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