and the vast majority of Liberal Ministers and MPs supported the passage of a Conservative motion on June 11, 2018 calling on the government to “immediately designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a listed entity under the Criminal Code of Canada”.
c. (Jun. 14, 2018) – Minister of Public Safety Ralph Goodale: Liberal MP Michael Levitt tweeted that: “Earlier today I sent the following letter to @RalphGoodale asking him to initiate the formal process for listing the #IRGC as a terrorist entity in Canada, further to the House motion on #Iran adopted on Tuesday. He has confirmed that the process has been initiated.”[i]
d. (Feb. 19, 2019) – The Government responded in the Senate to a question raised by the Hon. David Tkachuk: “Since the June 2018 House of Commons motion was passed, which called for, among other actions, the listing of the IRGC as a terrorist entity under the Criminal Code, PS portfolio officials and their colleagues from other Governmental departments have been examining the options available to the Government of Canada.”[ii]
e. (Jan. 21, 2012) – Former Minister of Justice, the Hon. Irwin Cotler wrote that “It is regrettable that Canada continues to dither with regard to listing it as a terrorist entity…. I introduced legislation in this regard several years ago, and have called on the Canadian government to list the IRGC as a terrorist entity both in Question Period and during House debate. … Frankly, the IRGC’s well-documented international criminality should have been evidence enough of the need for the Canadian government to act.”[iii]
f. (Dec. 9, 2009) – Liberal Foreign Affairs Critic Bob Rae stated that “The Liberal Party of Canada, through the Hon. Bob Rae, Official Opposition Critic for Foreign Affairs, and Mark Holland, Official Opposition Critic for Public Safety, has called on the … government to…designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization immediately.”[iv]
Rae: “The government’s decision to list the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Qods Force under Canada’s Anti-terrorism Act is long overdue, but still falls short of comprehensive action. For years, the Liberal Party of Canada has joined with communities across Canada calling on the Harper Conservatives to list the entire IRGC as a terrorist entity, and this government still refuses to do so.”[v]
g. (Dec. 4, 2009) – Liberal Public Safety Critic Mark Holland stated that “It’s time for Canada to speak out against the IRGC and push the rest of the world to follow. We strongly urge the Harper government to make this official designation immediately.”[vi]
[i] https://twitter.com/LevittMichael/status/1007345182000472065
[ii] https://sencanada.ca/en/content/sen/chamber/421/debates/264db_2019-02-19-e
[iii] https://nationalpost.com/opinion/u-s-terror-designation-a-long-overdue-step-to-isolate-irans-revolutionary-guard
[iv] In a letter from Liberal MP Ken Dryden, December 9, 2009.
[v] http://cjpac.ca/liberal-statement-on-the-islamic-revolutionary-guard-corps%E2%80%99-qods-force/
[vi] Liberal, Newsroom, “Liberals call for terrorist designation of Iranian group”, December 4, 2009,
http://www.liberal.ca/en/newsroom/media-releases/17059_liberals-call-for-terrorist-designation-of-iranian-group; http://cjpac.ca/liberals-call-for-terrorist-designation-of-iranian-group/