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QUESTION PERIOD — Ministry of Natural Resources

Gold Mining

December 14, 2022


Minister, Nordgold is a company whose headquarters are in Moscow. It was owned by Russian oligarch Alexei Mordashov until early this year, when he transferred his shares to his wife to avoid sanctions.

Thanks to its subsidiary Northquest, Nordgold has a mining concession for a gold-rich site in Nunavut. Mr. Mordashov has been banned from entering Europe, the United States and Australia, but not Canada. Gold is not on the list of strategic metals announced by Minister Champagne.

What do you plan to do to prevent a friend of Vladimir Putin from continuing to slip through the cracks and operate gold mines in Canada?

Hon. Jonathan Wilkinson, P.C., M.P., Minister of Natural Resources [ + ]

Thank you for the question. I would say that the responsibility for the list of banned individuals falls to Minister Joly. I am very open to the idea of having a conversation, if you can give me the information you were talking about. It is important because Canada is a leader when it comes to banning bad actors, including Russia, which invaded Ukraine. I am very open to the idea of having a conversation with you and then with Minister Joly.

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