TORONTO (AP) — A senior Canadian diplomat was expelled from Canada's embassy in Moscow in retaliation for Canada expelling a Russia diplomat as tensions grow over the Ukraine, Canadian officials said Tuesday. Russia ordered the removal of the first secretary of immigration at Canada's embassy in response to the expulsion of a Russian military attache from Ottawa earlier this month, two Canadian government officials said. The officials confirmed it on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Canada has imposed sanctions against Russia over what the Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper has said are "aggressive, militaristic and imperialistic" actions against the Ukraine. Harper has said Russia's actions represent the most significant threat to peace and stability in the world since the end of the Cold War. Georgiy Mamedov, Russia's ambassador in Ottawa, accused Canada of starting a "sanctions war" but said such measures don't have much effect. Mamedov called the tit-for-tat expulsions "simple stuff, nothing relevant" during a speech in Toronto on Tuesday. During a visit Tuesday to the Czech capital, Prague, Canada's foreign minister stressed his country's support for NATO's eastern members. "We will stand with you in the face of aggression," John Baird said after meeting his Czech counterpart. Last week, Canada announced it would contribute six CF-18 jet fighters to a NATO air-policing mission to be based in Poland. Canada is home to more than 1 million people of Ukrainian descent.
