With over 20 million refugees around the world in need of support, creative funding solutions for host countries are in high demand. One solution, says Canadian Senator Ratna Omidvar (Independent Ontario), is the Frozen Assets Repurposing Act.
The bill, which the Senator recently tabled in the Canadian Senate, would authorize Canadian courts to redistribute the frozen assets of corrupt foreign officials to organizations that help displaced people—essentially bringing the cost of displacement to those who cause it.
Senator Omidvar joined me on the CGD Podcast to talk about how the act would work, what it could mean for Canada, and why it resonates with her personally.
Helen Dempster is the senior associate for policy outreach for the Migration, Displacement, and Humanitarian Policy Program at the Center for Global Development.
CGD blog posts reflect the views of the authors, drawing on prior research and experience in their areas of expertise.
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