44th Parl. 1st Sess.
January 31, 2022 11:00AM
- Jan/31/22 8:11:56 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise as a part of this emergency take-note debate on Ukraine and the buildup of Russian forces along its borders. I will be sharing my time with the member for Parkdale—High Park.
A week and a half ago, I was joined by a number of my colleagues in requesting this emergency debate. We thought it was important that members from all parts of this country and from all parties have a chance to discuss and debate Canada's and the international community's response to this crisis that is so important not only to the people of Ukraine but to our allies and to Canada. I would like to thank members from all sides of the House for supporting the motion for this debate.
Just over 30 years ago, Ukraine declared its independence. When Ukraine declared its independence, I was watching the news coverage with my grandfather, Yvan. My grandfather was a great Ukrainian patriot. When he lived in Ukraine under the Soviet Union, he risked his life on many occasions to try to defend Ukrainian culture and heritage and to allow for and enable Ukraine's independence. When Ukraine became independent, we were watching it on the news. It was probably the proudest day of his life.
I was about 14 years old at the time, and I remember my grandfather saying to me that now that Ukraine was independent we had to keep working to defend its independence. I called him gido. I said to him, “Gido, what are you talking about? Ukraine just declared its independence. The people of Ukraine want it. The international community has recognized it. You are wrong. The battle is over.”
I was wrong. In 2014, Russia twice invaded Ukraine: once in Crimea, when it illegally annexed it, and then in eastern Ukraine. That war has raged until this very day. Fourteen thousand Ukrainians have died in that war and one and a half million people have been displaced. In 2014, the world did not do enough. It did not do everything possible to deter an invasion, and it did not do everything possible to support Ukraine.
Recently, Russia has amassed 100,000 troops on Ukraine’s borders along with significant military assets. This aggression is a major threat not only to Ukraine, but to Canada and to our allies. An invasion of Ukraine would put Russian soldiers on NATO's eastern border. Just imagine the military, diplomatic and financial resources Canada and other countries would have to invest to defend our NATO allies from a further invasion. It also puts Canada under threat. Russia is our neighbour to the north, and Russia has tried in the past to claim parts of the Canadian Arctic for its own.
If we allow an invasion of Ukraine, I can only imagine the message that would send to countries that wished to invade their neighbours or change borders by force. I can only imagine the message it would send to Russia with regards to the Canadian Arctic. That is why Ukraine’s security is Europe’s security, it is the world’s security and it is Canada's security. That is why I believe Canada and its allies must do everything possible to deter an invasion of Ukraine and to support Ukrainians.
Over the past eight years, this government has done a tremendous amount to support Ukraine. We heard the Prime Minister and the minister speak to that. Last week, the Prime Minister announced a number of important initiatives: the expansion of Operation Unifier, humanitarian aid, a $120-million loan, etc. He also announced that Minister Anand, our Minister of Defence, would be travelling to Ukraine to understand what Ukraine’s needs were and that all options were on the table. The minister is in Ukraine now. I hope that we do everything possible and everything we can to deter an invasion and support Ukraine.
On that day with my grandfather in 1991, I was wrong. In 2014, the world was wrong. We cannot afford to get this wrong again. There is too much at stake.
Ukraine's security is Europe's security, it is the world's security and it is Canada's security, so let us take stock of what is needed. Let us take every step we can and every step that is possible. If we do this, we will succeed in deterring an invasion. If we do that, we will have much more to celebrate, not for one year and not for just another 30 years, but for generations to come in Ukraine, in Canada and around the world.
Slava Kanadi! Slava Ukraini!
787 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jan/31/22 8:17:33 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, like I said, Canada and the international community need to do everything possible.
As the Prime Minister announced, the minister is in Ukraine to assess Ukraine's needs and what can be best done to deter an invasion. I look forward to hearing what the Minister of National Defence has to say when she returns. Like I said, it is incumbent upon all of us in the international community to do everything we can, because it is not just in Ukraine's interests but in Canada's interests as well.
92 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jan/31/22 8:19:19 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her question and for her support.
I think it is important for a number of reasons. First of all, when we look at what could happen if Russia invades Ukraine, Russia will have again violated the sovereignty of its neighbour Ukraine. This is not the first neighbour's sovereignty that Russia will have violated. It invaded Georgia in 2008.
This is a threat to the international world-based order where we respect each other's boundaries, and we respect each other's borders. If this is allowed to continue, other countries, be it Russia or others, will get the message that the international community will tolerate military powers invading their neighbours. We cannot allow that. It is a threat to our European allies, and it is a threat to Canada.
As I said before, Russia has in the past tried to lay claims to the Canadian Arctic. I think we have to give some serious thought as Canadians to what would happen and what kinds of threats are posed to us and to our allies in Europe, if Russia is allowed to do this.
Vladimir Putin has, in the past, expressed his desire to reconstitute the Soviet Union under Russia with some of the eastern European countries that my Conservative colleague spoke about. Let us imagine the threat to them. This is a threat not only to Ukraine but to Europe and to Canada, and this is why it is so important that we take every measure possible.
258 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jan/31/22 8:21:32 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, it is important that we help the Ukrainian military improve in every way possible. In fact, that is what I think Operation Unifier has been doing.
