XPost: can.politics, bc.politics, ont.politics   
   From: "@nyet.ca   
      
   With this government, you have to be reading between the bullshit lines   
   all the time.  Here they are again . . .  money and profits before   
   ethics . . .   
   ________________________________   
   CBC News Posted: May 16, 2014   
      
   Russian business elite excluded from Canada's sanctions list   
      
   Sergei Chemezov, Igor Sechin and Vladimir Yakunin on U.S. sanctions   
   list, but not Canada's   
      
      
   Despite Canada's aggressive tone with Russia amid the ongoing crisis in   
   Ukraine, it appears the federal government is not putting all of its   
   money where its mouth is — at least, not when it comes to sanctions.   
      
   Canada has generally been in lockstep with the United States and   
   European Union when it comes to exacting punishments on those deemed   
   responsible for fomenting the unrest in Ukraine. In that regard, the   
   federal government has imposed sanctions on nearly 100 Russian and   
   Ukrainian individuals and businesses since the crisis erupted.   
      
   But at least three Russian businessmen with close ties to President   
   Vladimir Putin have curiously been excluded from  Canada's sanctions   
   list, calling into question the government's tough stance over Ukraine.   
      
   While the United States has sanctioned Sergey Chemezov, who runs   
   industrial and military corporation Rostec, and Igor Sechin, CEO of oil   
   company Rosneft, the two have not been banned from travelling to Canada   
   or had their assets frozen. Both, reportedly, have significant business   
   ties to Canada.   
      
   Thomson Reuters reported earlier that Rostec has an aircraft assembly   
   joint venture lined up with Bombardier Inc., while Rosneft owns about 30   
   per cent of an Exxon Mobil Corp. oil field in Alberta.   
      
   CBC News has also learned that Canadian and American sanctions are not   
   in sync with regards to Vladimir Yakunin, president of Russian Railways   
   and one of the most powerful men in Russia. While Yakunin has been   
   blacklisted by the U.S., Canada has not made any moves against him.   
      
   According to the Russian Embassy, Yakunin's company had signed an   
   infrastructure agreement with Quebec's SNC-Lavalin for the 2014 Winter   
   Olympics in Sochi.   
      
   Russian Railways also signed a commercial agreement with the Railway   
   Association of Canada in 2009.   
      
   SNC-Lavalin and the Railway Association of Canada did not respond to CBC   
   News requests for comment.   
      
      
   Bombardier lobbied Ottawa . . .   
      
      
   While Ottawa was developing its sanctions policy, records show it was   
   being lobbied by top officials from Bombardier — one of Canada's major   
   industrial players.   
      
   Bombardier CEO Pierre Beaudoin reported six meetings in March with   
   government officials, according to Canada's official registry of lobbyists.   
      
   The company last year signed a preliminary deal to sell 100 short-haul   
   aircraft in Russia and agreed to set up an assembly line for the planes   
   in that country, in partnership with Rostec. Bombardier also has other   
   interests in Russia, including a long-standing joint venture in its rail   
   business.   
      
   A spokeswoman for Bombardier said the company maintains "a wide-ranging   
   dialogue with the Canadian government on a broad range of issues."   
      
   "Our discussions were about our dealings all over the world, including   
   Russia. But we weren't in discussions about any one individual," said   
   Marianella Delabarrera in an interview with CBC News.   
      
   Furthermore, she said Bombardier is negotiating with Rostec — not any   
   specific person. As well, she said the company respects the sanctions   
   that are in place, but Rostec has not been named as a target.   
      
   She said that while "it's a delicate situation," Bombardier is still   
   hoping to conclude talks for a Rostec deal this year.   
   Business interests vs. foreign policy   
      
   The revelations contrast with Prime Minister Stephen Harper's earlier   
   assurances that business interests would not interfere with Canada's   
   foreign policy.   
      
   "Within the context of Canadian foreign policy, we will do what we can   
   to maximize the commercial opportunities for our firms," Harper said   
   while meeting with fellow G7 leaders in March.   
      
   "But we will not shape our foreign policy to commercial interests. And   
   when it comes to, you know, a global crisis — a security crisis like the   
   Ukraine, Russia situation — you know, business people have to be aware   
   that there may be risks to them."   
      
   But the government was tight-lipped on why it chose not to impose   
   sanctions on the Russian businessmen.  In fact, it didn't answer the   
   question at all.   
      
   "Our sanctions are designed to punish the Putin regime and bring   
   economic pressure on Russia for its illegal occupation of Ukraine," said   
   Adam Hodge, a spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird, in a   
   brief email to CBC News.   
      
   The New Democrats said the government's response isn't good enough.   
      
   "The rhetoric has been very strong from our prime minister on Ukraine,"   
   said NDP foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar. "But if you only have   
   rhetoric and you don't have action to back it up, then your actions come   
   into question."   
      
   He said if the government is serious about "taking on the Russians,"   
   then it has to "hurt them hard where the money is" — with those Russian   
   individuals.   
      
   "If they are buddies of Putin who happen to have Canadian investments,   
   they shouldn't be protected," he said.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)