this post was submitted on 04 Oct 2026
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Canadian farmer Arend Feenstra, who moved to Russia through a streamlined immigration program for citizens of “unfriendly” countries who share “traditional values,” has complained that he cannot get a permanent residence permit. The news outlet Nizhny Novgorod Onlain drew attention to his YouTube video.

Feenstra received a three-year temporary residence permit in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region in early 2025. He then brought his wife and eight children to Russia and began farming.

But Feenstra has now learned that to replace his temporary residence permit with a permanent one, he must sign a contract with Russia’s Defense Ministry.

"I didn’t come here to sign a contract [...] I have eight young children [...] I’d rather take my chances in Canada, though I think living there is risky too," Feenstra said.

...

He also said his family no longer recommends that other foreigners move to Russia because the authorities keep changing the rules and “there’s no way forward.”

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[–] Carrots@quokk.au 78 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Motherfucker thinks CANADA is “risky” jfc

Imagine having the cash to move 8 kids to Russia to start a farm and then saying “I’ll move back”

[–] Canajan@piefed.ca 46 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Guy is a total idiot, pearl clutching, bible thumper. He can stay there, the dumb bitch.

[–] SealofLove@leminal.space 18 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I feel bad for his kids tho. They had no say in his decision.

[–] CrimeIsLegalNow@ani.social 7 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Meh, they've still got their citizenship.

[–] BurgerBaron@quokk.au 8 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Plus a brother, their oldest sibling remained in Canada.

[–] Malica@lemmy.zip 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] hanrahan@slrpnk.net 2 points 1 day ago

quiverful indeed

[–] Carrots@quokk.au 5 points 2 days ago
[–] mojofrododojo@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

though I think living there is risky too,

someone should drone him in winnipeg just for lulz

[–] podian@piefed.social 50 points 2 days ago (1 children)

As a Canadian, good fucking riddance to anyone who thinks "tradition" is anything other than a dog whistle for Fuck You Got Mine.

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 9 points 2 days ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Well, it's more often "don't got mine, blame immigrants, and don't like gays either". The richer parts of the population leans pretty progressive.

[–] Frettchen@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

Those are the traditional values most like. Some try to create the future others try to go back to the good old times and are pissed when nothing was good

[–] some_designer_dude@lemmy.world 23 points 2 days ago

May all of his 8 kids turn out to be happy and SUPER GAY.

Can we not let them back in? The kids can come back so long as they’re gay, but otherwise he made his choice and should have to pick a new country to hide from people he sees as too different. With Canada off the list, I don’t know what good options he even has left. Maybe North Korea?

[–] tardigrade@scribe.disroot.org 25 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (12 children)

As someone who has never been to Canada, what is so risky there that is only slightly comparable to the war in Ukraine?

[–] grte@lemmy.ca 40 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Nothing, the star of the story is a moron who has been brainwashed by right wing social media.

[–] MajorMajormajormajor@lemmy.ca 13 points 2 days ago (1 children)

right wing social media.

"""""Traditional family values""""" you mean, of course.

[–] Bebopalouie@lemmy.ca 7 points 2 days ago (2 children)

You mean where having religious folk touch your kids and are ok with it or every 2nd guys phone having grinder “traditional values”?

[–] MajorMajormajormajor@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 days ago

Is there any other way?

[–] Ioughttamow@fedia.io 2 points 2 days ago

My wife did study abroad in Russia 2 decades ago, and they’re pretty gropey on the bus

[–] BurgerBaron@quokk.au 9 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Yes but also they're in some exceptionally insane fork of Christianity if I recall correctly.

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 8 points 2 days ago (1 children)

some exceptionally insane fork of Christianity

That Venn diagram is a single circle.

[–] BurgerBaron@quokk.au 7 points 2 days ago

They're all insane but there's billions of them so it's exceptional within that context sadly.

[–] Akuchimoya@startrek.website 18 points 2 days ago

People may call you a racist, mysogynist, homophobe, and/or transphobe if you act like a racist, mysogynist, homophobe, and/or transphobe.

[–] Voroxpete@sh.itjust.works 16 points 2 days ago

The risk that his kids will eventually get exposed to the world outside of the right wing media bubble he raised them in.

[–] adespoton@lemmy.ca 23 points 2 days ago

In Canada, if you are a hate crime organizer, your bank accounts can be frozen if they’re used for funding hate.

That’s the risk he was fleeing from.

[–] Tiresia@slrpnk.net 19 points 2 days ago

Support for children who go no-contact with their parents, support for wives that divorce their husbands.

If you're an abuser, a free society is terrifying.

[–] otter@lemmy.ca 13 points 2 days ago (1 children)

There's a chance that you'll get a visit from the local goose council, and they'll force you to sign a goose ministry pact.

[–] MajorMajormajormajor@lemmy.ca 7 points 2 days ago

You Honked your last chance, buddy!

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 11 points 2 days ago

Propaganda from the same billionaires who fucked over America...

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 7 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Canada, what is so risky there

People disagreeing with a Saskatchewan farmer's deep-seeded* beliefs.

(yes, seeded: seeded by Russian bots echoing shitbag conservative talking points. '-seated', too)

[–] Ioughttamow@fedia.io 1 points 2 days ago

Coital info dumps

[–] BCsven@lemmy.ca 6 points 2 days ago

The barrista forgets to say your welcome when you thank them for your coffee

[–] skankhunt42@lemmy.ca 6 points 2 days ago

Our Liberal government /s

[–] FelixMortane@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 days ago

Absolutely nothing comes close to comparison. This guy is an complete tool and I hope he gets forcefully conscripted into the orcs.

I was going to bring up how Canada has more crime than here (UK), but turns out it's actually safer... Il see myself out ┬─┬ノ( º _ ºノ)

[–] DeadEndLink@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 day ago

Christian nationalists are suckers.

[–] aizakku@sh.itjust.works 13 points 2 days ago
[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 16 points 2 days ago (1 children)

They wanted the benefits without any obligations. Boo hoo

[–] kestrel7_7@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Right? Dude moved to a country with a draft during a war. What did you expect?

[–] nyan@lemmy.cafe 4 points 2 days ago

Apparently, that the degree to which leopards find a given face appetizing depends on how far to the political left its owner is.

[–] HugeNerd@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 day ago
[–] NestOfSalt@lemmy.ca 0 points 2 days ago

Ha ha, classic bait and switch!