Montrealers Debate Sanctions: Will They Hurt Oligarchs or Working Class Russians?

20-year-old Alexander Malofeev, who has been outspoken against Russia's invasion of Ukraine, was banned from performing at the Montreal Symphony Orchestra in Montreal last week. He was dropped from the concert as a result of public backlash of supporting Russian culture amidst Russia's invasion of the Ukraine.

This is one of the examples of how sanctions are affecting working class Russians. Working class Russians are feeling the weight of sanctions imposed on oligarchs close to Putin in an effort to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

But are other working class people taking a hit? Many working class people in the West and in Central Asia are seeing the economic affects of sanctions imposed on Russia by numerous countries. Local 514 investigates…

Jennifer Welsh, the Director of the Centre for International Peace and Security Studies said that Canadians will feel the weight of the sanctions, but it is a necessary choice to support Ukraine. 

Frédéric Mégret, professor at the Faculty of Law, McGill University told Local 514 that these sanctions aren’t as intense as they could be, stating that the country imposing sanctions doesn’t want to impose too intensely from the start, but make them worse if the government affected does not follow the wishes of the country imposing sanctions.

But some think if sanctions can swiftly be imposed on Russia, they can be imposed on other countries, such as Israel, says Eya Hassan, who conducts communications at grassroots organization Canada Sanctions Israel. Canada Sanctions Israel is urging Canadians to apply pressure on politicians in order to impose sanctions on Israel for their human rights violations the country is committing against Palestinians.

Not all agree with sanctions, including Independent Jewish Voices spokesperson Niall Clapham-Ricardo, citing how many Iraqis died and experienced malnutrition and lack of medication as a result of sanctions imposed on the country in the 1990's for Saddam Hussein's war in Kuwait.