https://sputnikglobe.com/20231004/canada-quietly-lets-companies-circumvent-sanctions-to-import-russian-goods-including-vodka-1113933595.html
Canada Quietly Lets Companies Circumvent Sanctions to Import Russian Goods, Including Vodka
Canada Quietly Lets Companies Circumvent Sanctions to Import Russian Goods, Including Vodka
Sputnik International
Through the course of the Ukrainian crisis, the Trudeau government has maintained a hardline anti-Russia stance, leveling thousands of sanctions on Moscow and giving Kiev over $9.5 billion Canadian dollars ($6.9 billion US) in military and economic support. But behind the scenes is an apparent soft spot for some of Russia’s best-known exports.
2023-10-04T18:47+0000
2023-10-04T18:47+0000
2023-10-04T19:11+0000
economy
russia
canada
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volodymyr zelensky
justin trudeau
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The Trudeau government has been quietly issuing special permits allowing Canadian companies to evade Ottawa’s own crushing restrictions on trade with Russia, a Quebec newspaper has reported, citing Canadian trade data.According to the analysis, more than a dozen special permits have been issued to date, allowing Canadian firms to export equipment and materials used in the oil and mining sectors, including drilling machines, soil probing tools, aluminum parts, electrical converters, and X-ray machines, with exports totaling nearly $2.8 million CAD ($2.03 million US) between March 2022 and July 2023.Some of these exports were specifically banned by Ottawa's Special Economic Measures restrictions targeting Russia, based on claims that they could be used to enrich the Russian state or manufacture weapons.Canada’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is responsible for issuing the permits, recognized their existence, but refused to provide details about exactly how many have been issued, or the justifications for their issuance, citing “commercial confidentiality.”Bloc Quebecois MP Stephane Bergeron slammed the Trudeau government over its “on the sly” issuance of the special import/export licenses.Bergeron cited Russian fertilizers as one area where an exception should be made, pointing to the impact of a 35 percent tariff levied on Russian fertilizers last year which ended up harming both farmers and Canadian consumers, and ultimately helped facilitate inflation and soaring food prices.To date, the Trudeau government has publicly maintained one of the toughest approaches to Russia among any Western country, with the prime minister reiterating Ottawa’s “unwavering support” for Kiev during President Volodymyr Zelensky’s controversy-filled visit to Canada late last month – which included an ‘accidental’ standing ovation in parliament to an actual Ukrainian Nazi.Ottawa has committed roughly $9.5 billion ($6.9 million US) in aid to Ukraine to date, $1.8 billion ($1.3 billion US) of that consisting of weaponry like surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles, howitzers, tanks, armored personnel carriers, engineering equipment, anti-tank weapons, small arms, and training to over 33,000 Ukrainian troops. At the same time, Ottawa has leveled more sanctions on Russia than any other country besides the US – with their total number reaching a whopping 3,105 since 2014.The Trudeau government’s apparent hypocrisy in talking a big game against Russia while continuing to do business with the country is not unique, with the United States, the European Union and other Western nations buying tens of billions of dollars-worth of Russian resources, from natural gas and uranium to fertilizers, foodstuffs, and precious metals, while exporting industrial goods to third countries which are then reexported to Russia.“The application of sanctions and the enormous amount of military aid have not achieved Ukraine’s goal of recovering all of its Russian-occupied territory. On the contrary, the situation is becoming more and more difficult," Glenn Michalchuk, president of the Association of United Ukrainian Canadians, told the Quebec newspaper which uncovered the existence of the special import/export permits. “Politically, Canada could maintain sanctions, but also change course by simultaneously supporting peace initiatives as a means of ending the war,” Michalchuk urged.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230927/outrage-over-canada-nazi-row-comes-as-west-sends-taxpayers-funds-to-ukraine-1113732482.html
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230926/musk-shreds-canadas-trudeau-for-russian-disinformation-blather-amid-nazi-row-1113674363.html
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canada, russia, sanctions, restrictions, loophole, trade, special permit, secrecy, exchange, vodka, fertilizer
canada, russia, sanctions, restrictions, loophole, trade, special permit, secrecy, exchange, vodka, fertilizer
Canada Quietly Lets Companies Circumvent Sanctions to Import Russian Goods, Including Vodka
18:47 GMT 04.10.2023 (Updated: 19:11 GMT 04.10.2023) Through the course of the Ukrainian crisis, the Trudeau government has maintained a hardline anti-Russia stance, leveling thousands of sanctions on Moscow and giving Kiev over $9.5 billion Canadian dollars ($6.9 billion US) in military and economic support. But behind the scenes is an apparent soft spot for some of Russia’s best-known exports.
