PEP (Politically Exposed Person)
PEP (Politically Exposed Person)
A politically exposed person (PEP) or the head of an international organization (HIO) is a person entrusted with a prominent position that typically comes with the opportunity to influence decisions and the ability to control resources. A PEP can be either ‘Foreign’ or ‘Domestic’.
Foreign PEP
A person (or family member or close associate of a person) who holds or has held one of the following offices or positions in or on behalf of a foreign country:
- head of a foreign state or government;
- member of the executive council of government or member of a legislature of a foreign government;
- deputy minister or equivalent rank;
- ambassador or attaché or counselor of an ambassador;
- military officer with a rank of general or above;
- president of a state-owned company or a state-owned bank;
- head of a government agency;
- judge of a foreign supreme court, constitutional court, or another court of last resort;
- leader or president of a political party represented in a foreign legislature; or
- holder of any foreign prescribed office or position.
Head of an International Organization (HIO)
A person (or family members or close associates of a person) who within the last 5 years holds or has held the office or position of head of:
- an international organization that is established by the governments of states;
- an institution of an international organization that is established by the governments of states; or
- an international sports organization.
A Domestic PEP
A person (or a family member or close associate of a person) who holds – or has held within the last 5 years – one of the following offices or positions in or on behalf of the Canadian federal government, a Canadian provincial government, or a Canadian municipal government holds one of these offices/positions:
- Governor-General, lieutenant governor, or head of government;
- member of the Senate or House of Commons or member of a legislature of a province;
- deputy minister or equivalent rank;
- ambassador, or attaché or counselor of an ambassador;
- a military officer with a rank of general or above;
- president of a corporation that is wholly owned directly by Her Majesty in right of Canada or a province;
- head of a government agency;
- judge of an appellate court in a province, the Federal Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court of Canada;
- leader or president of a political party represented in a legislature;
- holder of any prescribed office or position; or
- mayor, reeve, or other similar chief officer of a municipal or local government.
Family member
Means a PEP or a HIO’s:
- child
- parent
- parent’s child
- spouse or common-law partner
- spouse’s or common-law partner’s parent
Close associate
Means a person closely connected to a senior official or an HIO for personal (social) or business (professional) reasons.