# Canada toughens foreign bribery law URL: https://www.transparency.org/en/news/canada-toughens-foreign-bribery-law Type: News Published: 2013-02-07 Updated: 2019-11-19 --- ![](https://images.transparencycdn.org/images/canadapolice.jpg?auto=compress&fit=crop&fm=webp&w=620&h=348.75) 07 February 2013 Corruption has been a hot topic in Canada recently with a series of scandals involving both the [public](http://www.economist.com/news/americas/21566654-heads-start-roll-canadian-corruption-scandal-more-may-follow-cleaning-up) and [private](http://www.mondaq.com/canada/x/219642/international+trade+investment/CFPOA+Bribery+Fine+Of+103+Million+Imposed+On+Canadian+Company) sectors making headlines. On 5 February, Canada’s federal government [introduced amendments](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/tories-to-beef-up-laws-against-bribing-foreign-officials/article8265126/), which will strengthen the country’s main law aimed at bribery abroad. The changes will make it easier for Canada to prosecute Canadians and Canadian companies who bribe or try to bribe foreign public officials. The tightening of the legislation comes after continued pressure from [Transparency International Canada](http://www.transparency.ca/), [Transparency International](http://www.transparency.org) and the [OECD](http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/59/30/46212643.pdf), which criticised Canada for failing to take a strong stance against foreign bribery. The OECD introduced its [anti-bribery convention](http://www.oecd.org/investment/briberyininternationalbusiness/anti-briberyconvention/38028044.pdf) in 1997. The convention obliged member states to introduce legislation making the paying of bribes to foreign officials illegal. Canada adopted its Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act (CFPOA) to fulfil its obligations under that convention but did almost nothing to enforce the law until recently. If legislative change follows the recent announcements by the Canadian government, as is expected, several [loopholes](http://www.financierworldwide.com/article.php?id=8776&page=3) that could allow companies to escape the anti-bribery provisions of the law will be closed and Canadian law in this area will fall into line with similar laws in the United Kingdom and the United States. ### Continued improvements Transparency International has monitored the progress of countries in implementing the OECD [anti-bribery convention](http://www.oecd.org/daf/briberyininternationalbusiness/anti-briberyconvention/). We have published six yearly assessments of countries and ranked them based on the number of foreign bribery cases they prosecute. In the 2010 report Canada’s was [assessed](http://issuu.com/transparencyinternational/docs/2010_oecdprogressreport_en?mode=window&backgroundColor=%23222222) as having “little or no enforcement” and both TI Canada and the OECD stepped up its advocacy. In the 2012 [report](http://transparency.org/whatwedo/pub/exporting_corruption_country_enforcement_of_the_oecd_anti_bribery_conventio), Canada received a ranking of ‘moderate enforcement’ and was cited for its improvement. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the national investigative agency, had about 35 investigations under way in 2012 – the highest since the CFPOA was passed. In January this year, after an investigation and guilty plea, the courts handed out the largest fine to date, US$10.35 million, to a [Calgary-based oil company](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/in-wake-of-scandal-griffiths-energy-plans-ipo-in-london/article8155299/) for bribing an official of the government of Chad. Once the Canadian law has been amended, organisations such as Transparency International Canada will continue to apply pressure for effective enforcement of the legislation. “If the political will is there, Canada can become a leader in the fight against international corruption,” said TI Canada’s Chair and President Janet Keeping. *Carousel image: Creative Commons, Flickr / SqueakyMarmot* ## Countries - [Canada](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/canada) - [Chad](https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/chad) For any press inquiries please contact ### You might also like... ## [Financial intelligence units: Powerful tools against corruption if governments let them work](https://www.transparency.org/en/news/financial-intelligence-units-powerful-tools-against-corruption) News • 24 June 2026 Financial intelligence units can help expose corrupt money flows – but only if governments give them the powers, access and independence to do the job. ## [Dirty money still has an address: Unveiling the Opacity in Real Estate Ownership Index](https://www.transparency.org/en/news/unveiling-opacity-in-real-estate-ownership-index) News • 26 March 2025 Transparency International and the Anti-Corruption Data Collective have ranked 24 jurisdictions on their ability to protect property markets from illicit funds. ## [CPI 2024: Trouble at the top](https://www.transparency.org/en/news/cpi-2024-trouble-at-the-top) News • 11 February 2025 Many top-scoring countries in this year's CPI are prime targets for corrupt actors to launder and safeguard their ill-gotten wealth. ## [CPI 2024 for Sub-Saharan Africa: Weak anti-corruption measures undermine climate action](https://www.transparency.org/en/news/cpi-2024-sub-saharan-africa-weak-anti-corruption-measures-undermine-climate-action) News • 11 February 2025 Despite a very low regional performance in 2024, there were African countries that invested in anti-corruption and made remarkable progress.