Canada has announced new sanctions on Russia in response to the Kremlin’s deployment of forces into eastern Ukraine and its recognition of two separatist regions.
At a news conference on Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also said that Canada is sending up to 460 additional Canadian Armed Forces members to Latvia and the surrounding region to bolster NATO in the face of Russian aggression.
Trudeau said the first round of economic sanctions will ban Canadians from all financial dealings with the breakaway Ukrainian regions Putin recognized, Donetsk and Luhansk. The sanctions will also target members of the Russian parliament who voted for the decision to recognize the separatist regions, as well as ban Canadians from engaging in purchases of Russian sovereign debt, Trudeau said.
“These sanctions are a major step and target those responsible for violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” said Trudeau, adding that the measures will remain in place until territorial integrity is restored.
“Russia’s brazen provocations are a threat to security and peace in the world,” said the prime minister. “It is not too late for Russia to seek a diplomatic resolution and re-establish the pathway to peace,” he added.
0:48 Canada condemns Putin’s recognition of Ukrainian breakaway regions as independent: Trudeau
Canada condemns Putin’s recognition of Ukrainian breakaway regions as independent: Trudeau
‘United response’
The fresh sanctions and troops deployment come as the threat of war between Russia and Ukraine grows.
On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin was given permission from Kremlin lawmakers to deploy Russian military forces to two separatist-held regions of eastern Ukraine for what officials said would be a “peacekeeping” mission.
The permission came after Moscow formally recognized the independence of the Ukrainian regions on Monday, triggering international condemnation and sanctions from other Western nations.
Speaking at the same news conference as Trudeau on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said Canada’s “quarrel is not with the Russian people,” but with Putin and his supporters.
“If Russia does not pull back, it will be met with a firm, united and sustained response from Canada and our allies,” she said.
2:08 Canada sanctions Russian banks, entities amid escalation with Ukraine
Canada sanctions Russian banks, entities amid escalation with Ukraine
Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly also reiterated that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine “has started,” saying that Moscow’s actions represent a “direct threat” to the peace and security of Ukraine and the world.
2:15 Russia hit with sanctions after Putin orders military into Ukraine
Russia hit with sanctions after Putin orders military into Ukraine “Our response begins today and should Russia escalate, so will the cost imposed by Canada and its allies,” Joly warned.
“We are prepared to target even more of Russia’s financial sector and oligarchs, and we’re ready to make significant announcements related to Canadian exports to Russia.”
In addition to more troops, Canada announced Tuesday that it will also be deploying an additional frigate and maritime patrol aircraft to Latvia. This is on top of the 540 Armed Forces members already deployed to Latvia where they are leading a NATO battlegroup.
Among the 460 additional troops, an artillery battery of up to 120 personnel will be deployed for six weeks in about 30 days, Defense Minister Anita Anand said. The vast majority of the additional troops will be deployed towards the end of March, she added.
2:26 Canada imposes Russian sanctions as troops “invade” Ukraine
Canada imposes Russian sanctions as troops “invade” Ukraine
What are the sanctions by other nations?
U.S. President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that Washington is imposing “full blocking sanctions” against Russia’s military bank and the financial institution VEB. The White House also announced it is implementing “comprehensive sanctions on Russian sovereign debt,” meaning Russia’s government has been cut off from Western financing, Biden said.
Furthermore, Washington will also impose sanctions on Russian elites and their family members in the coming days, and has promised to introduce steeper punishments if Moscow continues its aggression in Ukraine.
When it comes to sanctions, the European Union agreed on Tuesday to blacklist more politicians, lawmakers and officials, to ban EU investors from trading in Russian state bonds, and to target imports and exports with separatist entities.
Meanwhile, Germany took steps to halt the process of certifying the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia.
The decision was a significant move for the German government, which had resisted pulling the plug on the project despite pressure from the United States and some European countries to do so.
1:25 Biden details sanctions on Russian banks, entities amid escalation
Biden details sanctions on Russian banks, entities amid escalation
For years, the Americans have argued that building another pipeline that brought natural gas to Germany from Russia increased Europe’s reliance on Russian energy supplies.
U.S. officials also warned Nord Stream 2 poses risks to Ukraine and Poland because it could allow Russia to stop pumping gas through those countries.
For weeks, the West has been bracing for escalation as Russia stationed nearly 200,000 troops on three sides of neighbouring Ukraine.
They warned an attack would cause massive casualties, energy shortages in Europe and economic chaos around the globe – and promised swift and severe sanctions if it materialized.
Western leaders have long warned that Moscow would look for cover to invade – and such a pretext might have come Monday when Putin recognized Donetsk and Luhansk as independent and deployed troops there.
For eight years in those regions, Ukrainian government troops have fought Russia-backed rebels in a conflict that has killed at least 14,000 people.
