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‘Unacceptable’ for Canadian official to have attended Russia Day celebration: Joly

Click to play video: 'Senior Canadian official stirs controversy after attending ‘Russia Day’ celebrations'
Senior Canadian official stirs controversy after attending ‘Russia Day’ celebrations
WATCH: Senior Canadian official stirs controversy after attending 'Russia Day' celebrations – Jun 13, 2022

It was “unacceptable” for a Canadian official to have attended Russia Day celebrations at the country’s embassy in Canada, foreign affairs minister Melanie Joly said on Sunday.

A deputy protocol chief in Canada’s global affairs department, Yasemin Heinbecker, attended Friday’s event, along with representatives of Egypt, Pakistan and some African nations, the Globe and Mail newspaper said in a report.

“No Canadian representative should have attended the event hosted at the Russian embassy and no Canadian representative will attend this kind of event again,” Joly said in a Twitter post.

Click to play video: 'Joly says Canadian official attending Russia Day celebration should not have happened'
Joly says Canadian official attending Russia Day celebration should not have happened

Joly also reiterated Canada’s support for Ukraine against Russia’s invasion, which Moscow calls a “special military operation”.

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Since the conflict began on Feb. 24, Canada has imposed sanctions on more than 1,000 individuals and bodies with ties to Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.

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(Reporting by Nishit Jogi in Bengaluru; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

Click to play video: 'NDP criticizes foreign affairs minister over Canadian official attending Russia Day celebration'
NDP criticizes foreign affairs minister over Canadian official attending Russia Day celebration

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