Canada pulls vodka and other Russian drinks from liquor stores

In an act of condemnation of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, Canadian liquor stores are removing Russian vodka and other spirits from their shelves. 

After weeks of warnings from Western leaders, Russia unleashed a three-pronged invasion of Ukraine from the north, east, and south on Thursday, in an attack that threatened to upend Europe’s post-Cold War order. 

Liquor stores in the provinces of Manitoba and Newfoundland said they were removing Russian spirits, while Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, has also ordered the Ontario Liquor Control Board to remove all Russian products.

In Ontario alone, all Russian-produced products will be recalled from 679 stores.

“The Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation, along with other liquor jurisdictions across Canada, have made the decision to remove Russian-origin products from their shelves,” liquor store NLC said in a tweet.

Canada imported $3.78 million worth of alcoholic beverages from Russia in 2021, according to data from Statistics Canada. That’s down 23.8 percent from $6.3 million in 2020. Vodka is the second most popular spirit among Canadian consumers after whiskey, Statscan said.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced sanctions against Russia, which he said would impose “severe costs on complicit Russian elites” and limit President Vladimir Putin’s ability to continue funding the invasion.

“Ontario joins Canada’s allies in condemning the Russian government’s act of aggression against the Ukrainian people and we strongly support the federal government’s efforts to sanction the Russian government,” Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy said in a statement. release.

“The people of Ontario will always stand against tyranny and oppression,” said Bethlenfalvy.