Second International Conference on Returning Ukrainian Children, Detained Civilians, and Prisoners of War Privileges and Immunities Order: SOR/2026-189

Canada Gazette, Part II, Volume 160, Number 19

Registration
SOR/2026-189 September 4, 2026

FOREIGN MISSIONS AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ACT

P.C. 2026-788 September 4, 2026

Her Excellency the Governor General in Council, on the recommendation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, makes the annexed Second International Conference on Returning Ukrainian Children, Detained Civilians, and Prisoners of War Privileges and Immunities Order under paragraphs 5(1)(c)^{footnote a} and (f)^{footnote b} to (h) of the Foreign Missions and International Organizations Act ^{footnote c}.

Second International Conference on Returning Ukrainian Children, Detained Civilians, and Prisoners of War Privileges and Immunities Order

Definitions

Definitions

1 The following definitions apply in this Order.

Convention

means the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations set out in Schedule III to the Foreign Missions and International Organizations Act. (Convention)

Meeting

means the Pathways to Peace: Second International Conference on Returning Ukrainian Children, Detained Civilians, and Prisoners of War to be held in Toronto, Ontario, on September 28 and 29, 2026. (réunion)

relevant period

means the period beginning on the day on which this Order is registered and ending on October 2, 2026. (période visée)

Privileges and Immunities

Representatives of foreign states

2 (1) During the relevant period, representatives of a foreign state who are official delegates to the Meeting have, to the extent required for the exercise of their functions in relation to the Meeting, and to the extent set out in sections 14 to 16 of Article IV of the Convention, the privileges and immunities set out in paragraphs 11(a) to (f) and section 12 of that Article.

Senior officials

(2) During the relevant period, senior officials of an international organization have, to the extent required for the exercise of their functions in relation to the Meeting, the privileges and immunities comparable to the privileges and immunities accorded to diplomatic agents under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, other than duty and tax relief privileges.

Other officials

(3) During the relevant period, other officials of an international organization have, to the extent required for the exercise of their functions in relation to the Meeting, the privileges and immunities set out in paragraphs 18(a), (d) and (e) of Article V of the Convention.

Experts

(4) During the relevant period, experts who perform missions for an international organization have, to the extent required for the exercise of their functions in relation to the Meeting, the privileges and immunities set out in Article VI of the Convention.

Coming into Force

Registration

3 This Order comes into force on the day on which it is registered.

REGULATORY IMPACT ANALYSIS STATEMENT

(This statement is not part of the Order.)

Issues

The upcoming Ministerial Conference, entitled Pathways to Peace: Second International Conference on Returning Ukrainian Children, Detained Civilians, and Prisoners of War, (the Conference) requires the granting of privileges and immunities to ministers and other representatives of foreign states, heads of international organizations and other representatives of international organizations, and to experts on mission for international organizations in order to facilitate their participation. The absence of such protections could hinder participation and undermine Canada’s ability to host the Conference effectively. Granting privileges and immunities reflects standard international practice, protects visiting officials, enables open and effective collaboration, and ensures reciprocal treatment for Canadian officials attending similar international events abroad.

Background

Canada, together with co-organizers Norway and Ukraine, will be hosting Pathways to Peace: Second International Conference on Returning Ukrainian Children, Detained Civilians, and Prisoners of War, on September 28 and 29, 2026, in Toronto. The Toronto Ministerial Conference will bring together foreign ministers, representatives of foreign states and international organizations, and experts to build on the outcomes of the 2024 Ministerial Conference on the Human Dimension of Ukraine’s 10-Point Peace Formula and the Montreal Pledge.

The Conference was announced by the Prime Minister in March 2026, and publicly confirmed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs on May 11, 2026. It will serve as an opportunity to take stock of progress, exchange views on remaining challenges, and identify practical steps to support Ukraine’s efforts in returning unlawfully deported and forcibly transferred Ukrainian children, unlawfully detained Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war. Guided by international humanitarian law and international human rights law, the Conference will also aim to strengthen coordination among partners, mobilize concrete international action and support efforts related to the rehabilitation and reintegration of these individuals following their return.

Objective

To ensure the safe, secure and effective participation of foreign representatives and international officials attending the Conference; to facilitate international cooperation on pressing issues related to Ukraine; to support Canada’s leadership role in efforts related to Ukraine; and to uphold Canada’s obligations and established practices under international law and diplomatic conventions. The relevant period for privileges and immunities under the Order begins on the day on which it is registered and ends on October 2, 2026.

