A Canadian Rep Reportedly Attended A Russian Embassy Party In Ottawa & People Are So Mad

A Canadian representative reportedly attended a Russia Day party on Friday, and Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs is calling it "unacceptable."

On June 10, the Embassy of Russia held an event celebrating a national holiday that marks the country's constitutional reform in 1990. However, outrage erupted online when the Globe and Mail reported that Canadian Global Affairs Deputy Chief of Protocol Yasemin Heinbecker had attended the event.

Some people took to social media to call Canada's presence at the event "wrong" given Russia's recent invasion of Ukraine.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly called the Canadian official's presence "unacceptable" in a tweet on Sunday evening, and said that no other Canadian representative will attend a similar event again.

"No Canadian representative should have attended the event hosted at the Russian embassy & no Canadian representative will attend this kind of event again," Joly said in a Tweet. "Canada continues to stand with Ukraine as it fights against Russia's egregious invasion."

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress condemned Canada's representation at the party.

"That our government would send officials to a celebration at the Russian embassy is appalling to us as Canadians and offensive to us as Ukrainians," Ihor Michalchyshyn, CEO and executive director of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, said to the Globe.

In an emailed statement to Narcity, a spokesperson for the Embassy of Russia said they appreciated Heinbecker honouring the Russia Day reception. They said the event was also to recognize the 80th anniversary of Russia-Canada diplomatic relations.*

"We believe diplomacy is an all-weather instrument and diplomatic protocol is an important part of upkeeping the bilateral communications. Diplomacy is about dialogue," the spokesperson said. "Despite political disagreements at the current moment, we need to keep in mind that our countries are neighbours. Russia's position is that we must not forget that Moscow and Ottawa share responsibility for peace and well-being of our nations. We don't look at Canada through the adversarial optic."

The spokesperson went on to say that the embassy is "open to restore mutually respectful ties," which it claims has been "almost ruined by the blind Russophobia dictated to the government of Canada by the most radical part of Ukrainian diaspora."

Earlier in June, the embassy submitted a request to fly the Russian flag at Ottawa City Hall. However, the request was refused by Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson.

"I have rejected the Russian embassy's request to fly their flag at Ottawa City Hall for their Independence Day on June 12," Watson tweeted on June 1. "I indicated that until the Russian army leaves Ukraine we will not have anything to do with the Russian government and their illegal invasion."

Watson's rejection to fly the Russian flag came after the City of Ottawa received a request on February 23. The Russian embassy also asked the city to "illuminate the Heritage Building" in honour of Russia Day, which was also refused.

Narcity reached out to Yasemin Heinbecker but did not hear back before this story went to press.

*This article has been updated.