44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 28, 2022 11:00AM
- Feb/28/22 8:37:47 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Chair, Vladimir Putin needs to understand that his invasion of Ukraine is totally unacceptable, and Russia needs to become a pariah on the world stage, just like North Korea.
Will the government expel the Russian ambassador to Canada and at the same time recall Canada's ambassador to Russia?
50 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Feb/28/22 8:40:59 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Chair, we need to make sure that platforms are held accountable for driving traffic to disinformation. We have seen, over and over, that platforms seek to monetize and make revenue and make sure that people stay on platforms for as long as possible. Hate is driven to hate, and people who believe in one world theory are driven to other conspiracy theories that they would agree with, keeping them on a platform longer. We need to make sure that platforms are not allowed to continue to do that.
We also need to make sure that disinformation is not only flagged but removed when it poses a threat to a nation's security. I think Russia has been the most culpable, but there are other foreign threats in this regard, and we need to take this very seriously.
138 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Feb/28/22 8:47:49 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Chair, I thank my colleague for his speech and his sensitivity. We can see he is concerned, as are all of us here in the House.
My colleague said that the government is prepared to do more. A number of solutions have been mentioned this evening, including expanding the sanctions to Belarus.
I would like to know whether there have been talks with our partners to implement these sanctions as quickly as possible, in order to hurt everyone in the enemy camp. People who have taken Russia's side are no less guilty of these acts of aggression.
Also, how can we better target wealthy Russian oligarchs, in an effort to hit the Russian president even harder?
118 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Feb/28/22 8:48:45 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Chair, I thank my colleague for his question.
I think it is totally reasonable for our government to consider measures and economic sanctions against Belarus. Belarus is just as guilty, since it helped Russia attack Ukraine.
I think this discussion will continue in the House and I agree with the principle of the question.
55 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Feb/28/22 8:58:56 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Chair, the most important role that Canada can play is to bring members of the NATO alliance more closely together. The single biggest threat that has created gaps between the positions of the various members of the alliance is energy. Russia has used energy as a weapon, as a hard power tool, to cow and intimidate central European democracies, particularly democracies like Italy and Germany, into not taking certain positions in defence of our collective security and our collective defence with the threat of cutting off the 40% of natural gas that Europe uses to heat homes, power industry, produce fertilizer for agriculture and so many other things.
If we in this country can understand that energy is essential not only to the economy but also to our security and get pipelines built to Atlantic tidewater, we can help replace Russian gas in western Europe with Canadian natural gas and bring the alliance more closely together. That is one of the two most significant things we can do to strengthen our collective defence and security.
176 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Feb/28/22 9:08:26 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Chair, I see where my colleague is going. I think we need to open our eyes to what is going on in Europe and Russia. The Russian threat was there before, but people were reluctant to really acknowledge it. We see it now.
Canada has natural resources. Yes, we must combat climate change, but in the coming years, we will still need natural gas, a resource that happens to be much cleaner than coal-fired plants.
Europe would benefit from more Canadian natural gas to replace coal. That benefits everyone and the planet. We, and especially Europe, must cut ties with Russia. This would benefit Canada economically and would help Europe.
112 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Feb/28/22 9:31:17 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Chair, we have been working in very close coordination with our allies and with like-minded countries to make sure we are standing united in making sure that Putin, the oligarchs and the banking system will be completely isolated in the world. We heard the Prime Minister very clearly say that we want to remove Russia from the SWIFT system. We have a number of other measures, and we are working very closely with other countries and with our European counterparts to make sure that there is not impunity for what is happening right now in Ukraine.
98 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Feb/28/22 9:33:13 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Chair, I am splitting my time with the member for South Surrey—White Rock and I want to thank her for her leadership as our shadow minister for national defence on this file on Ukraine, along with the great work that has been done by my friend, the shadow minister for foreign affairs, the member for Wellington—Halton Hills.
I also want to thank the government for coming up with the sanctions and delivering the lethal weapons that we have been calling for and that Ukraine has desperately needed. There is another bunch of weapons that were announced today that are going to go to Ukraine, which will go a long way in helping them defend their homeland.
What we have been witnessing over the last five days I think all of us find surreal. It is heartbreaking for those of us who have friends and family still in Ukraine. It is hard to watch, as I am hearing tonight that Russia has gotten way more aggressive in dropping in thermobaric warheads. This is a step down from nuclear. This is a very catastrophic event that is happening tonight and one that should be classified as a war crime. I think all of us here are keeping the people of Ukraine in our thoughts and prayers as this is playing out before the world on TV. It is heartbreaking and it is something that is going to take a long time to get over.
