44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 28, 2022 11:00AM
- Feb/28/22 9:53:27 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Chair, I will be sharing my time tonight with the hon. member for London North Centre.
I want to start by again thanking members of the opposition and from all parties for agreeing to this debate tonight, because were it not for our unity of purpose, we would not be having this discussion tonight.
I am rising to speak on an issue that none of us want to be talking about. It is as simple as that. We were here on January 31 talking about a possible threat of invasion of Ukraine. Just a few short weeks later, we are standing here worried about the threat of the use of nuclear weapons. I never thought I would see this in my lifetime. It is surreal in the extreme.
For the second time in two years, the world has come together to fight significant challenges. This time, it is to voice our response to aggression from one antagonistic individual who is actively, aggressively threatening democracy and attacking an innocent nation. We join the international response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. We must send a very clear message to Russia that its flagrant violation of the UN Charter, of international law and of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine will not be tolerated. In short, we stand with Ukraine.
We have heard a lot, tonight and over the past weeks, about how we have friends and constituents and colleagues from the Ukrainian community. We all do, and we are proud of that. I want to talk about some of my own personal experience.
I have lifelong friends in Anne-Marie Kurello, Tim Wolochatiuk, John Kozak. These are people I went to high school with. Anne-Marie Kurello, who is a friend to this day, sat beside me in grade 9 Latin. John Kozak, whom I have known since high school, sent me a text a couple of days ago thanking me, the government and Parliament for what we are doing to help Ukraine. I could feel the emotion as I was reading the words. My friend Tim Wolochatiuk, when we were in high school, would always take a day off to celebrate Ukrainian Christmas in January with his family. At the time, we just thought he was goofing off and skipping a day of school. I realized later that this was an important celebration for the Wolochatiuk family. I realize now how truly important that is.
I think about my friend and our former colleague, Don Rusnak, who represented the riding of Thunder Bay—Rainy River, or Fort William, where I was born. I am joined tonight by the current member. I went to the Prosvita club with Don a few years ago when I was visiting my hometown; I was born in Thunder Bay. It is a club where Ukrainian Canadians and Canadians of all walks of life come together to celebrate Ukrainian-Canadian heritage. It was a moment I remember now more than I did just a month ago.
Many of us in this chamber have welcomed young Ukrainian interns into our office. I have spoken of this before in this chamber. I think of them now. I reached out to one of them a few days ago. I sent him a message through social media. I simply said, “Are you okay?” His response was, “I'm fine, but I'm worried about my mother and my family and my friends. My mother is working in a hospital, and she's now subject to martial law.” I gave him my word that we would do everything within our power to help Ukraine and to make sure that his family and his friends are safe. I give that word to all of the interns who worked in my office and worked here on Parliament Hill.
Over the last number of weeks, I have attended many rallies. The member for Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman has been at a number of them. He has come to Toronto. I had the member for Thornhill in my riding on Friday outside the Ukrainian consulate. The member from Barrie was there last week. We are all part of these friendship groups.
Ordinarily we participate in these things and politically we are tripping over each other to show our support for our community more so than the other party, but now those groups have meaning. The Canada-Ukraine Friendship Group is the most important group on the Hill at this very moment. I have had the occasion to speak with some Ukrainian MPs over the past few days. I am sitting at home comfortable. They are not. They are fighting for their lives.
I am calling for unity in this House. Let us put partisanship aside. Let us lock arms. Let us work together, the government, Parliament, as MPs and do everything we can to stand with Ukraine.
820 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 10:01:53 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Chair, I genuinely want to thank the member for that question because one of the most powerful moments in question period for me today was when the first question posed by the Bloc was not “Why haven't you done this? Why haven't you done that?” It was “What can we do to help? What can we do to work together to help stand with Ukraine?” That was very powerful, so I thank her for the question tonight.
The answer is to talk to us, to support us, to give us ideas. There is no monopoly on ideas. I ask that not only of her and her party but also of all members in this House. We have to leave no stone unturned.
129 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Feb/28/22 10:03:43 p.m.
- Watch
Madam Chair, the short answer is yes, I will. I have. These issues have been discussed by me and all of my colleagues.
As the member knows, tomorrow is the first day of Irish Heritage Month and that is important to me. Ireland did just that last week. It is an issue that we are talking about. It is something I would like to see done.
66 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
