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OTTAWA — Canada has imposed new sanctions on Venezuela in the wake recommendations that the country’s president Nicolas Maduro and his regime be referred to the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.

Canada was the first country Tuesday to welcome the recommendations from a panel of legal experts convened by the Organization of American States, which over the past few months studied egregious examples of human rights abuses. On Wednesday, Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland introduced new sanctions on 14 Venezuelan individuals connected to the Maduro regime, including the first lady Cilia Flores, bringing the total to 106.

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Ahead of the G7 summit in Quebec next week, Canada is facing calls to take even more of a leadership role and ask the ICC for a formal investigation.

“I would like to see the states from the G7 agreeing to refer the matter of crimes against humanity to the International Criminal Court for a prospective investigation and prosecution,” said former Liberal Justice Minister Irwin Cotler, who was on the OAS panel. He held a press conference in Ottawa Wednesday alongside an all-party group of MPs and senators.