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CG4DU requests James Flaherty to apply money laundering laws against
members of Ukraine's regime
Canadian Group for
Democracy in Ukraine
Groupe Canadienne
pour la Démocratie
en Ukraine
Канадськa Група
сприяння демократії
в Україні
January 1, 2014
PRESS RELEASE
The Canadian Group for Democracy in Ukraine has requested James
Flaherty,
Minister of Finance, to advise on progress in applying the
International Standards
for Combating Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism and
Proliferation
against the members of Ukraine’s regime who fall under the provisions.
The Minister is responsible for ensuring that Canada is not a haven for
money
laundering and other criminal activities for “politically exposed
persons” (PEPs);
politicians and their immediate families involved in questionable
financial activities.
“We have seen the lists prepared by Ukraine’s Anti-Corruption Centre
and others,
of the PEPs from Ukraine. The Yanukovych, Azarov and Kliuyev clans lead
the
pack. It is reported that Olexander Yanukovych, son of President Viktor
Yanukovych and Deputy Head of the Bank of Ukraine has increased his
wealth by
some 1000% this year. We have asked the Government of Canada to act,”
says
Oksana Bashuk Hepburn, member of the Group.
“Canada has about ten entities devoted to ensuring we are not a haven
for
criminal financial activities”, says Dr. Ihor Cap from Winnipeg. “We
have asked
these entities to tell us what concrete action they are taking against
Ukraine’s
PEPs.”
The Group is concerned that democracies including Austria, England,
Cypress,
the Caribbean are some of the prime havens sequestering the PEPs’
wealth and
may not be living up to the terms of the International Standards.
Canada is not
exempt.
“It’s unacceptable that while the EuroMaidan goes into its second month
of
protests in the freezing cold against corruption and greed and the West
cheers,
Ukraine’s political ”leaders” are safe and warm and so is their money;
in the West”,
says the Group’s Myroslava Oleksiuk.
For further information please contact:
Oksana Bashuk Hepburn
[email protected]
Attachment:
Letter to Hon. James Flaherty, Minister of Finance, Government of Canada
December 29, 2013
Honourable James Flaherty
Minister of Finance
Government of Canada
Parliament Hill,
Ottawa
[email protected]
Dear Minster,
We are certain that your Department and other Canadian Agencies, below,
keenly
follow the pro-European integrations demonstrations in Ukraine
condemning the
disregard of the will of the people by President Viktor Yanukovych. We
appreciate
Canada’s condemnation of his brutal response -- beatings, arrests,
shootings -- of
the protestors.
The prime targets for the atrocities are the front-line activists and
journalists.
According to the IMI, there were 101 such assaults against the
journalists this
year, 48 in the month of December alone. For comparison, all of 2012
had 65
recorded incidents. On Christmas Day, Tetiana Chornovol, an influential
journalist
from the leading internet news provider Ukrainska Pravda and EuroMaidan
activist was accosted and brutally beaten. Her battered face is now the
symbol of
opposition to the President’s failed government.
Despite more than a month of massive anti-government protests, there
has been
insufficient pressure from Ukraine’s democratic friends on the
perpetrators. They
are holding on to power by escalating atrocities. We want this to stop
before
severe harm is done. Therefore we ask that Canada immediately take all
the
steps at its disposal to sanction the Yanukovych regime. One of the
most
effective may be to deal with acquired assets and money laundering of
its
politicians.
Various entities in Ukraine have published lists of “politically
exposed persons” -- politicians involved in questionable financial
gains. Heading them are
President
Viktor Yanukovych and his sons, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and his
son, and
the security czar Andriy Kliuyev and his brothers. Over 70 of Kliuyev’s
companies
in Ukraine are directly or partially tied to holdings in Austria, and
dozens of
offshore companies.
We ask, Minister, that Canada, together with other Western democracies,
apply
the International Standards for Combatting Money Laundering and the
Financing
of Terrorism and Proliferation against the members of Ukraine’s regime
who fall
under its provisions; that’s most, if not all of the top echelons in
the presidential
administration, judiciary and legislation. For example, Olexij
Yanukovych, the
President’s son has had business profits in excess of 1000% this year.
The stand for democracy in Ukraine is of concern to all democrats and
needs to
be vigorously supported. Our inability to respond to the evils of the
Yanukovych
regime only emboldens him and his runner, Russia’s President Vladimir
Putin.
We ask Canada to move beyond words. Minister we ask you to take action:
the
mechanisms to do so are in place.
We will be in touch with your office to hear of progress on this
critical matter.
With warmest regards and best wishes for the New Year,
Oksana Bashuk Hepburn
Ihor Cap
Khrystyna Kulyasa
Myroslava Oleksiuk
Marta Onufriv
Oksana Shmigelsky
cc.
FINTRAC
RCMP Anti-Terrorism Financing Group
Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)
Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)
Department of Justice (DOJ)
Public Prosecution Service of Canada
Public Safety Canada (PSC)
Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS)
Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions
Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper, Prime Minister
Hon. John Baird, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Hon. Chris Alexander, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
Hon. Rob Nicholson, Minister of National Defence
Ted Opitz, M.P.
James Bezan, M.P.
Peggy Nash, M.P.
Kevin Lamoureux, M.P.
Senator Raynell Andreychuk
Mark Warawa, M.P.
Robert Sopuck M.P.
Linda Duncan, M.P.
Ed Komarnicki, M.P.
Alexandrine Lantendresse M.P.
Wladyslaw Lizon, M.P.
Joy Smith, M.P.
H.E. Troy Lalushnyk
H.E. David Plunkett
Mr. Paul Grod, President Ukrainian Canadian Congress
Mr. Eugene Czolij, President Ukrainian World Congress