News Release

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**August 31, 2012 -** Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today issued the following statement:

“The Assad regime’s bloody assault on the people of Syria continues unabated. To date, more than 20,000 have been killed, and more than 180,000 have fled to neighbouring countries. The entire region is becoming increasingly unstable.

“Canada is responding today with additional measures to further isolate and increase pressure on the regime and to erode its capacity for repression.

“The Canadian government has added a further 47 individuals and three entities to the list of individuals and entities subject to a prohibition on dealings under existing Canadian sanctions.

“Our expanded sanctions target the regime and its supporters, not the Syrian people.

“We continue to urge the UN Security Council to adopt binding sanctions against Syria to send a clear signal to the Assad regime. Canada calls on all members of the UN Security Council to join in condemning the brutal repression of the Assad regime, including those who have previously blocked action and allowed the regime to soldier on.”

For more information, please visit [Regulations Amending the Special Economic Measures (Syria) Regulations](http://www.international.gc.ca/sanctions/syria_developments-developpements_syrie7.aspx?view=d).