Ottawa news

Ukrainian Canadian Congress calls presence of Canadian official at Russian embassy event 'appalling' and 'offensive'

In late May, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said the sanctions are an effort to “suffocate the Putin regime” and said the goal of allies including Canada is to isolate Russia “economically, politically and diplomatically.” Thus far, our government has ignored these calls.” She said it’s important to remember that Canada has publicly condemned “Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine” and that the Canadian government summoned Moscow’s envoy twice to express this condemnation to him directly. “This is not a business-as- usual situation, but we still maintain a diplomatic relation with Russia on matters of Canadian interests and Global Affairs Canada sent a protocol officer to the reception,” Christelle Chartrand, a spokesperson for the department, said in a statement. “We have long called on the Canadian government to expel the Russian diplomats still in Canada and recognize Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. “That our government would send officials to a celebration at the Russian embassy is appalling to us as Canadians and offensive to us as Ukrainians,” Mr. Michalchyshyn said.