NEWS RELEASES

June 6, 2000 (1:50 p.m. EDT) No. 138

CANADA RATIFIES INTER-AMERICAN CONVENTION

AGAINST CORRUPTION

Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy today announced that Canada has ratified the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption. The announcement was made at the Organization of American States (OAS) General Assembly in Windsor, Ontario.

"Corruption is a major concern in the Western hemisphere, as it is throughout the world. It distorts economies and undermines democracy by diverting resources away from projects that would otherwise further human development," said Minister Axworthy. "Canada has been a constant supporter of international anti-corruption efforts, and the Inter-American Convention has been key to laying the foundation for future developments in this area."

The Corruption Convention contains a list of "acts of corruption" that parties must establish as criminal offences. These include: the solicitation or acceptance of a bribe by a public official; the offering or granting of a bribe to a public official; an act or omission by a public official for the purpose of obtaining benefits; the fraudulent use or concealment of proceeds; and participation in a bribe as an accessory.

The adoption of the Corruption Convention in 1996 was a landmark achievement. Canada signed the Convention at last year's OAS General Assembly in Guatemala City. To date, it has been signed by 26 countries, and ratified by 19.

A resolution has been adopted at the General Assembly urging countries that haven't yet signed or ratified the Convention to do so, and instructing the OAS Permanent Council to consider specific measures for member states to implement the Convention and strengthen co-operation.

Canada strongly supports the development of a flexible follow-up mechanism, based on the general principles of international law, to monitor implementation of the Convention. The resolution adopted asks the OAS to provide a recommendation on this issue before the end of the year for consideration by states parties to the Convention.

The same resolution also puts corporate social responsibility on the OAS agenda for the first time, to examine the issues in the inter-American context and to promote the exchange of experiences among member states, international and civil society organizations, and the private sector.

The OAS is the premier political forum for multilateral dialogue and decision making in the Americas. Foreign ministers from 34 OAS member states are meeting in Windsor from June 4 to 6 to discuss the progress of democracy, the observance of human rights and other issues of importance to the hemisphere.

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Debora Brown

Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs

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