Federal government paid a Russian war collaborator after sanctions kicked in

The Chinese military contractor, China Head Aerospace, was paid $41,637 for satellite photos of Canadian forests by Natural Resources Canada after the Chinese company was blacklisted by Canadian allies for collaborating with the Russian government.

One month after the state agency, CBC, accused peaceful protesters in the nation's capital of doing business with Russia, the Canadian government was engaging in financial activities with a company blacklisted for collaborating in Russian war efforts.

DOCUMENTS: Feds paid Russian war collaborator blacklisted by U.S. even as @JustinTrudeau hailed sanctions to "deplete the Kremlin's war chest." https://t.co/r3McqRB4iL #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/Wd7FBkocJ8

— Blacklock's Reporter (@mindingottawa) July 25, 2023

U.S. authorities seized the payment as part of international sanctions against Russia for the war in Ukraine.

“The payment has not been received by the supplier as the funds are with the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets," the briefing note Contracts In Relation To China Head Aerospace Technology Co. read.

"Make no mistake, this is a further invasion of a sovereign state," said PM Trudeau of Russian President Putin's orders to move Russian troops into rebel-held regions of Ukraine. Trudeau announced fresh sanctions against Russia and additional troop deployments to eastern Europe. pic.twitter.com/Apqw29BvLp

— Power & Politics (@PnPCBC) February 22, 2022

Records obtained by Blacklock's Reporter about the payment indicate a sudden interest in fiscal accountability when hiring the Chinese surveillance contractor to take photos of Canadian geography. The documents show the feds settled on the lowest cost bid.

The payment to China Head Aerospace was made one month after Prime Minister Trudeau joined Western allies in announcing a slate of sanctions against Russia after the invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions included blacklisting dozens of companies and individuals and the removal of Russia from the international banking system, Swift.

In a press conference Friday, Trudeau announced new sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin personally, as well as foreign minister Sergeĭ Lavrov. He also announced Canada’s support for removing Russia from the international banking system SWIFT. pic.twitter.com/ow16pZqE7e

— The Globe and Mail (@globeandmail) February 25, 2022

The government-funded state broadcaster in Canada, CBC, had previously accused the Freedom Convoy of being a Russian-backed operation.

CBC suggests that Russia may be behind the “Truckers Freedom Convoy” that drove to Parliament Hill in Ottawa. The truck drivers are protesting Canada’s vaccine mandates. - Andy Ngõ pic.twitter.com/cFPJCUAhGs

— Wittgenstein (@backtolife_2023) January 29, 2022

The CBC had to correct two separate stories alleging that the trucker-led anti-mandate demonstration which protested in Ottawa for three weeks beginning in late January 2022 was Kremlin-based agitprop.