Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said on Wednesday that she was looking at the tariffs that are being held in the hands of Russian extortionists.
The minister made the announcement after international news reported that Quebec-made rifles were being introduced to snipers and were turning up in Russia despite restrictions.
“I’m actually looking at this magazine and others right now,” Anand, whose department oversees sanctions, told reporters in response to a question about the report.
He said Canada had among the most advanced military export controls in the world, and “we will be faced with taking these types of claims seriously.”
An international media investigation found that Canadian guns were already appearing in pictures on Russian social media.
While some of the guns were identified as having been taken from the battlefield, others appeared new and had their brand tags.
Russian social media channels also show Canadian-made rifles being used by decorated snipers fighting in Ukraine, one of whom is reported to have killed 100.
The firearms manufacturer, Cadex Defense, said its company does not export to Russia and that it strictly complies with Canada’s export regulations.
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After looking at the interview, the company said that it followed 10 guns identified in the Russian customs documents to send it to the US and determine the American buyer.
A senior government source said the Canadian government had only issued one export permit to Russia, in 2013, for a gun stock, not a gun.
“The Cadex rifles in Russian hands are either obtained through military losses from Ukrainian forces supplied with some Cadex rifles, or illegal acquisition by third countries,” the source said.
Despite the restrictions put in place after President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine prohibiting the sale of weapons to Russia, he is still able to obtain weapons through international imports from various countries.
Ukraine’s ambassador to Canada Andrii Plakhotniuuk said a “thorough investigation” was allowed whenever weapons or other military goods or technology flowed into Russia.
“Ukraine fully supports the continued strengthening of the state’s medicine, including destructive monitoring and control of the end user, protecting the technological situation from obtaining weapons or technology to use mossolies and distracting Moscow from the possibility of threats,” he said.
Foreign Affairs critic Michael Chong said it was the federal government’s duty to ensure that Canadian military assets did not fall into the hands of the opposition.
“But under freedom, we have seen detonators used on the edge of Russian land, turbics sent to Russian pipelines and avionics provided for Russian drones – all to help Putin’s War Worket,” said all those who help Putin’s war.
He said the government has “failed to deliver” on promises to strengthen enforcement powers and must ensure that “the deployment of troops does not end up helping Putin WAGE the war against Ukraine.”
The NDP, at the time, said it was “accurate” that it was sad “that Canadian arms went to Russia and were asked to improve the government to improve the Russians.”
“Travel countries, or travel companies, should not be used to ignore or circumvent sanctions and legal obligations,” said Affain Acall Brication Alexandre Bougilerice.
Stewart.bell@globalnews.ca
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