44th Parl. 1st Sess.
March 31, 2022 10:00AM
- Mar/31/22 10:10:30 a.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I am rising today to table a petition on behalf of constituents in my riding of Kelowna—Lake Country and surrounding area in response to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
The petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada to provide additional anti-aircraft, anti-rocket and naval weapons systems to Ukraine immediately; impose a full trade embargo on Russia; continue the removal of Russian banks from the SWIFT international payment system; impose further economic sanctions, as deemed feasible and desirable; recall Canadian embassy staff from Russia and Belarus; expel Russian diplomats from Canada; freeze Canadian assets of Russian oligarchs; expedite a program of resettlement for Ukrainian refugees; and support Russians who openly oppose the ongoing conflict, up to and including potential refugee status.
128 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/31/22 10:11:29 a.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition, as my colleague did previously, on the issue of the terrible war that is happening in Ukraine.
This petition was signed by thousands of Canadians and recognizes that the Russian Federation has launched an unprovoked war against the people of Ukraine and that the Russian Federation has committed multiple war crimes against the people of Ukraine. The Russian invasion has triggered a human rights, humanitarian and displacement crisis, the worst such catastrophe in recent European history. As of March 10, 2022, the World Health Organization estimates that at least 18 hospitals have been attacked by Russian forces since the beginning of the invasion.
Given the fact that the Canada is home to 1.4 million citizens of Ukrainian descent and has a deep and unflinching commitment to the people of Ukraine, 80% of Canadians support or could accept the government's decision to allow Ukrainians to stay in Canada permanently.
159 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/31/22 2:09:26 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, it gives me immense pride to announce that the City of Brantford is twinning with Kamianets-Podilskyi in Ukraine. This is a symbolic gesture that will initiate much-needed practical support for it. Since the Russian invasion, the city has been host to thousands of refugees, has helped displaced single moms with kids and the elderly who were pressured to leave their homes, and has organized efforts to provide support for the Ukrainian army.
This wonderful idea was proposed by my constituent Andy Straisfeld and was unanimously supported by Mayor Kevin Davis and city council. I would like to thank Ukrainian MPs Georgiy Mazurashu and Ihor Marchuk, and the mayor of that city, Mykhailo Positko. I am also proud of the role that my team played to make this agreement a reality.
I encourage my colleagues in the House to work with their municipalities and find their sister cities in Ukraine. Canada can help in so many ways.
Glory to Canada. Slava Ukraini.
165 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/31/22 2:18:27 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, today, five Ukrainian members of parliament are in Canada to ask for our help. Over a month ago, Russia began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Ukrainian people have been severely outnumbered and outgunned, but they have shown tremendous courage in defending their freedom and their homeland. I think it is fair to say that Canadians and people around the world have been inspired by that courage.
Notwithstanding that courage, the situation in Ukraine is dire. Ukrainians are fighting for their very existence. There is a massive humanitarian crisis: four million people have already left the country and nine million more are displaced in the country. This is a threat not only to Ukraine, but to global security, Europe's security and to Canada's security.
Ukrainians have been fighting for their freedom, but they are also fighting for us and we need to fight for them. We have been sending weapons and humanitarian aid, and even imposing sanctions, but it will not be enough until Ukraine wins this war.
To the Ukrainian MPs who are in Canada today, I say we admire their courage and the courage of the Ukrainian people. We thank them for fighting for us, and we will continue to fight for them until Ukraine is free and independent once again.
Slava Ukraini.
220 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/31/22 2:26:38 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the government has agreed to ease visa requirements for Ukrainian refugees coming to Quebec or Canada.
Now, being rich should not be a criterion for refugees. It is about being equitable. We do not want to run the risk of making some very vulnerable people even more vulnerable.
The only solution appears to be a humanitarian airlift. Does the Prime Minister agree that an airlift needs to be set up immediately?
73 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/31/22 2:46:02 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, as the minister has said many times, we are leaving no stone unturned to support our Ukrainian friends. We have announced six tranches of military aid, both lethal and non-lethal, to Ukraine since February alone. This represents well over $100 million in military aid to Ukraine. In addition, we have assisted our allies in delivering aid to Ukraine via 21 flights on the C-130s that Canada is providing for airlift support.
75 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/31/22 2:58:25 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I remind the hon. member that typically refugee resettlement programs take years to implement to welcome people in large numbers. Over the past number of weeks, we have implemented new programs to allow those in Canada to stay. We have waived fees for new applications. We have found every application by a Ukrainian national that is in our queue already and are processing those applications in a priority way.
We introduced a new program so that people could get here in two weeks. We just this week extended new settlement supports to make sure people have language training and that they have access to employment assistance. We are continuing to do everything we can to support people. We will not stop and we will continue to introduce new measures to make it easier for them to get here.
140 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/31/22 3:09:07 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, over a month ago, Russia began an unprovoked, full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Ukrainian people have been very courageous in defending their homeland, but the situation is dire.
They are fighting for their very existence. There is a humanitarian crisis, and this is a threat to Canada's security, to global security and to Europe's security. Ukrainians are not only fighting for themselves, but they are fighting for us.
Could the Minister of Foreign Affairs please share with Canadians what Canada is doing to support the people of Ukraine?
93 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- menumenu
- notificationsnotifications
- home
- mailmail
- searchsearch
