(Ottawa) Russia’s ambassador to Ottawa says Canada is not safe for its compatriots.
Posted at 8:57pm
Dylan Robertson The Canadian Press
“Canada today is a very dangerous country for Russian citizens,” Oleg Stepanov said in an interview in Russian last Friday.
“I would not recommend it for tourism, education or business. »
Stepanov told state news agency RIA Novosti that Canada continues to sanction people in what it sees as an arbitrary response to the conflict in Ukraine.
He also claimed that Russians in Canada routinely experience racism and bemoaned what he says are daily protests in front of the Russian embassy in Ottawa and its consulates in Montreal and Toronto.
“Russian-Canadian relations are now in a deep freeze,” Stepanov added.
He was targeting Canada’s intent to seize $26 million owned by a company owned by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, in what would be the first case under a new law allowing Ottawa to seize funds from people, sanctions and redirect to the victims of wrongdoing.
Ottawa has yet to file its lawsuit in court. Stepanov said the idea amounts to an attack on property rights.
However, Mr Stepanov mentioned that most Canadians treat Russians well and Moscow’s travel advice for Canada only warns of street gangs and a “rather harsh climate”.
He also claimed that Russia has not been able to open a consulate in Vancouver.
Global Affairs Canada did not respond to a request for comment Monday.
Stepanov said Russia is open to dialogue with Canada if it stops repeating US policy, but Ottawa says change will only come if Russia ends its invasion of Ukraine and compensates that country for its losses.
Earlier this year, a Russian resident in Ottawa, Elena Pushkareva, claimed that Mr Stepanov refused consular services because he claimed his participation in a pro-democracy Facebook group posed a security risk.
Last year, Russia invited Canada’s ambassador to Moscow over allegations that the RCMP and Global Affairs Canada had failed to adequately respond to security concerns, such as security footage suggesting someone threw a Molotov cocktail over the Ottawa embassy fence .
The Trudeau government has accused Russia of wreaking havoc around the world and subpoenaed Mr Stepanov over anti-LGBTQ social media posts.
Last summer, a bicycle painted blue and yellow sat outside the embassy for weeks until a group painted it black on August 16.
The group also painted a large Z on the sidewalk and lamppost, which is a sign of support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A passer-by posted photos of the group, who appeared to have arrived at the scene in a car with diplomatic plates.
In his interview last week, Stepanov urged the Canadian public to take photos of diplomatic cars.