Delegates from 20 countries left yesterday’s Vancouver summit pledging to consider new sanctions against Kim Jong-un’s regime, but it’s not clear what more Canada could do.
Canada may almost be out of options when it comes to developing new sanctions against North Korea.
Delegates from 20 countries left yesterday’s Vancouver summit pledging to consider new measures against Kim Jong-un’s regime.
But Canada may not have much wiggle room, because it already has significant independent measures in place.
A government official speaking on background tells CBC News that Ottawa will always evaluate its options, but what is in place now is already very strong.
Canada has a wide-ranging ban on trade, financial interactions and weapons with North Korea. The plan includes a few exceptions for humanitarian support.
When new sanctions were adopted last year by the United Nations Security Council, some of those measures were in line with regulations Canada already had in place.
According to readout of Tuesday’s summit, participants agreed to “consider and take steps to impose unilateral sanctions and further diplomatic actions that go beyond those required by UN Security Council resolutions.”
The official would not shed light on what those efforts could look like.
The pledge is part of a larger international pressure campaign to get North Korea to enter into denuclearization talks.
