Canada sending anti-tank weapons, ammunition to Ukraine

OTTAWA -

Canada will be supplying Ukraine with anti-tank weapons systems and upgraded ammunition to be used in response to Russia’s ongoing invasion, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday, as federal ministers pledge more help is coming in the face of Vladimir Putin’s “brutal assault on Ukraine.”

With plans to make the delivery as soon as possible, Canada will be sending approximately 100 Carl-Gustaf anti-tank weapons system launchers and 2,000 rockets for the Ukrainian army to use, with the federal government saying that they still have no plans to send Canadian troops into combat in Ukraine.

This latest package of weaponry will be coming from the Canadian Armed Forces’ inventory, and is in addition to previous shipments of lethal and non-lethal equipment. Canada is working with NATO allies to ensure the supplies arrive promptly.

Monday’s announcement comes alongside other countries delivering key support and equipment, Trudeau said during a press conference discussing Canada’s latest response efforts alongside several key ministers.

“Canada will continue to deliver support for Ukraine’s heroic defence against the Russian military,” Trudeau said. “It is increasingly clear that President Putin has made a grave miscalculation… Our message is clear: this unnecessary war must stop now. The costs will only grow steeper and those responsible will be held accountable.”

Since the incursion began, almost daily the Canadian government has been making announcements of next steps in responding to the worsening war, from levelling a series of sanctions on key Russian figures and institutions— including prohibiting Canadian financial institutions from engaging in any transaction with the Russian Central Bank—to working on expediting immigration and consular processes for those looking to leave the region.

“While brave Ukrainian civilians gamely learn how to make Molotov cocktails to defend their homes, one of the world’s most brutal war machines is bombarding them,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland on Monday. “Not content to terrorize his own people, President Vladimir Putin is seeking to impose his tyranny on his democratic freedom-loving neighbours.”

In an update to the immigration efforts to-date, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Sean Fraser said Monday that since Jan. 19, Canada has approved 4,000 applications from Ukrainians seeking to come to Canada. Fraser said additional measures are coming soon that will see Canada welcome more of the thousands of Ukrainians who have fled to neighbouring countries, “in the safest and quickest way possible.”

The federal government is also providing Canadian Armed Forces airlift support to NATO and to deliver additional defence equipment like body armour and night-vision tools to Ukraine, while closing off Canadian airspace to Russian planes.

Minister of National Defence Anita Anand said Monday that Canada’s initial $10 million worth of lethal and non-lethal aid made it to the country ahead of the current incursion, and the promised additional equipment and up to 50 personnel accompanying it is arriving in two stages, with one plane leaving for Europe today and the second set to fly out later this week.

“Canada has been there for Ukraine’s military and its people. Over the past few years, our Canadian Armed Forces have trained over 33,000 Ukrainian soldiers, to help them prepare for the very type of attack that they are facing today,” Anand said, noting that Canada’s military stands ready to assist further, should NATO’s posture in the region change.

For now though, Trudeau said “we are not going to be sending troops into Ukraine.”

TARGETING OIL IMPORTS, RUSSIAN TV

Trudeau also announced that the government will be asking the CRTC to review state-owned broadcaster Russia Today’s presence on Canadian airwaves, while some major players have proactively begun to remove RT.

“There is a significant amount of disinformation circulating from Russia, including on social media, and we all need to keep calling it out,” Trudeau said.

And, Canada plans to ban all imports of crude oil from Russia, an industry that is a major source of Russian federal revenues. While Canada has imported limited amounts in recent years, this move is meant as a “powerful message,” the prime minister said.

Trudeau was scheduled to meet with key cabinet Incident Response Group on the situation in Ukraine on Monday, and attend a meeting hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden, alongside leaders of other allied nations and NATO, on Putin’s attack.

Speaking from the United Nations Human Rights Council, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly told reporters earlier on Monday that “there will be more sanctions coming.”

“Our goal is to put maximum pressure on Russia, and isolate it,” Joly said, applauding those in the cultural, sport and other private sectors who have also gone forward with actions against Russia in recent days.

MPS ALIGN, SUGGEST NEXT STEPS

In the House of Commons—where MPs will be holding a special take-note debate on the pressing situation Monday evening—all parties spoke up in solidarity with Ukraine, pressing the Liberals for more details about Canada’s next steps and offering suggestions.

“The situation in Ukraine is heartbreaking and growing more troubling by the hour. We also know it is constantly evolving and although Conservatives support the government's actions to date, we do believe there are things that could have been done faster,” said interim Conservative Leader Candice Bergen during question period, calling for Canada to expel Russia’s ambassador to Canada and recall Canada’s ambassador from Russia.

Bergen took part this weekend in an anti-war protest outside of the Russian embassy in Ottawa.

The NDP is calling for Canada to drop its visa requirements for Ukrainians, to avoid those seeking refuge from a “bureaucratic nightmare,” as immigration critic and NDP MP Jenny Kwan put it in a statement.

“Canadians are watching in horror, as hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians seek refuge from the unprovoked Russian invasion. People in this country expect their government to act swiftly to help those in danger… The government has to move quickly to cut the red tape – Ukrainians' lives depend on it,” Kwan said.

With files from CTV News’ Sarah Turnbull