UWC Files Legal Action to Stop Return of Turbine to Russia

Over the past several days, the Ukrainian World Congress together with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress has been pleading with the Government of Canada to revoke the waiver provided to Siemens Canada which allows the return of repaired Nord Stream 1 turbines to Germany. We have also called upon the Government to ensure that all sanctions that have been imposed by Canada on Russia remain in place and are significantly enhanced.

To date, our efforts have been unsuccessful, and we have had no choice but to take legal action.

Today in the Federal Court of Canada, the Ukrainian World Congress has filed a notice of application for judicial review together with Daniel Bilak, a Canadian citizen, practicing lawyer, and current resident of Ukraine.

The application states that the decision to grant the permit was not reasonable, transparent, or properly authorized.

“Canada’s decision to break sanctions and send the Siemens’ turbine back to Russia is a grave mistake with dire consequences.  This exemption to the sanctions regime against Russia is totally unacceptable.  There are real alternatives to Germany’s gas needs, including buying through Ukraine’s pipeline.  We cannot supply a terrorist state with the tools it needs to finance the killing of tens of thousands of innocent people. This is not just about a turbine or possible many turbines to support Russia’s energy exports, this is about continuously succumbing to Russia’s blackmail. This could be Siemens’ moment. People and businesses who believe in freedom, democracy and human rights can and should unite to create breakthrough solutions to the energy crisis Russia has made. We came together to find vaccines to protect ourselves against COVID, we can find ways to protect ourselves from the Kremlin.” says Paul Grod, President & CEO of the Ukrainian World Congress.

The application requests a declaration that the decision to provide a permit to Siemens was unreasonable and unauthorized and an order quashing the permit.

“If the court decides that the decision to grant the permit was unreasonable, it can quash the permit, effectively upholding the sanctions regime” says Monique Jilesen, Partner at Lenczner Slaght and legal counsel to the co-applicants.

Today was an important step forward. The legal action taken by the UWC is meant to set the precedent that remaining Nordstream 1 turbines should not be serviced on Canadian soil and sanctions in place should not be waived.  Instead, this application for judicial review should set the stage for all parties involved to find a solution which does not trade turbines for Ukrainian lives.