The Canadian House of Commons unanimously voted in favor of a proposal to add the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to an official list of "terrorist" organizations. The proposal came from a report by the Justice Committee of the House of Commons, which urged the government, among other things, to classify the IRGC as a "terrorist" entity in Canada. Members of Parliament voted overwhelmingly, 327 to zero, to accept the report on Wednesday, according to Canadian news agency reports.
The Canadian government is facing mounting pressure to declare the IRGC a "terrorist" group under criminal law. Last month, opposition parties intensified their demands to add the IRGC to the list of "terrorist entities" after Iran conducted an airstrike on Israel.
Families of the victims of flight PS752 have been urging the government for years to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization. PS752 was shot down by the IRGC shortly after taking off from Tehran on January 8, 2020, resulting in the deaths of all 176 passengers, including 55 Canadian citizens and 30 permanent residents.
During a memorial ceremony for PS752, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that his government is seeking "ways to responsibly designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization." Liberals also voted in favor of a similar motion in 2018. The Conservative Party has accused the ruling Liberals of delaying the decision to add the IRGC to the list of terrorist entities. A statement from the party said, "Trudeau must finally take action and stand with Iranians in Canada and around the world."
