By Canadian Press

Peter MacKay suggests Magnitsky Act should be used against China for COVID-19

May 8, 2020 | 2:03 AM

OTTAWA — Conservative leadership hopeful Peter MacKay says the Magnitsky Act ought to be used if there’s evidence specific individuals suppressed or falsified information about COVID-19 in China.

MacKay says a full inquiry into how the novel coronavirus spread around the world is required and if specific people are identified as responsible for misdeeds, they must be held accountable.

There has been a running debate over how much the Chinese government knew and potentially didn’t tell global health officials about the emergence of COVID-19 in that country late last year.

The Magnitsky Act allows for sanctions against foreign nationals “responsible for gross violations of internationally recognized human rights.”

MacKay raised the idea in a conversation with supporters Wednesday night, though he’s not the only person to have suggested it.

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Human rights advocate and formal Liberal MP Irwin Cotler put forward the idea last month.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 8, 2020.

The Canadian Press