In recent weeks, Russia has blamed the U.S. and its allies for the current crisis and described Ukraine’s desire to join the NATO alliance as an existential challenge to Russia.
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Russia wants western guarantees that NATO won’t allow Ukraine and other former Soviet countries to join as members. Moscow has also demanded the alliance halt weapons deployments to Ukraine and roll back its forces from Eastern Europe – demands rejected by the West.
Diplomatic talks have been ongoing, but have yet to yield any positive results.
— with files from The Canadian Press, Associated Press and Reuters
Montreal Alouettes wide receiver Tyson Philpot has announced he will be out for the rest of the CFL season.
The Delta, B.C., native posted the news on his Instagram page Thursday.
“To Be Continued. Shoutout my team, the fans of the CFL and the whole city of Montreal! I can’t wait to be back healthy and write this next chapter in 2025,” the statement read.
Philpot, 24, injured his foot in a 33-23 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Aug. 10 and was placed on the six-game injured list the next week.
The six-foot-one, 195-pound receiver had 58 receptions, 779 yards and five touchdowns in nine games for the league-leading Alouettes in his third season.
Philpot scored the game-winning touchdown in Montreal’s Grey Cup win last season to punctuate a six-reception, 63-yard performance.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
NAPA, Calif. (AP) — David Lipsky shot a 7-under 65 on Thursday at Silverado Country Club to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Procore Championship.
Winless in 104 events since joining the PGA Tour in 2022, Lipsky went out with the early groups and had eight birdies with one bogey to kick off the FedEx Cup Fall series at the picturesque course in the heart of Napa Valley wine country.
After missing the cut in his three previous tournaments, Lipsky flew from Las Vegas to Arizona to reunite with his college coach at Northwestern to get his focus back. He also spent time playing with some of the Northwestern players, which helped him relax.
“Just being around those guys and seeing how carefree they are, not knowing what’s coming for them yet, it’s sort of nice to see that,” Lipsky said. “I was almost energized by their youthfulness.”
Patton Kizzire and Mark Hubbard were a stroke back. Kizzire started on the back nine and made a late run with three consecutive birdies to move into a tie for first. A bogey on No. 8 dropped him back.
“There was a lot of good stuff out there today,” Kizzire said. “I stayed patient and just went through my routines and played well, one shot at a time. I’ve really bee working hard on my mental game and I think that allowed me to rinse and repeat and reset and keep playing.”
Mark Hubbard was at 67. He had nine birdies but fell off the pace with a bogey and triple bogey on back-to-back holes.
Kevin Dougherty also was in the group at 67. He had two eagles and ended his afternoon by holing out from 41 yards on the 383-yard, par-4 18th.
Defending champion Sahith Theegala had to scramble for much of his round of 69.
Wyndham Clark, who won the U.S. Open in 2023 and the AT&T at Pebble Beach in February, had a 70.
Max Homa shot 71. The two-time tournament champion and a captain’s pick for the President’s Cup in two weeks had two birdies and overcame a bogey on the par-4 first.
Stewart Cink, the 2020 winner, also opened with a 71. He won The Ally Challenge last month for his first PGA Tour Champions title.
Three players from the Presidents Cup International team had mix results. Min Woo Lee shot 68, Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., 69 and Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., 73. International team captain Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., also had a 69.
Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., had a 68, Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., and Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., shot 70 and Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., had a 71.
Lipsky was a little shaky off the tee for much of the afternoon but made up for it with steady iron play that left him in great shape on the greens. He had one-putts on 11 holes and was in position for a bigger day but left five putts short.
Lipsky’s only real problem came on the par-4 ninth when his approach sailed into a bunker just shy of the green. He bounced back nicely with five birdies on his back nine. After missing a 19-foot putt for birdie on No. 17, Lipsky ended his day with a 12-foot par putt.
That was a big change from last year when Lipsky tied for 30th at Silverado when he drove the ball well but had uneven success on the greens.
“Sometimes you have to realize golf can be fun, and I think I sort of forgot that along the way as I’m grinding it out,” Lipsky said. “You’ve got to put things in perspective, take a step back. Sort of did that and it seems like it’s working out.”
Laird stayed close after beginning his day with a bogey on the par-4 10th. The Scot got out of the sand nicely but pushed his par putt past the hole.
Homa continued to have issues off the tee and missed birdie putts on his final four holes.
GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Canada’s Marina Stakusic is moving on to the quarterfinals of the Guadalajara Open.
The Mississauga, Ont., native defeated the tournament top seed, Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia, 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (0) in the round of 16 on Thursday.
Stakusic faced a 0-4 deficit in the third and final set before marching back into the match.
The 19-year-old won five of the next six games to even it up before exchanging games to force a tiebreaker, where Stakusic took complete control to win the match.
Stakusic had five aces with 17 double faults in the three-hour, four-minute match.
However, she converted eight of her 18 break-point opportunities.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
