Vidal sanctioned by Russia, supports accepting Ukrainian refugees
Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River MP Gary Vidal was one of hundreds of Canadians to be sanctioned this week by Russia.
“When I saw that, I have to admit I was a little bit surprised,” Vidal, who is now barred from entering Russian territory, said. “In the end when you think about it, it’s really just Russia retaliating to the sanctions that Canada has placed on some of its citizens and so on. At the end of the day, it’s not going to deter myself or any other Canadian parliamentarians for standing up for Ukrainians in this chaotic world they are going through and the struggles that they are having.”
The Russian invasion of Ukraine began Feb. 24 and, as of March 14, the United Nations estimates there are more than three million refugees and nearly 1.8 million internally displaced persons. Thousands of soldiers from both countries have been killed.
The Canadian government, including other NATO nations, have placed sanctions on Russian individuals and businesses. Hundreds of multinational corporations have also announced an end to operations in the country.