Minister Dion must recognize that while the rhetoric of “responsible conviction” regarding human rights abuses and violations may resonate with Canadians, his actions do not.   He rejected Bill C-267 which sought to amend the Special Economic Measures Act to bring it into step with the Magnitsky Act.  By his attempts to appease Russia in the face of its major incursion in Ukraine, and rejecting important legislation targeting those who engage in human rights abuses and corruption, he sends a message that the government would surrender the very values that all Canadians share – democracy, the rule of law, and basic human rights.