'History is going to judge all of us:' Montrealers protest Ottawa's plan to return Russian pipeline parts

Around 100 demonstrators gathered Sunday in Montreal's Phillips Square in protest of Ottawa's decision to send repaired parts of a Russian gas pipeline to Germany, violating its economic sanctions.

The Nord Stream 1 pipeline, owned by Russia's Gazprom, is used to bring natural gas to Germany, which is dependent on Russia for its energy supply.

For the protesters, the economic compromise reached by Justin Trudeau's government is a step backwards and a gesture of weakness in the face of Russian pressure.

"Our community is deeply disappointed by the decision of the Canadian government to give in to Russian blackmail," said Zoya Shwec, president of the Universite de Montreal's Ukrainian student association.

She says it's not too late to revoke this directive, which according to her, will "allow Russia to receive even more money to murder Ukrainians."

"Yes, you're going to hear a lot about the economy, the turbines, the natural gas, but never forget to put it in context," said Michael Shwec, president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress' Quebec branch.

"History is going to judge all of us. History will ask what you did. Did you support an economy, or did you defend tens of thousands of lives?"

The honorary consul of Ukraine in Montreal, Eugene Czolij, recalled that the House of Commons passed a motion in late April condemning "acts of genocide against the Ukrainian people."

"You don't prevent and punish genocide by lifting sanctions," he said. "It is time not to lift, but to add sanctions and provide the lethal weapons necessary for Ukraine to ensure a no-fly zone to stop the killing of thousands of people, including babies and young children."

Many of the participants in the demonstration carried Ukrainian flags or signs criticizing Russia.

Montreal is home to the Siemens factory that repaired the turbines and was given permission to send them back to Germany without penalty, despite economic sanctions imposed on Vladimir Putin's regime for its invasion of Ukraine.

A second demonstration is also planned for Sunday in Ottawa.

DIPLOMATIC PITFALLS

President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his displeasure to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a telephone conversation Sunday.

In Ottawa, Conservative MPs demanded Friday that senior Liberal ministers explain the controversial decision at a special foreign affairs meeting next week.

The Liberals agreed to have Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson answer questions.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said Saturday that Canada's decision to send back repaired parts of the Russian pipeline was difficult but necessary.

Last month, Russia cut gas deliveries to Germany from its Nord Stream 1 pipeline by 60 per cent, citing technical problems with the turbines.

The Canadian government says it made the decision pending a transition to limit Europe's energy dependence on Russia.

"Without the necessary supply of natural gas, the German economy will suffer very significant difficulties, and the Germans themselves may not be able to heat their homes as winter approaches," Minister Wilkinson said last week.

This report was first published in French by The Canadian Press on July 17, 2022.