(Ottawa) Canada imposes new 35% tariffs on all imports from Russia and Belarus. It will also supply new lethal weapons to Ukraine. At the same time, the federal government is making two changes to its immigration programs to be able to quickly welcome Ukrainians fleeing their country.
Posted at 8:44 a.m.
Updated at 11:37 a.m.
The only other country hit by such tariffs is North Korea, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said. She also indicated that Canada is the first country to move forward with such a measure.
The war in Ukraine started eight days ago when Russia invaded its territory and carried out airstrikes. One million Ukrainians have fled to neighboring countries, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
They will be able to obtain authorization to make an emergency trip to Canada and can stay for up to two years. However, this is not a complete lifting of the visa requirement as demanded by the Quebec Association of Immigration Lawyers and the three opposition parties in the House of Commons.
The federal government will also speed up the family reunification process. Immigration Minister Sean Fraser made the announcement Thursday at a news conference that also included Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and National Defense Minister Anita Anand.
Military aid includes 4,500 rocket launchers, ammunition and high-resolution satellite imagery.
Canada will also withdraw from meetings of the Arctic Council, currently chaired by Russia, since it no longer respects the “fundamental principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, based on international law” which underpin the work of this circumpolar organization, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release.