Why did Stephen Harper’s government impose sanctions on Russia in 2014?

In 2014, the government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper imposed sanctions on Russia in response to the country's military incursion into the Ukrainian republic of Crimea.1

Harper joined other Group of 7 governments in condemning the annexation, which involved the deployment of Russian personnel to take over government buildings and military installations in the region. To express his support for Ukraine's sovereignty, Harper visited the country and met with its leadership. Consequently, his government implemented sanctions targeting specific Russian and Ukrainian individuals who were involved in the annexation.12