Ottawa Move to Seize Millions From Russian Oligarch Could Test Charter: Trade Lawyer

Then-Chelsea soccer club owner Roman Abramovich attends the UEFA Women's Champions League final soccer match against FC Barcelona in Gothenburg, Sweden on May 16, 2021. The Canadian Press/AP-Martin Meissner

Canada’s attempt to seize and forfeit a Russian oligarch’s holdings could be a major test of how Ottawa balances sanctions and Charter rights.

This week, Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said she plans to use a new law to confiscate and divert assets held by people who have been sanctioned.