Canada extends Syria sanctions

TORONTO – Canada has broadened economic sanctions imposed against Syria over its continuing violent crackdown on pro-democracy protesters, Canada’s foreign affairs minister said Saturday.

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said Canada is strengthening the measures imposed in May by barring additional members of President Bashar Assad’s government from traveling to Canada and freezing assets of more entities linked to the regime.

Syrian activists say at least 1,700 civilians have been killed in the crackdown on protesters in the past five months.

The violence has generated increased pressure on the Assad regime to end the violence, Baird said. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently called for a global trade embargo on oil and gas from Syria.