Russian Ambassador To Canada Says Summoned Over LGBTQ-Related Tweets

Russian Ambassador to Ottawa Oleg Stepanov told Sputnik that he has been summoned to the Canadian Foreign Ministry in connection with the embassy's LGBTQ-related tweets

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 28th November, 2022) Russian Ambassador to Ottawa Oleg Stepanov told Sputnik that he has been summoned to the Canadian Foreign Ministry in connection with the embassy's LGBTQ-related tweets.

"They have invited me at 15:30 for a meeting with (Assistant Deputy Minister) Sandra McCardell," Stepanov said.

On Saturday, the Canadian government said it will summon Stepanov over "hateful propaganda" and "an attack on the Canadian values of acceptance and tolerance." It came after the embassy reacted to Canadian officials accusing Russia of homophobia by tweeting a picture of a pride flag with a "banned" symbol over it, alongside the caption: "It is all about family.

Family is a man and a woman and children."

The Russian mission later added that "Canada and a range of other state supporters of the neoliberal agenda are deliberately distorting the reality by conflating the concepts of individual sexual preferences and universal human rights."

Last week, the Russian parliament's lower house passed a law banning the promotion of LGBT propaganda, pedophilia and gender reassignment in advertising, media, books, movies and audiovisual services.