Description

The Order grants the following privileges and immunities to the following categories of participants:

• Representatives of foreign states that participate in the Conference will have the privileges and immunities set out in sections 11, 12, 14, 15 and 16 of Article IV of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations (UN Convention). These include immunity from personal arrest or detention and from seizure of their baggage; immunity from legal process for words spoken or written and all acts done by them in their capacity as representative; an exemption from immigration restrictions; inviolability for all papers and documents; and the same immunities and facilities in respect of their personal baggage as are accorded to diplomatic envoys.
• Senior officials of international organizations will have privileges and immunities comparable to the privileges and immunities accorded to diplomatic agents under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. These include an exemption from immigration restrictions. The privileges and immunities accorded to diplomatic envoys in international law include immunity from arrest and legal process in respect of all their acts, not just those performed in their official capacity; however, these privileges and immunities will only apply to the extent they are required for the exercise of these individuals’ functions in relation to the Conference.
• Other officials of international organizations will have the privileges and immunities set out in section 18 of Article V of the UN Convention. These include immunity from legal process for words spoken or written and all acts performed by them in their official capacity; and an exemption from immigration restrictions.
• Other experts performing missions for international will have the privileges and immunities set out in Article VI of the UN Convention. These include immunity from personal arrest or detention and from seizure of personal baggage; immunity from legal process for words spoken or written and all acts done by them in the performance of their mission; and inviolability for all papers and documents.

The application of these privileges and immunities is strictly limited to what is required for the exercise of the individual’s functions in relation to their travel and participation in the Conference and applies for a defined period from the day on which the Order is registered to October 2, 2026. It is anticipated that the Order would cover about 400 participants.

Regulatory development

Consultation

The Order is not expected to have any direct impacts on Canadians or Canadian businesses, and therefore no public consultations were necessary.

Exemption from prepublication in the Canada Gazette, Part I

The Order was not prepublished in the Canada Gazette, Part I, as it is routine in nature and applies only to invited foreign representatives and officials for the purpose of the Conference.

Indigenous engagement, consultation and modern treaty obligations

Following the completion of the assessment of modern treaty implications, no adverse impacts on potential or established Indigenous or treaty rights, which are recognized and affirmed in section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, were identified.

Instrument choice

An Order made under the Foreign Missions and International Organizations Act is required to confer privileges and immunities in a legally binding manner for the purposes of this international event. This instrument represents the appropriate and established mechanism for implementing such measures.

Regulatory analysis

Benefits and costs

The privileges and immunities are being provided to facilitate the attendance and participation in the Conference of representatives of foreign states, officials of international organizations and experts, as applicable.

The Order has no significant financial implications for Canadians, businesses, or the Government of Canada. While coordination and administrative efforts will be required within government departments to support the implementation of the Order, these minor costs will be managed with existing resources.

Furthermore, nothing in this Order has the intention of providing duty or tax relief to any of the persons who would be covered by the privileges and immunities.

The benefits of the Order include enabling the participation of high-level international representatives, supporting Canada’s leadership role in efforts related to Ukraine, strengthening diplomatic relations and reinforcing the principle of reciprocity in diplomatic practice. Overall, the Order is expected to result in a positive impact on Canada’s international relations.

Small business lens

The Order will not impose any costs or benefits on small businesses. Therefore, the small business lens does not apply.

One-for-one rule

The Order will not result in any incremental change in administrative burden on Canadian businesses. Therefore, the one-for-one rule does not apply.

Regulatory cooperation and alignment

The Order aligns with international standards and practices set out in the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, to which Canada is a signatory.

International obligations

While the Order is not linked to specific trade obligations, it is consistent with Canada’s international commitments and diplomatic practices under established international conventions.

Effects on the environment

The Order is not expected to result in any significant environmental effects. In accordance with the Cabinet Directive on Strategic Environmental and Economic Assessment (SEEA Directive), a preliminary scan concluded that a strategic environmental and economic assessment is not required.

Gender-based analysis plus

A gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) assessment was conducted and no differential impacts have been identified. The privileges and immunities provided under the Order are targeted and limited to what is necessary for participation in the Conference.

Implementation, compliance and enforcement, and service standards

The Order will come into force prior to the Conference to ensure that all required privileges and immunities are in place. Relevant federal departments and agencies, including Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency, will facilitate the entry of individuals covered by the Order, consistent with its existing processes. No additional enforcement mechanisms are required.

The exemption from immigration restrictions can facilitate travel to Canada to the extent required for attendance at the Conference. This does not replace the need for a visa, where one is required.

Contact

Kateryna Sherysheva
Chief of Staff
Ukraine Task Force
Global Affairs Canada
Phone: 343‑597‑9287
Email: Kateryna.sherysheva@international.gc.ca