These sanctions, announced by Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly, include freezing their assets in Canada, barring them from entering the country, and prohibiting Canadians from engaging in any transactions with them.
The sanctions come amid a deteriorating political, security, and humanitarian situation in Haiti, exacerbated by gang violence and the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021. The targeted individuals are accused of committing acts that fuel instability, making them inadmissible to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
This move follows a meeting between Canada’s ambassador to Haiti, André François Giroux, and Fritz Alphonse Jean, a prominent figure associated with the Montana Accord, which proposes an interim government for Haiti. The sanctions reflect Canada’s ongoing commitment to supporting Haiti and its people, while urging the international community to hold accountable those who contribute to violence and instability in the region.