Ukraine advocates ask Ottawa to sanction Alex Ovechkin after Russian political ad

Ukraine advocates ask Ottawa to sanction Alex Ovechkin after Russian political ad DYLAN ROBERTSON OTTAWA THE CANADIAN PRESS PUBLISHED YESTERDAY Open this photo in gallery: Washington Capitals left winger Alex Ovechkin said this week he wants peace and participated in the ad because he was asked to do so. DAVID GONZALES/REUTERS COMMENTS SHARE SAVE FOR LATER Listen to this article Learn more about audio Log in or create a free account to listen to this article. Liberal MPs are condemning a pro hockey player’s support for the Putin regime – but are stopping short of calling for him to be banned from Canada. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress is calling on Ottawa to sanction and ban Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin for appearing in a commercial for a party aligned with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ovechkin appeared in a television ad standing behind Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as Lavrov vowed “no mercy” for those who attack Russia. “If you can look at what’s going on in Ukraine right now, and turn a blind eye to the atrocities being committed by the Putin regime, then you are at best wilfully blind,” Justice Minister Sean Fraser told reporters Friday. The UCC is repeating calls from 2022 for Ovechkin to be banned for supporting Putin, who attacked in Ukraine in 2014 and launched a full-scale invasion in 2022. “Ovechkin is campaigning for United Russia – a party of war criminals who abduct Ukrainian children and murder Ukrainian civilians,” the UCC wrote on social media. “The Government of Canada should sanction and bar entry of Ovechkin, a disgusting supporter of Russia’s genocidal war against Ukraine.” Fraser said it’s not up to him to decide whether Canada will impose sanctions or an entry ban on Ovechkin. “I’ll leave the formal process to play out, when it comes to policy decisions taken by some of my colleagues,” Fraser said. “We’re not talking about fly-by-night principles. We are talking about the big stuff, territorial integrity, sovereignty of nations, self-determination.” Ovechkin stands by appearance in Putin-backed political campaign ad: ‘I’m Russian’ Decisions about imposing sanctions or entry bans are made at the cabinet level. Sanctions are normally handled by Global Affairs Canada while the Immigration Department oversees entry bans. Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon also would not weigh in on the idea of sanctions. “I’m not fond of mixing sports and culture and entertainment with political matters, but it’s…