Canada will prevent Russian President Vladimir Putin from entering the country; his foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, and his relatives, as well as other senior Russian officials and oligarchs sanctioned by the country, the Canadian government announced on Tuesday.
Canadian Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said in a statement that the government would change the country’s immigration laws to prevent people sanctioned by Ottawa from entering the country.
In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Canada imposed economic sanctions on Putin, Lavrov, and their daughters and other close relatives.
Canada has also sanctioned hundreds of Kremlin-aligned senior officials and oligarchs from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, such as Roman Abramovich.
Persons sanctioned cannot receive financial services in Canada or from Canadians abroad.
Mendicino said that in the face of “the Putin regime’s brutal onslaught”, barring key Russian figures from entering the country is one way Canada can claim responsibility for crimes committed in Ukraine.
After Mendicino’s announcement, the government presented to the Senate the amendments to the immigration laws to make effective the ban on entry into the country of Putin and his relatives.
After approval in the Senate, the amendments must be voted on in the Lower House of Parliament before entering into force.
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