Canada is not known for developments in anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws. However, 2017 has been a busy year of advancements and developments. Looking back on 2017, persons with a real and substantial link to Canada should be more concerned about compliance with Canada’s anti-bribery laws. In you have not done so already, it is
Canadian anti-corruption law is now clear, facilitation or “grease” payments to foreign public officials are illegal. There used to be a gray area – some Canadian companies did not know how to approach the small payments requested by low-level officials to speed up routine government functions and Canadian compliance managers wasted much time guessing
The trade landscape is changing for many Canadian companies. Canada is involved in the renegotiation of NAFTA. The Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement comes into effect on August 1, 2017. The Canada-EU CETA enters into provisional effect on September 21, 2017. The Government of Canada is updating export controls and economic sanctions laws and Global
Ontario’s highest court, the Ontario Court of Appeal, issued a decision on July 6, 2017 in R. v. Karigar, which takes enforcement of foreign bribery to another level in Canada. In 2013, Mr. Karigar was convicted of offering to bribe a foreign public official contrary to paragraph 3(1)(b) of the Corruption of Foreign Public
On February 10, 2017, three former executives of SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. saw Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act (Canada) charges withdrawn in the Ontario Superior Court. Former SNC vice-president of energy and infrastructure Kevin Wallace, former SNC vice-president of international development Ramesh Shah, and Bangladeshi-Canadian businessman Zulfiquar Ali Bhuiyana were charged with bribing an official
I do not know for certain what will happen in 2016 in terms of Canadian trade issues. However, I can make a few educated predictions:
1. Canada will continue its economic sanctions against Russia and may add new designated persons in 2016. The Trudeau Government may
On February 5, 2013, Canada took a leap forward by tabling in the Senate amendments to the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act (CFPOA). Bill S-14 “An Act to Amend the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act” was introduced in the Senate to strengthen the teeth of the CFPOA. These amendments must pass