At the same time, we have all been inspired by the leadership of the Government of Ukraine and what it has been able to do in mobilizing its citizens. We have been inspired by the bravery and courage of regular people picking up arms to defend their country and fight side by side with their soldiers who have been courageous in warding off the invading hordes coming across the border from Russia.
Because of that tenacity that Putin did not count on, he completely miscalculated going forward with this invasion of Ukraine. We have to keep in mind why Ukraine has been able to hold off one of the greatest military powers in the world. It is because, when we look at the Russian troops, they are fighting for a tyrannical dictator. If we look at the people of Ukraine, what are they fighting for? They are fighting for their country. They are fighting for their democracy. They are fighting to protect their freedom. They are fighting because they are trying to protect the European aspirations that they have had since the Maidan in 2014. Of course, they are fighting to protect Ukraine's culture and, most importantly, they are trying to protect their families. That is why we see men and women who have picked up arms. These are true patriots.
We have witnessed already Putin's revisionist history, his toxic rhetoric, and we all know from everything leading up to this that Putin is a pathological liar and we should never trust him. That is why diplomacy will never work with this man. We have to do everything we can to help Ukraine and everything we can to stop Putin's war machine.
There are three things that we have to do. We have to go ahead with breaking Russia's financial bank. That is why sanctions are important. That is why using SWIFT to target Russian banks is important. That is why we have to replace Russian energy and take away the ability for Russia to finance its war machine. We have to keep sending more and more support to Ukraine so they have that ability to fight back. The lethal weapons, anti-tank, anti-aircraft, anti-missile systems are what they need right now so that they can continue on with the fight, and more ammo. We do not want to see them run out of ammo in the street fights that are taking place today.
We need humanitarian aid. One of the things I have heard in the last little bit is that we can use improved first aid kits and send those over. We have them here in Canada, so we can send them to the front line. We have role 3 hospitals that I know the government purchased for the purpose of COVID. They are still sitting in their containers. Let us put them on the C-17s and get those role 3 hospitals over there to deal with the trauma that is happening. Of course, we have to continue on with isolating Russia on the world stage, suspending it from the G20, the OSCE and other international organizations.
The end of the Cold War gave us peace dividends, but the whole mirage of peace dividends has now been shattered. We have to do more and spend more on defence. We cannot do defence on the cheap anymore. We have to step up with our deterrents and our investments in NATO, in NORAD and in our Arctic sovereignty, because if do not, dictators, despots and tyrants will keep redrawing international borders through force. We cannot let that happen. We have to stand with Ukraine. They are the front line today.
864 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Feb/28/22 9:40:34 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Chair, my hon. colleague has been very wise. As soon as I got to this place here in the House of Commons, I learned a lot from this member, particularly about Ukrainian issues. I would like to seek this member's advice again in relation to the Russian war crimes we are witnessing right now. These crimes are truly atrocious.
What role could Canada play to make sure we hold Russia accountable for these war crimes? In particular, can Canada fund some of the observations for these missions?
89 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Feb/28/22 9:42:05 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Chair, one of the conversations we are having as a result of this war crime by Vladimir Putin is around the issue of energy security in this country. Obviously, Europe is supplied with natural gas by Russia. Canada is the fifth-largest producer of natural gas. Clean Canadian energy can be exported around the world, not just used here at home. However, the issue of energy security is becoming critical, and I am wondering if the hon. member would comment on that.
83 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Feb/28/22 9:42:35 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Chair, I can tell members that energy security for Europe is something that is of the utmost importance. If we want to ensure that Europe does not have to be reliant on Russian natural gas and oil, let us capitalize on our ethically produced, environmentally friendly, heavily regulated oil and natural gas sector and move those products to tidewater on the Atlantic, so that we can easily supply them. This has to become an issue of national importance and national security, and ultimately this is about international security to ensure that Russia does not have the ability to keep funding its war machine.
104 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Feb/28/22 10:00:23 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Chair, that is a very, very important question.
Everything has to be done. I can remember several years ago the former member of Parliament for Etobicoke Centre talked about removing Russia from the SWIFT system. That is being done now. Sanctions have been imposed on many of the oligarchs. They have been imposed on President Putin himself. I believe they are working. I believe we need to do more.
We are working with countries around the world. That is an important message in all of this. I used the phrase “arm in arm” earlier. The world is working together on these things collectively, consistently and together. It is working.
112 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Feb/28/22 10:04:13 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Chair, it is an honour for all of us tonight to come together and discuss this. I hesitate to use the word “debate”. It has been a very good discussion. We have seen a free exchange of ideas across the aisle. It is a testament to the fact that this issue does unify us.
