A federal audit has revealed Canada’s sweeping sanctions against Russia were largely hollow, with only a handful of staff assigned to enforce thousands of measures announced by cabinet in tribute to Ukraine.The Department of Foreign Affairs report said the surge in sanctions after Russia’s 2022 invasion exposed “insufficient resources, lack of appropriate systems and an inadequate understanding” of how to run a regulatory program. Blacklock's Reporter says only 14 employees were tasked with handling 65 rounds of sanctions against Russian elites and pro-Kremlin groups.“The overall lack of a regulatory culture in addition to complex and unexpected responsibilities resulted in a sanctions regulatory program that was not fit for purpose,” auditors concluded. .Staff shortages were so severe the department relied on former employees, stop-gap hires, and extensive overtime that “took a personal toll.”Despite the flurry of announcements from then-finance minister Chrystia Freeland, the government admitted in 2023 it had not expropriated any Russian assets in Canada. The only property seized was a grounded cargo plane parked at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport.Freeland had touted sanctions as central to punishing Russia, repeatedly praising the “remarkably brave people of Ukraine” and vowing Canada would ensure Ukraine “wins this war.” But the evaluation report did not identify how many sanctions were actually enforced, raising fresh doubts about whether Ottawa’s measures had any real impact.
