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The Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act

Passed into law in 2012, Secure Canada's marquee legislative achievement, the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act (JVTA), allows victims of terrorism to sue civilly state and non-state sponsors of terrorism in Canada. 

Court
8 years of advocacy
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2 state sponsors of terrorism designated​
$11+ billion in damages awarded

The passage of the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act (JVTA)  was the result of an arduous eight-year campaign led by Secure Canada, formerly C-CAT, requiring eleven separate legislative attempts and the dedication of multiple lawmakers across party lines.​ It was endorsed by former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, former Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff, and the late former NDP leader Jack Layton.

 

In 2011, the government incorporated the JVTA provisions into Bill C-10, the omnibus Safe Streets and Communities Act, securing its passage in 2012. The legislation enabled the lifting of state immunity from Iran and Syria, allowing their designation as State Supporters of Terrorism. The passage of the bill deliberately coincided with the severing of diplomatic ties with these regimes. 

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The JVTA has been reaffirmed repeatedly in landmark victories, including a $250 million judgment for Flight PS752 families. To date, over $11 billion in judgements have been awarded or recognized to terror victims under this seminal bill.​​​

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Notably, Canadian courts found the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to be a terrorist entity and liable for acts of terrorism against Canadians under the JVTA  well before Canada finally listed the IRGC as a terrorist entity in June 2024. The courts’ findings bolstered the case for that listing.

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The Advantages of Civil Litigation in
Terrorism Sponsorship Cases 

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“The [JVTA] hold[s] accountable people who are directly involved in terrorist activities, but also people who are indirectly involved and people who support those activities [...] This is maybe [the victims’] only possible redress.”

-Gavin Tighe, Lawyer for the Plaintiffs in the Oct 7 Lawsuit, National Post, Oct 9, 2024

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