Even in war, we find inspiration. We find so many examples of inspiration to draw upon in Ukraine, the way that its people and its leadership have stood up against the tyranny and carnage of the Russian regime and its president, Vladimir Putin. The people of Russia, it needs to be said, have shown enormous strength and courage. Let us make an important distinction between the regime of Putin and the Russian people. Thousands have been arrested. Thousands have been put into jail, and who knows what fate befalls them, but that courage needs to be recognized.
Canada has acted as it must. Sanctions against the Russian elite have been introduced, including against its president. Canada has come together with other countries, taking a leading role in helping bring countries together to block Russian banks from the SWIFT international payment system. Canada has also played a leading role in helping to bring countries together to support placing sanctions on Russia's central bank, and that is having an effect already. Canada is providing arms in the form of anti-tank weapons and ammunition, and as we saw yesterday, Canadian airspace has been closed to Russian aircraft.
We have contributed, but we must do more. We must do more for two primary reasons. Obviously, the bond between Canada and Ukraine is incredibly strong. There are many reasons for that, but I think migration is the key factor. Ukrainians have helped to build this country. There is no other way to put it. That is true particularly in western Canada, but it is also true in Ontario and it is true throughout the country.
I want to thank the Ukrainian community of London for its advocacy at this time. It has been a true honour to work with them to raise issues of concern in the past few weeks, and I will continue to do that. I know that members in this House feel the same way about their community leadership in their respective cities and towns.
I want to also point to the fact that Ukraine is at the front line. A colleague across the way who spoke about 20 minutes ago emphasized that Ukraine is now at the front line. He used those words “front line”. I go for that. Ukraine is indeed the front line of the battle against authoritarianism. It is the front line of where democracy has been put into question. We have a choice to make as western democracies and as elected representatives within western democracies on how this is going to be confronted.
Do we want to live in a world defined by the whim of a despot, or will we stand up, collectively, as individuals in this House, as democratic countries who believe in the rule of law, who believe in sovereignty, who believe in the rights-based and rules-based order that has defined the world and its international relations since World War II? That is precisely what is at threat. That is not hyperbole. That is not an exaggeration. It is the reality that faces us.
The need for democracy extends, though, beyond simply cherishing it as an inherent value. It is the great stabilizer in our politics not just domestically but internationally as well. It is a truism. It remains a truism that no two democracies have fought a war against one another. There is a whole theory around this called democratic peace theory. I only have about 30 seconds left, so I will not go into that. I can do it another time.
What I will say is that democracy as a stabilizer needs to be taken seriously. For that reason, I think we ought to look at putting more funding into our defence, of course, and helping promote democracy abroad. I was in Ukraine a few years ago and saw the great work that Canada has done in working with NGOs on the ground to promote democracy.
I look forward to questions.
722 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Feb/28/22 10:12:59 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Chair, I always appreciate the passion of the member, especially on this matter.
I think what Canada can do and ought to do, and I speak here as a member of Parliament but I join colleagues in this, is join other countries and explore exactly what has been suggested here. There is no doubt that the network of oligarchs in Russia has many assets abroad. If there are ways to address that and if there are ways to seize those assets and ensure they are not put to use by oligarchs who have surrounded the president to the detriment of the Russian people, then countries can discuss that and work among themselves for a resolution.
116 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Feb/28/22 10:34:19 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Chair, I completely agree with my colleague, and I mentioned this in my speech. The problem with Ukraine and Russia is that two philosophies and two world views are clashing. We must defend the side that prioritizes human rights and the rights of peoples.
45 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Feb/28/22 10:50:06 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Chair, in 2014, after Putin invaded Crimea, Russia was expelled from the G8.
Should Canada seek Russia's removal from the G20 and possibly the OSCE? What is the member's view of that?
35 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Feb/28/22 10:55:17 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Chair, I will be splitting my time with the member for Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley.
I rise today on a very serious issue, the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We know that Russia's attack is the most serious threat to rules-based international order since the Second World War. Since 1945, we have not faced something like this. It really threatens the longest period of relative peace and prosperity in modern history and, as a consequence, of course, threatens the security that Canada depends upon.
I think all Canadians have seen in the last number of days the horrific footage on the ground from Ukraine. We know that there are a million Canadians who share direct roots to Ukraine. They have millions of loved ones, friends and family who are on the ground witnessing these horrors. The casualties are mounting, and it is a growing concern for all Canadians. I too share heritage from that area of the world, dating back five generations, so this hits very close to home.
