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OTTAWA — Federal Conservatives are calling on the Liberal government to present a plan within a week to address what they say are ongoing activities by Iranian regime officials in Canada.
In a joint statement Wednesday, Conservative deputy leader Melissa Lantsman, immigration critic Michelle Rempel Garner and Quebec lieutenant Pierre Paul-Hus urged Ottawa to take immediate steps to strengthen enforcement and national security measures related to Iran.
The Conservatives said the government has known for years Iranian regime officials are in Canada, noting officials told a parliamentary committee earlier this week 239 visas linked to such individuals had been cancelled but only one person had been removed from the country.
They also pointed to the disappearance of Iranian regime critic Masood Masjoody, whose case police are investigating as a homicide, saying it has raised concerns within parts of Canada’s Iranian diaspora.
The party is calling on the federal government to enforce deportation orders against Iranian regime officials, strengthen efforts to disrupt money laundering linked to the regime and ensure sanctions are properly enforced.
Conservatives also want Ottawa to review Canada’s terrorism threat level, identify potential gaps in national security laws and complete the long-promised foreign influence registry.
They are also urging the government to require in-person interviews before approving refugee claims.
The Conservatives said they expect the government to table a plan within a week outlining how it will address the issue.
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