Ottawa expressed concern Wednesday after Russia expelled two Canadian diplomats working for NATO in Moscow.
Isabelle Francois, the director of the NATO Information Office, and her deputy are to be expelled.
The Russian foreign ministry said the diplomats were expelled in response to the recent expulsion of two Russian envoys from NATO's headquarters in Brussels.
In Prague, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said his government was concerned about Russian behaviour on a number of fronts.
"I don't want to say this is the Cold War but it's certainly not an ideal situation," Harper said Wednesday.
"We will try and engage Russia but when it comes to things like spying, or democracy or human rights we will continue to send pretty clear signals and when it comes to spying we will take whatever actions are necessary."
Harper said Russia has the right to retaliate but "it doesn't change the fact that these diplomats were not engaged in anything illegal or unethical."
Vladimir Lapshin, a spokesperson for the Russian Embassy in Ottawa, said Wednesday that the issue is with NATO, not Canada.
"I understand that Canadians were the only NATO representatives in Moscow," Lapshin told 愛污传媒net. "It could have been German, French or anybody else but it happened that Canadians were heading the information centre in Moscow."
Lapshin called the accusations against the expelled Russian envoys "monstrous."
He said Russia wants a mutually beneficial partnership with NATO.
"Instead, we got this unfriendly gesture from Brussels and that's the reason of this current situation," Lapshin said.
Cannon demands explanation
Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said Wednesday that Russia's ambassador to Canada, Georgiy Mamedov, has been called in to give an official explanation.
A statement from the Russian foreign ministry Wednesday said "in response to the unfriendly act on NATOs part ... the Russian side has taken the forced decision to revoke the diplomatic accreditation."
The Canadian Embassy in Russia called Wednesday's decision "counterproductive."
"Canada strongly regrets the decision," embassy spokesman Nicholas Brousseau told The Associated Press.
"Canada and NATO allies have been seeking to re-engage Russia."
Meanwhile, NATO also condemned the Russian move.
"The Russian measure is very unfortunate and counterproductive to our efforts to restore our dialogue and cooperation with Russia," said the statement. "Thus NATO very much regrets the Russian action and does not consider there to be any justification for it."
Last week, NATO revoked the accreditation of the two Russian envoys following an apparent spy scandal which dates back to February.
NATO has declined to officially comment on the expulsion of the Russians.
Russia has also been angered by NATO military exercises in Georgia, which began on Wednesday.
Russia, which was engaged in a war with Georgia last year, has accused NATO of getting too involved with domestic politics in Georgia.
With files from The Associated Press and The Canadian Press
