Under-resourced sanctions regime leaves Ottawa in the dark, internal review says

The federal government’s enthusiasm for laying sanctions on thousands of foreigners has made it harder for Canadians to understand and comply with the sanctions regime and exposes Ottawa to lawsuits, an internal review says.

The findings come as the Conservatives call for Canada to slap sanctions on those behind transnational repression.

“The urgency and frequency of new sanctions packages put intense pressure on operations, limited the ability to conduct research to further support listings and other decisions, and created legal risks,” reads the internal evaluation report dated March, 2025.