Just a few days ago, actually, I saw an image that just hit me like a tonne of bricks. It was a young woman about my age. She is an opposition member of parliament, much like me, in the Ukrainian parliament. She is a new MP as well. I saw a photo of her that she posted in which she was holding a firearm. She explained that just a few days ago she was, in essence, a normal legislator, just going about her job much like I do. Then, within days, she is learning how to use firearms to defend her nation's security and her people.
To see someone who I relate to on so many levels showing that kind of courage makes me emotional. It hits really close to home. I hope that, if I am ever faced with that kind of horror, I have half the courage that MP Kira Rudik from Ukraine and the people of Ukraine have shown in the last couple of days. The resolve they have shown, and their determination to protect their country and their sovereignty, are one of the most incredible things I think I will ever witness in my time in Parliament. I applaud them for their bravery and their courage.
I will conclude about Kira with something she said recently. She said, “We now have a generation of children who know what war is”. If that does not hit close to home, I do not know what will.
The Conservatives very much appreciate the efforts from the Liberal government in recent days. We do wish that it would have equipped Ukraine with military tools far sooner, but we are very happy to see the efforts is taking now. We have a number of things that we propose could be taken immediately to support Ukraine, and things that we need to seriously be talking about in this House and across the country to ensure the sovereignty of not only Ukraine and Europe, but also of Canada, here at home.
In the immediate term we have called on the government to declare the ambassador to Canada from Russia persona non grata, so it is time to kick him out of Canada. It is time to recall our ambassador from Russia. That is something we can do immediately. That is something we can do today.
We have also asked the government to ensure that it is banning all Russian propaganda from our airways. I do believe that this is starting to happen as well. That is great to see but it needs to happen quicker. Again, it needs to happen now. There is no place for Russian propaganda on Canadian airwaves.
With Russia, it is about action. It has no right to be sitting at international organizations like, for example, the G20 or the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. It is time to kick it off of those. It has no right to be on those international organizations.
Also, to support the Ukrainian people immediately, we can see the government implement a visa-free travel regime so that we can bring Ukrainians to safety as soon as possible. I have many constituents in my riding who have family there. We need to bring them to safety.
Then the last two things, which I hope to continue in the question and comment period, are that we have proposed that the government take very seriously and bring forward a plan to focus on Arctic sovereignty and security. We share a very, very long Arctic border with Russia. We are one of the largest land masses in the world, and most of it is the Arctic. Russia has 40 nuclear-powered icebreakers that are equipped with torpedos. Do members know how many Canada has? We have zero. There are serious investments that need to be made.
821 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Feb/28/22 11:02:07 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Chair, my hon. colleague was referencing in her previous intervention the economic pressures that we can put on Russia. We have seen that from the global community in the last couple of days. I believe, in the coming days, we are going to see even more pressure and more success through that.
I would like my colleague to take the opportunity to talk about some of the economic measures that have been done to date, and elaborate further on how Russia, for years, has used its energy sector to fund its war machine. How could we stop that? How could we send a message and set that precedent that we are not going to accept that in a global community?
121 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Feb/28/22 11:02:50 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Chair, one of the things we can do immediately is move to remove Russia from the G20 and from other international organizations. They have no place, having violated the international order, on those international bodies.
Again, I mentioned that we can expand our pipeline capacity to ensure we are offsetting the European dependence on Russian gas. We have gas, if only we could get it to tidewater to get it to Europe. This is something we should be hearing today from the government that it is silent on, as far as I am aware. I would like to hear more from the government on that.
Another thing I would really like to bring into this is the fact that Russia, which, as we know, is a nuclear superpower, has recently raised its own level of nuclear readiness. It is critical that we hold President Putin and the Russian government accountable for this gross violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty, but also, at the same time, we need to ensure we are avoiding, at all cost, any escalation or accident between nuclear superpowers. That is paramount.
188 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Feb/28/22 11:10:07 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Chair, in 1994, Ukraine agreed to get rid of its nuclear weapons as part of one of the three Budapest memoranda. Three world powers, namely the United States, Russia and the United Kingdom, acted as guarantors. This memorandum also stipulated that the countries were to respect Ukraine's independence and sovereignty within its existing borders and refrain from the threat or use of force against Ukraine.
Belarus is hinting that it could renounce its non-nuclear status, in violation of its commitment in the Budapest memorandum, and I would like to know whether my colleague agrees that Russia is violating the terms of the memorandum with respect to Ukraine through its present actions and that the United States and the United Kingdom have a responsibility to Ukraine under that same memorandum.
132 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
