Source: Russian Television, May 17
Canada has chosen not to impose sanctions against two of Russia’s top officials already targeted by the US – Rosneft’s Igor Sechin and Rostec’s Sergei Chemezov. Reports say Ottawa doesn’t want politics to be hurting one of the country’s biggest business projects.
“Our goal is to sanction Russia; it is not to go out of our way to sanction or penalize Canadian companies,” as Reuters quotes a Canadian government source familiar with Ottawa’s sanctions strategy.
“We will continue to apply pressure to Russia, we will continue to impose sanctions along with our allies, but we will also look out for Canada’s broader interests,” it added.
Sergei Chemezov is head of state-owned industrial and defense conglomerate, Rostec. The company has an aircraft assembly joint venture lined up with Bombardier Inc. – a deal vital for the Canadian plane and train maker. Last year the two companies signed a $3.4 billion deal to sell 100 short-haul aircraft in Russia. Another Bombardier interest in Russia includes a long-standing joint venture in its rail business.
Eric Koch’s new book, New Beginnings, was launched on September 20. The book is available from 
Here is someone whose writings were recommended to us today (not by a Russian, of course): http://carnegie.ru/experts/?fa=5 [Madeline is attending an academic conference in Moscow.]
Thank you, Madeline, for a useful reference.
See also “The Crimean Crisis & Cdn Aerospace” http://on.fb.me/R4sk3o
Attention Canadian voters interested in Ukraine. Is the first test for Canada’s sanctions policy its effect on large enterprise in Canada, rather than its impact on Putin’s actions in Ukraine?