The Government of Canada is adding 35 names to the list of Russians sanctioned, including influential leaders of state-owned Gazprom and six energy sector entities, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Friday.
The war in Ukraine “must end with Putin’s defeat,” Trudeau said as he announced the sanctions in Winnipeg to members of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress.
Canada has imposed “the toughest sanctions ever imposed against a major economy, including against the Russian Central Bank”, he argued.
Since February, Ottawa says it has sanctioned more than 1,400 individuals and entities. They target “accomplices” of Vladimir Putin, oligarchs “who facilitate his actions” and lawmakers “who approved of the brutalities” committed against Ukrainians.
“And we intend to impose new sanctions on members of Russia’s justice and security sectors, including police and investigators, prosecutors, judges and prison officials; anyone implicated in gross and systemic human rights violations against Russian opposition leaders,” Trudeau continued.
It is expected that during his visit to Winnipeg, Mr. Trudeau will receive a formal request from the Manitoba government for the federal government to provide more money to help Ukrainians fleeing the war.
Premier Heather Stefanson says Manitoba is happy to have welcomed nearly 12,000 Ukrainians since the Russian invasion began last February. But she says she needs more money to provide housing, health care, education and other needs for these newcomers.
Ms. Stefanson says Manitoba has taken in more than 10% of all Ukrainian refugees coming to Canada, yet the province represents only 4% of the Canadian population.
Premier Stefanson and her federal counterpart are both scheduled to speak at the opening of the three-day convention in Winnipeg.
“They are not declared as refugees and do not have refugee status, which normally comes with federal funding,” Ms. Stefanson denounced in an interview Thursday.