Russia's ambassador in Ottawa claims Canada is unsafe for his compatriots to visit.
"Canada today is a very dangerous country for Russian citizens," Oleg Stepanov said in a Russian-language interview last Friday.
"I would not recommend it for tourism, education or business."
Stepanov told state news agency RIA Novosti that Canada keeps sanctioning people, which he deems to be an arbitrary response to the conflict in Ukraine.
He also claimed that Russians in Canada are regularly experiencing racism and bemoaned what he said are daily protests outside of Russia's Ottawa embassy and its consulates in Montreal and Toronto.
"Russian-Canadian relations are now in a deep freeze," Stepanov was quoted as saying.
He took aim at Canada's intent to forfeit US$26 million held by a firm owned by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, which would be the first case under a new law that allows Ottawa to take possession of funds from sanctioned people and divert them to victims of wrongdoing.
Ottawa has yet to actually file its court application. Stepanov said the idea amounts to an attack on property rights.
However, Stepanov added that most Canadians treat Russians well, and Moscow's travel advisory for Canada only warns of street gangs and a "rather harsh climate."
He also claimed that Russia has been unable to open a consulate in Vancouver.
Global Affairs Canada did not respond to a request for comment on Monday.
Stepanov said Russia is open to dialogue with Canada if it stops echoing U.S. policy, but Ottawa has said that change will only happen when Russia ends its invasion of Ukraine, and compensates that country for losses.
Earlier this year, a Russian woman living in Ottawa, Elena Pushkareva, said Stepanov denied her consular services over claims that her participation in a pro-democracy Facebook group amounted to a security risk.
Last year, Russia summoned Canada's ambassador in Moscow over claims that the RCMP and Global Affairs inadequately responded to security concerns, such as security footage that suggests someone threw a Molotov cocktail over the fence of the Ottawa embassy.
The Trudeau government has accused Russia of sowing chaos globally and summoned Stepanov over social media posts against LGBTQ people.
Last summer, a bicycle painted blue and yellow sat outside the embassy for weeks until a group spray-painted it black on Aug. 16.
The group also painted a large Z on the sidewalk and lamppost, which is a sign indicating support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. One passerby posted photos of the group, which appeared to have arrived on the scene in a car with diplomatic plates.
Stepanov's interview last week called out the Canadian public for taking photos of diplomatic cars.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 13, 2023.
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They may say we are dangerous
They may say we are dangerous but in the last decade, I have met so many Russian immigrants in Canada, I would like to know how many. My humble opinion is the immigration stats will speak for themselves.
Funny, I haven't met any.
Funny, I haven't met any. Lots of Romanians, Serbs and assorted other Balkan people, but no actual Russians so far. Mind you, my anecdote is worth as much nothing as your anecdote.
There are at least 4 million
There are at least 4 million descendants of Ukrainian immigrants in Canada, mainly in the Prairie provinces. I am one of them. Their contribution to Canada for 110+ years is very significant. Add to that thousands of Ukrainian refugees who fled Putin's murderous aggression in their homeland in the past year.
The evidence is in our faces. Targeted civilians (not military assets) in Aleppo, Grozny and now Mariupol, Kharkiv and perhaps two hundred towns and villages in Ukraine, all levelled. That is the Russian way, and Putin has adopted it for what?, a little man's dream of being a Czar? Of recreating Peter the Great's empire by taking over sovereign, independent neighbouring countries? All of that has been tried, and it all failed.
The only hope for the Russian Federation is that it collapses and a smaller but better country will, hopefully, emerge. To continue waging wars against smaller opponents for no justified or constructive reason should just not be on in the 21st Century.
Who cares what the Russian ambassador has to say? Just know it likely follows the standard official act of lying. With every lie and piece of misinformation, Canada should react by stepping up its help for Ukraine and further cementing its ties to democratic allies.
They may say we are dangerous
They may say we are dangerous but in the last decade, I have met so many Russian immigrants in Canada, I would like to know how many. My humble opinion is the immigration stats will speak for themselves.
The content of the
The content of the diplomatically spiteful remarks by the Russian ambassador sounds like the plot for a 19th century tragi-comic opera.
One feels for the Ambassador trying to defend the indefensible; unjustifiable aggression against The Ukraine, millions of people displaced, interned, tortured, summarily executed - all actions contrary to international law - but wholly predictable from the destruction of Syria at the hands of its dictator, propped up by Russia's reckless violations and Syrian deployment of poison gas in addition to the deliberate attacks against defenseless civilians. It is enough to make an ethical diplomat weep., but instead all we get are crocodile tears.
In fact, Russia strikes me as a very dangerous place for foreigners to visit: illegal detentions for enemies of the state, defenestrations of formerly wealthy and well connected individuals, deployment of criminals, violent enemies of the state, perpetrators of drug offenses, and other felonies. Fancy having such lawless people running around armed with unreliable weapons.... Were I a Russian Officer I would keep a safe distance from my conscripted soldiers and never ever remove my personal armor.
"Stepanov said Russia is open
"Stepanov said Russia is open to dialogue with Canada if it stops echoing U.S. policy, but Ottawa has said that change will only happen when Russia ends its invasion of Ukraine, and compensates that country for losses."
Amen to that.
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