If we look back at all the various elements of training that Operation Unifier has provided, it is not just combat training. It is leadership. It is integration. It is learning how the militaries of countries that are part of NATO operate. That is so critical for Ukraine, because not only does strengthening Ukraine's military allow it to defend itself against these Russian invasions, but it increases the potential, the probability, that Ukraine will be able to enter NATO. That co-operation, that integration among NATO allies, is one of things that makes this defensive alliance possible.
I think Operation Unifier is an incredibly important mission, and it plays an incredibly important role in the short term and also in the long term.
152 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jan/31/22 8:41:58 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Chair, I have the opportunity to work with the member closely. I have been on the defence committee with him, but also on the Canada-Ukraine Friendship Group.
I was a little surprised at one moment during his speech when he talked about how the Conservative government sent lethal weapons to Ukraine. The Conservative government did not send lethal weapons to Ukraine. I do think it is interesting that he spoke to that here and is advocating for that here, suggesting that it has been done in the past, but it has not been done in the past. In 2014, the world did not do enough.
As someone who has been on the defence committee and knows the armed forces so well, could he speak to the importance of training the Ukrainian armed forces and the impact that is having for the Ukrainian armed forces as it defends itself against the Russian invasion.
154 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jan/31/22 8:52:13 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Chair, I was listening intently to the member's remarks, and I think a lot of members during this debate have spoken about the need to deter Russia's further invasion of Ukraine. I am wondering if the member could speak to the steps that she believes Canada and the international community need to take to deter the further invasion of Ukraine.
63 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jan/31/22 8:53:13 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Chair, I am just following up on my question. One thing that has changed so much for the Ukrainian military since 2014 is its capability, and much of that capability has been developed through the support of its partner countries, such as Canada through Operation Unifier, the United States, the U.K. and others that have training missions.
I wonder if the member could speak to whether she believes this aspect has been important in helping the Ukrainians strengthen their position in defence of their country and whether this is an important aspect of deterrence as well.
98 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jan/31/22 9:31:10 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Chair, it was wonderful to hear, particularly in the first part of the member's remarks, a bit about her community of Lakeland and the Ukrainian heritage that so many people in Lakeland value and share, how they celebrate that, and how that inspires their concern for what is happening right now in Ukraine.
Could the member speak a bit about sanctions? She mentioned briefly in her remarks the need for sanctions. Over the course of the last few years, the government has sanctioned about 440 individuals and entities, mostly Russian but some Ukrainian as well, who were involved in threatening Ukraine's sovereignty and violating human rights. I wonder if the member could speak to what additional sanctions she would like to see and if there are any particular groups or entities she would like sanctioned.
138 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jan/31/22 10:05:05 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Chair, one of the things the government has done over the past number of years is impose sanctions on a range of individuals and entities who have either violated human rights or contributed to violating Ukraine's sovereignty. We know that in Crimea, for example, there are tremendous human rights abuses against the Crimean Tatars by the now occupying Russian forces and administrations. There is a democracy that is being repressed, etc., so sanctions have been imposed for a number of reasons on Russian officials and entities.
I am wondering what your thoughts are about the role of sanctions going forward and, if you believe sanctions are needed, are there particular groups of folks or types of folks that you believe should be sanctioned?
125 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jan/31/22 10:12:48 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Chair, it was interesting to hear the member speak about former Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The member said that he spoke unambiguously. I do not disagree; I think he spoke unambiguously. I think the current Prime Minister has spoken unambiguously. I think our Minister of Foreign Affairs has spoken unambiguously.
One of the things that our Prime Minister has done, preceding my time in office but during my time in office as well, is that he has also acted unambiguously: unambiguously imposing sanctions, unambiguously extending and expanding the training mission, unambiguously providing additional foreign aid, unambiguously moving those trainers into eastern Ukraine where they were not originally, unambiguously helping Ukraine to reform so that it could be stronger and therefore better withstand the Russian invasion, and unambiguously signing a free trade agreement.
When Stephen Harper was prime minister, he refused to send those lethal weapons that are now being asked for. My question is, why?
156 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jan/31/22 10:48:08 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Chair, I want to thank my colleague for her speech.
She talked at length about diplomacy. She pointed out some aspects of our diplomacy where she sees contradictions. I just wanted to say that on the issue of our Prime Minister meeting with Vladimir Putin, I think the decision to meet with someone or to not meet with someone is also part of a diplomatic strategy. It might be worthwhile.
In my view, I think the allies are united, and that is why certain individuals like President Biden, for example, are assigned the role of meeting with Mr. Putin. That is just my opinion, but I think it is a good strategy. It is important that we remain united.
As for the $120 million loaned to the Ukrainians, I think it was more to stabilize their financial system, which is important. There was a strategy there.
As for the weapons sent to Saudi Arabia, we could have a long discussion on that, but my question has to do with weapons. Does the member think that Canada should be sending weapons?
Since we are sending weapons to Saudi Arabia, is the member suggesting that we should also send them to Ukraine?
203 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- menumenu
- notificationsnotifications
- home
- mailmail
- searchsearch
