Trudeau, Canadian lawmakers denounce Putin after Navalny's death
Death of Putin's most prominent domestic critic 'has us all reeling,' Trudeau says
Canadian lawmakers are denouncing Russian President Vladimir Putin and his government following news that prominent opposition figure Alexei Navalny died while serving his sentence in a prison in the Arctic Circle.
"The death of Alexei Navalny has us all reeling," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in an interview Friday with CBC News in Winnipeg. "It's something that has the entire world being reminded of exactly what a monster Putin is.
"There is no question that Alexei Navalny is dead because he stood up to Putin, he stood up to the Kremlin. He stood for freedom and democracy and the right of the Russian people to choose their future, and that was something that Putin was deeply afraid of, as he should be."
The prime minister added that Navalny's death redoubles the resolve of Canada and other Western nations to stand up to Putin's abuses of human rights and international law.
In a social media post, Trudeau said Navalny's courage was unparalleled and sent his condolences to Navalny's family and supporters.
"To be clear: He should never have been imprisoned to begin with. Let this be an important reminder that we must continue to promote, protect and defend democracy everywhere. The consequences of not doing so are stark," Trudeau wrote on X.
Navalny, 47, was arrested by Russian authorities in 2021 upon his return to the country after spending five months in Germany recovering from poisoning by a nerve agent. He was accused and convicted in a series of cases involving charges of embezzlement, fraud and extremism.
Conservatives condemn Putin: Poilievre
The opposition figure's death was announced on Friday by the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Yamalo-Nenets region, where Navalny had been serving his sentences.
Prison authorities said Navalny "felt unwell" after a walk on Friday and "almost immediately lost consciousness."
The statement said medical staff were called but were unable to resuscitate him. The authorities said the cause of death was being established.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly echoed the prime minister's comments.
"Alexei Navalny gave his freedom in the hopes of a better, more democratic future for the Russian people. Reports of his death are a painful reminder of Putin's continued oppressive regime," Joly wrote on social media. "My thoughts are with his wife, Yulia, his family, and his loved ones."
Canada's Ambassador to the United Nations Bob Rae placed the blame for Navalny's death on the Russian president.
"Putin murdered Navalny just as surely as if he'd strangled him with his bare hands," Rae wrote on X.
Reports of Alexei Navalny’s death are tragic and horrifying. An unwavering advocate for Russian democracy and freedom, his courage was unparalleled.<br> <br>To be clear: He should never have been imprisoned to begin with. Let this be an important reminder that we must continue to…
—@JustinTrudeauDeputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland wrote on social media that Navalny "spent his life speaking out for a better future for the Russian people, in hopes that democracy and peace — not Putin's tyranny and war — prevail."
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre also blamed Putin for Navalny's death.
"Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny has died in prison. Putin imprisoned Navalny for the act of opposing the regime. Conservatives condemn Putin for his death," Poilievre wrote on X.
The party's foreign affairs critic, Michael Chong, wrote that Navalny was imprisoned simply for being an opposition leader.
"Conservatives condemn Putin and the Russian Federation for his death. This is not the hallmark of a great power but of a pariah state," Chong said.
Garnett Genuis, Conservative international development critic, accused Putin of murdering Navalny.
"The despicable murder of Alexei Navalny by Vladimir Putin underlines what is at stake in the Ukraine war, and more broadly in the global struggle between the democratic world and the anti-democratic world," Genuis wrote on X. "We must rise to the challenge."
Putin murdered <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Navalny?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Navalny</a> just as surely as if he’d strangled him with his bare hands.
—@BobRae48NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said he was saddened by reports of the opposition figure's death.
"Navalny's important work exposed corruption by Putin's oligarchs and he was killed for it," Singh wrote on social media. "My thoughts are with his loved ones and with all political prisoners targeted by Putin."
NDP foreign affairs critic Heather McPherson said she was horrified by the news.
"He bravely exposed the corruption and greed of Putin and his oligarchs and was poisoned and killed for it. His death is on Putin's hands," McPherson wrote on social media. "My condolences to the Russian people and all those who loved Mr. Navalny."
Navalny: 'You're not allowed to give up'
In the Oscar-winning documentary Navalny, the opposition figure anticipated his death in a message to his supporters.
"You're not allowed to give up. If they decide to kill me, it means that we are incredibly strong," Navalny said, speaking in Russian.
"We need to utilize this power to not give up, to remember we are a huge power that is being oppressed by these bad dudes. We don't realize how strong we actually are. The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing. So don't be inactive."
The opposition figure returned to Russia shortly after delivering those remarks. He was arrested by Russian authorities immediately upon landing in Moscow in 2021.
The Russian embassy to Canada urged Canada Friday to "stop interfering into our internal affairs."
"Every death is a tragedy. But the death of a Russian citizen is strictly Russia's matter," the embassy wrote on X.
Yulia Navalnaya, Navalny's wife, made a surprise appearance Friday at a gathering of world leaders in Munich.
Speaking just hours after her husband was reported dead, Navalnaya vowed to hold Putin and his government accountable.
"If this is true, I want Putin and all of his entourage, Putin's friends and his government to know that they will be held accountable for what they have done to our country, to my family and to my husband. And that day will come very soon," said Navalnya.
"I want to call on the entire world community, everyone in this room and people around the world, that we come together to unite and defeat this evil, defeat the horrific regime that is now in Russia."
Navalnaya received a standing ovation.
Defence Minister Bill Blair also attended the Munich Security Conference.
"It was very emotional, I think, for many of the people here at this conference. It really does speak to the repressive nature of the Putin regime," Blair said in an interview with Rosemary Barton Live airing Sunday.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
With files from Reuters