Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

PM announces 'first round' of sanctions against Russia, troop deployment to Latvia

Share

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unveiled Canada’s “first round†of economic sanctions against Russia for its recognition of independence of two non-government controlled Eastern Ukraine regions and the ordering of troops there.

Trudeau said the government is banning Canadians from all financial dealings with the “so-called independent states†of Donetsk and Luhansk and will sanction members of the Russian parliament who voted in favour of declaring the regions as independent.

The government has also approved a deployment of up to 460 Canadian Armed Forces troops to Latvia as part of Operation REASSURANCE to “reinforce†Canada’s commitment to NATO.

“This recognition is a violation of Russia’s obligation under international law and the Charter of the United Nations. Canada also denounces Russian military actions, including orders to move into Ukraine which is a clear incursion of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,†Trudeau said.

“Make no mistake, this is a further invasion of a sovereign state and it is completely unacceptable.â€

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees ordering troops into the newly recognized regions under the premise of “peacekeepingâ€.

Russian lawmakers and members of the Federation Council also gave Putin permission to use military force outside of the country in a unanimous vote Tuesday, formalizing a military deployment.

These moves have prompted world leaders to announce a swath of sanctions against Russia.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced sanctions on five Russian banks as well as three wealthy individuals with close ties to Putin.

Meanwhile Germany said it would freeze the certification of the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea gas pipeline project that was designed to double the flow of Russian gas direct to Germany.

U.S. President Joe Biden said the White House will target two financial institutions, VEB – Russia’s state development corporation – and its military bank, as well as Russian sovereign debt.

“That means we’ve cut of Russia’s government from Western financing. It can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade its new debt on our markets or European markets either,†he said.

Sanctions against Russia’s “elites and their family members†will be announced Wednesday.

The Canadian government will also ban Canadians from purchasing Russian sovereign debt and will impose sanctions on two state-backed Russian banks.

These measures will remain in place until the “territorial integrity†of Ukraine is restored, the prime minister said.

“It is not too late for Russia to seek a diplomatic resolution and re-establish a pathway to peace. But it is also clear that Russian actions violate international law and threaten international peace and security,†he said.

For weeks the world has braced for an imminent Russian attack in Ukraine as Putin gradually amassed approximately 150,000 soldiers along various sections of the border.

The Canadian government has been steadfast in its support of Ukraine, sending military equipment, providing loans to mitigate financial unsteadiness amid the tensions, and deploying more troops under Operation UNIFIER to train Ukrainian armed forces and the national guard.

Defence Minister Anita Anand confirmed on Tuesday that a second shipment of lethal aid has been sent.

Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said that should Russia escalate their tactics, Canada will be prepared to retaliate.

“We are prepared to target even more of Russia’s financial sector and oligarchy and we’re ready to make significant announcements related to Canadian exports to Russia,†she said during the press conference.

MEASURES MAY NOT BE ENOUGH TO INFLUENCE PUTIN

Former Canadian Ambassador to Ukraine Roman Waschuk weighed in on the news, telling Â鶹´«Ã½ Channel’s Power Play that while Canada’s announcement is respectable and aligns well with its allies, it may not be enough to deter Putin from further advancement.

“I think there’s hope that they might cool President Putin’s ardour but he seems so kind of messianically driven by a kind of imperial restoration idea that I’m not sure this first tranche will do the trick,†he said.

Former NATO commander David Fraser added that while the troop deployment addition is “thankful,†it’s unlikely to be impactful amid this specific escalating conflict.

“I think it’s more tokenism than anything else because it’s going to arrive too late…we’ve been watching this for years and we’ve come to this conflict too little too late,†he said.

With a file from Â鶹´«Ã½â€™ Christy Somos.

IN DEPTH

Opinion

opinion

opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster

A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?

opinion

opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Montreal police say a business in the city's Pointe-Saint-Charles neighbourhood was hit with Molotov cocktails two nights in a row.

Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.

Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'

Ontario Provincial Police have laid stunt charges against a driver caught speeding 75 km/h over the speed limit on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end.

Local Spotlight

Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.

From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.

A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.

The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.

A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.

Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north

What does New Westminster's təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.

The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.

New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.

Stay Connected