The Trudeau government has been quietly issuing special permits allowing Canadian companies to evade Ottawa’s own crushing restrictions on trade with Russia, a Quebec newspaper has
reported, citing Canadian trade data.
According to the analysis, more than a dozen special permits have been issued to date, allowing Canadian firms to export equipment and materials used in the oil and mining sectors, including drilling machines, soil probing tools, aluminum parts, electrical converters, and X-ray machines, with exports totaling nearly $2.8 million CAD ($2.03 million US) between March 2022 and July 2023.
Some of these exports were specifically banned by Ottawa's
Special Economic Measures restrictions targeting Russia, based on claims that they could be used to enrich the Russian state or manufacture weapons.
Over the same period, Canada imported some $47 million CAD ($34.2 million US) worth of Russian goods, including equipment used in construction and prospecting such as iron and steel tubes, as well as $17 million luxury goods such as fresh seafood products and vodka.
Canada’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is responsible for issuing the permits, recognized their existence, but refused to provide details about exactly how many have been issued, or the justifications for their issuance, citing “commercial confidentiality.”
Bloc Quebecois MP Stephane Bergeron slammed the Trudeau government over its “on the sly” issuance of the special import/export licenses.
“I am not assuming that we should never issue exemptions, but they should be the exception rather than the rule. I believe this is becoming established as a rule, and that is worrying to say the least,” the lawmaker
told reporters. “The government seems to have something to hide. If it has nothing to hide, it should explain,” he added.
Bergeron cited Russian fertilizers as one area where an exception should be made, pointing to the impact of a 35 percent tariff levied on Russian fertilizers last year which ended up harming
both farmers and Canadian consumers, and ultimately
helped facilitate inflation and soaring food prices.
New Democratic Party deputy leader Alexandre Boulerice also blasted Trudeau over the permits, saying the NDP, which is currently supporting Trudeau’s minority government, has “been saying…from the start” that the Liberal Party's hardline anti-Russia stance is "just window dressing."
"On the one hand, they claim to stand up to Russia, but secretly give exemptions without any transparency,” Boulerice complained.
To date, the Trudeau government has publicly maintained one of the toughest approaches to Russia among any Western country, with the prime minister reiterating Ottawa’s “unwavering support” for Kiev during President Volodymyr Zelensky’s controversy-filled visit to Canada late last month – which included
an ‘accidental’ standing ovation in parliament to an actual Ukrainian Nazi.
27 September 2023, 15:44 GMT
Ottawa has committed roughly
$9.5 billion ($6.9 million US) in aid to Ukraine to date,
$1.8 billion ($1.3 billion US) of that consisting of weaponry like surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles, howitzers, tanks, armored personnel carriers, engineering equipment, anti-tank weapons, small arms, and
training to over 33,000 Ukrainian troops. At the same time, Ottawa has leveled more sanctions on Russia than any other country besides the US – with their total number reaching a whopping
3,105 since 2014.
The Trudeau government’s apparent hypocrisy in talking a big game against Russia while continuing to do business with the country is not unique, with the United States, the European Union and other Western nations
buying tens of billions of dollars-worth of Russian resources, from natural gas and uranium to fertilizers, foodstuffs, and precious metals, while
exporting industrial goods to third countries which are then reexported to Russia.
“The application of sanctions and the enormous amount of military aid have not achieved Ukraine’s goal of recovering all of its Russian-occupied territory. On the contrary, the situation is becoming more and more difficult," Glenn Michalchuk, president of the Association of United Ukrainian Canadians, told the Quebec newspaper which uncovered the existence of the special import/export permits. “Politically, Canada could maintain sanctions, but also change course by simultaneously supporting peace initiatives as a means of ending the war,” Michalchuk urged.
26 September 2023, 11:08 GMT
