A dispute over a natural gas turbine was among “unintended consequences of sanctions” against Russia, staff to Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly wrote in a briefing note. Cabinet on July 9 granted a sanctions waiver to return the Siemens turbine to Germany to transport imports of Russian fuel..“We understand through our sanctions on Russia our own economies may also feel some effects,” said the June 28 note Russia Sanctions: Nord Stream Turbine In Canada. The turbine required by Gazprom, the Russian state-run gas company, was undergoing repairs in Montréal. “Canada has various tools such as exceptions and a permit and certificate process to mitigate against unintended consequences of sanctions,” it said..“Western sanctions are not responsible for the disruption of global trade, Russian aggression in Ukraine is,” wrote Joly’s staff. “Canada has been working very closely with Germany and its other G7 counterparts to coordinate sanctions.”.“Canada is a strong supporter and friend of Germany and understands Germany has certain energy needs,” said the briefing note. “Moreover Canada applauds its staunch efforts to reduce and eliminate its dependency on Russian oil and gas.”.Joly and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson are to face questioning next Thursday at the House of Commons foreign affairs committee. MPs and the Ukrainian-Canadian Congress oppose the waiver..“Canada has failed to step up,” Conservative MP Pierre Paul-Hus (Charlesbourg-Haute St. Charles, Que.) earlier told reporters. Cabinet was “circumventing its own sanctions on Russia,” he said..“It will effectively allow for the turbine’s release to Gazprom, a Russian state-owned natural gas company,” said MP Paul-Hus..New Democrat MPs also opposed the waiver. “This decision goes against the sanctions Canada imposed on Russia in response to the illegal invasion and genocide in Ukraine,” said MP Heather McPherson (Edmonton Strathcona). “Canadians expect their government to show real solidarity with Ukraine.”.Cabinet to date has not detailed any impacts of numerous sanctions on Russia. Canada on February 28 banned all Russian oil imports but acknowledged it “imported very limited quantities,” about three percent of foreign shipments to Eastern refineries..The Canadian Transportation Agency on July 5 said it would revoke its license for Aeroflot, the Russian airline. No Russian aircraft had flown into Canada since February 27..Sanctions against Russian billionaires included the largest shareholder in Evraz Inc., a steelmaker with mills in Regina, Calgary, Red Deer and Camrose, Alberta. No action was taken against Evraz though the firm received $80 million in federal grants and loans since 2018..The CRTC on March 17 banned Russia Today, a state-run English news service, from cable and satellite broadcasts in Canada. Russia Today had no television subscribers in Canada at the time..Cabinet on July 8 also imposed Special Economic Measures Regulations forbidding any Canadian dealings with Itar-Tass, the Russian news agency, but took no action against the Parliamentary Press Gallery where Itar-Tass remains an accredited member.
