When Parliament returns in mid-September, sitting MPs will be asked to act on new legislation aimed at deterring and disrupting human smuggling operations, CTV News has learned.
At least three measures aimed at combating people smuggling migrants into Canada are being considered. They include:
- giving Canada the legal authority to stop illegal boats in international waters before they enter Canadian territory
- imposing tough criminal penalties for human trafficking on captains, crews and owners of ships carrying illegal migrants
- and seeking agreements with other nations, such as Sri Lanka, to interdict boats before they sail into the high seas.
Federal cabinet ministers will be examining the proposed legislation next week, CTV's Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife reported.
News of the proposed changes come as senior officials warned of another boat in Sri Lankan waters that is expected to transport a group of Tamils to Canada. The officials said it's possible that other boats may be preparing to make the same voyage.
Last month, a small cargo ship named the MV Sun Sea arrived in British Columbia carrying nearly 500 Tamil migrants.
The MV Sun Sea was the second vessel to arrive in Canada since a long-running civil war in Sri Lanka between the central government and Tamil rebels came to a violent end last year.
Its passengers and crew -- which include 63 women and 49 minors -- said they faced mass murder, disappearances and extortion in their home country, according to an unsigned letter released by the Canadian Tamil Congress.
