OTTAWA RESPONSE: TITLE IV ADDITIONAL SHERRITT

C O N F I D E N T I A L OTTAWA 003414 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/17/2015 TAGS: CA CU CVIS ETRD ETTC PREL EINV SUBJECT: OTTAWA RESPONSE: TITLE IV ADDITIONAL SHERRITT INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS REF: A. SECSTATE 208609 ¶B. OTTAWA 02455 Classified By: Economic Minister Counselor Brian Mohler, reason 1.4(b) ¶1. (SBU) Econoff met yesterday with officials from Foreign Affairs Canada and International Trade Canada to inform them that six additional Sherritt International executives have been found subject to the provisions of Title IV of the Libertad Act (ref SECSTATE 208609). The Canadian officials reiterated the GOC's standard points that they follow a policy of active engagement with Cuba and are working to improve the human rights situation in Cuba. They oppose what they describe as extraterritorial actions of the USG, especially those related to Helms-Burton. They stated that they will continue to raise these objections at the highest levels. ¶2. (C) The Canadian officials did not seem to have been pre-warned of a new designation, nor had they yet heard from any of the newly-designated executives. They asked facetiously if there would be any other former cabinet ministers in this tranche (referring to the previous designation of former minister Marc Lalonde, see Ottawa 02455). Caterina Ventura said that she hoped there would not be another high-level designee and warned that former minister Lalonde "may sue." ¶3. (SBU) Participants: Caterina Ventura, Deputy Director, United Nations, Human Rights and Economic Law, Foreign Affairs Canada Ghislain Chaput, Cuba Desk Officer, Foreign Affairs Canada Rosie Zolla, Trade Commissioner--Caribbean, International Trade Canada Trudy Dickie, Senior Trade Policy Analyst, International Trade Canada Nicki Dandiwal, Trade Policy Officer, International Trade Canada Roman Hruby, Deputy Director, Latin America and Caribbean, International Trade Canada. Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa WILKINS