Ottawa Eyeing Buhler Director For Ties In Russia.

James Bezan 

A director for Winnipeg-based farm equipment manufacturer Buhler Industries is under scrutiny from the federal government for his political involvement in Russia.

Konstantin Babkin is a leader of the Action Party in Russia, which has supported Russia's advance into Crimea. He became a director for Buhler when the company was acquired by the major Russian combine manufacturer Rostselmash in 2007.

"Mr. Babkin, who is the main Russian oligarch who holds shares in Buhler, is active politically. He has hosted and sponsored rallies in Western Russia that are anti-Ukraine. That is concerning, but at the same time, Prime Minister Harper has said we value our economic trade and prosperity," says Selkirk-Interlake MP James Bezan, who himself has been blacklisted by the Russian government in response to Canada's sanctions against Russia.

Bezan says he can't speculate on the possibility of targeted sanctions against Babkin, only saying "we're aware of him."

According to the Ukrainian-Canadian Congress, there are two other directors with Buhler that also have ties to the Action Party.

Tractors made by the company that was started by John Buhler in Morden in 1969 are sold in Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan through Rostselmash's dealer network.

Bezan says he's unaware of any other Manitoba-based businesses that are implicated to the same extent, but he has a warning for companies that conduct business in Russia.

"All stakeholders who are concerned about their ties through Russian business should be sending a strong signal back to those investors that any posturing or inflammatory language they're using to support President Putin and his regime will not be looked at favourably," he says.

Thursday, Mar 27 2014