44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 3, 2023 02:00PM
- May/3/23 7:58:45 p.m.
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- Re: Bill S-6
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Timmins-James Bay, my neighbour, for allowing me to speak to this issue.
Barely a century ago, Rouyn‑Noranda was the second most cosmopolitan city in Canada. Before Toronto and Vancouver there was Rouyn‑Noranda. This was mostly due to the arrival of people from all over the world. At the time, regulations favoured the massive arrival of immigrants who came to work on developing our economy. The situation at the time was very different than it is today.
This paved the way for the emergence of a very engaged community, the Ukrainian community. I did not have the chance to inform my colleague of this, but I recently participated in the Timmins tournament with my hockey team, the Pro‑Gaz. We won, by the way. I did notice the presence of this Ukrainian church. Father Chayka was probably also in Timmins-James Bay. Sadly, he died in the early days of the invasion of Ukraine. He would have been very helpful in welcoming the newcomers. In Abitibi—Témiscamingue, we have welcomed more than 60 of them, including five at my place. I would like to say hello to them.
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- May/4/23 12:00:13 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, I rise tonight to pursue a question that was originally asked on February 6, and I have to say that the circumstances have changed substantially since it was asked.
I wear the Ukrainian flag colours every day. I decided to put on this pin on February 24, when Putin launched his brutal and illegal attack on Ukraine. I want to make it very clear that I personally, and the Green Party as a party, fully support the Government of Canada's actions in supporting Ukraine, both with humanitarian aid and military aid.
It is an unthinkable thing that Russia could invade a country. They have been using drones. They have bombed. They have shelled. Today was a terrible day in Ukraine, particular for the city of Kherson. There was a deadly attack that targeted civilian targets, including a supermarket and a railway station. On this day, as I rise to speak about Ukraine, 21 more innocent civilians were killed and 48 were injured.
The situation in Ukraine is a desperate one. It is very hard for Canadians, with such a large Ukrainian diaspora here, to see friends, neighbours, relatives and family sheltering in air raid shelters and listening to the air raid sirens. Things have gotten much worse within the last week, not that anything has been good since Putin attacked Ukraine.
We need to be thinking about not only winning the war but also winning a peace for the people of Ukraine. Yes, they must win. They must protect all territory. We must be with them as long as it takes, but there is a point where we can also look beyond to see a country that has been fractured and violated through an illegal, brutal war for over a year. The more time it takes to win the war, the more it will be difficult to create a peaceful situation throughout a country that includes some people who identify more with Russia. I hope we will be soon be talking about looking back at what has occurred and not looking forward to an endless war.
We have to continue to support those humanitarian efforts. We have to do more, of course, in a postwar period, to think about stability. We have to think about the environmental damage that this war is doing, the reckless dangerous actions of Putin's army in attacking nuclear power stations. We are in a very dangerous time. Supporting Ukraine is essential, and I think virtually every Canadian understands that. We need to also be looking at what the humanitarian needs will be postwar.
Of course, we had a debate in a late night emergency debate on Sudan, and one of the things that became so clear is that, when there was any hope of looking the other way and leaving Sudan, there was a complete failure to invest in civil society, a complete failure to help keep that society whole.
Whatever happens, we must stay with the people of Ukraine, support them, their military, their NGOs and the civil society. Please the Lord, this will be over, with Ukraine victorious, and we will be able to invest in a peace.
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- May/4/23 12:04:16 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, February 24 marks one year since Russia's full-scale invasion began; this event has displaced millions, killed thousands, disrupted the global economy and exacerbated global problems, such as food and energy insecurity. Cities across Ukraine continue to be hit with Russian missiles. These ongoing attacks are on civilian infrastructure, water, heat and electricity that people need to live.
The serious consequences of President Putin's actions increase every day. Every time Ukraine liberates occupied territory, more Russian atrocities are uncovered. We are seeing appalling human rights violations, conflict-related sexual violence and the discovery of mass graves and torture chambers.
In response, Canada and its allies have mobilized to assist Ukraine. Nearly one year after the invasion, the international community continues to offer assistance to Ukraine in order to achieve a lasting peace. In this process, Canada's commitment is to assist Ukraine in its journey towards peace. However, since it is a sovereign country, only Ukraine has the power to determine its future.
While Russia says it is open to talks, it is asking for the impossible. We call on Russia to cease its invasion and turn to the diplomatic track.
All members of the international community should be concerned about the impacts of Russia's invasion on international security and global food and energy supplies. We need to be resolute in convincing Putin to end this aggression now. In order to facilitate a just and sustainable peace, Ukraine's territory must remain Ukraine's.
Ukraine is taking a proactive approach in its path to peace. President Zelenskyy laid the groundwork for future peace when he launched his 10-point peace formula last November.
Canada is providing military training and equipment to Ukraine, which is necessary to ensure its survival. However, Canada's military support of Ukraine is only part of the total assistance we provide. Since February 2022, the Government of Canada has committed over $5 billion in multi-faceted support, including financial, development, humanitarian, military, and peace and security assistance to Ukraine, as well as immigration measures for Ukrainians fleeing Russia's invasion. We are providing critical military training and equipment to help Ukraine defend itself.
We have provided $500 million in loan disbursements to Ukraine through the International Monetary Fund's multi-donor administered account to support Ukraine's economic resilience. We have provided $320 million in humanitarian assistance to respond to the humanitarian impacts of Russia's invasion in Ukraine and neighbouring countries.
We continue to impose new sanctions against Russian officials, those entities engaged in the war and those guilty of war crimes and human rights abuses. Canada is also working with Ukraine and the international community to hold Russia accountable for its invasion of Ukraine and the atrocities being committed.
Canada and its partners are continuing their diplomatic efforts with the international community to encourage support for Ukraine. Canada has strongly supported UN General Assembly resolutions condemning Russia's actions, and it continues to work with its partners to counter Russian disinformation and actively encourage the international community to increase its support for Ukraine.
This is a war for Ukraine's survival and for the future of the rules-based international system. Canada must and will continue to support Ukraine until a just and sustainable peace can be achieved.
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- May/4/23 12:07:57 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, in reflecting on the situation in Ukraine, including on the future of its people, its culture and survival, and the nature of Ukraine, I have been extremely moved by the fact that my colleague and the deputy leader of the Green Party, Jonathan Pedneault, just went to Ukraine on my behalf and on behalf of the party. He used to work at Human Rights Watch, and he visited with his colleagues from there. He was in Ukraine when the war began, and he went back to see the human rights condition and look at how Canada is helping. Even now, during the war, it is clear that more humanitarian help and more connection are needed to support the people, making sure that our aid reaches the people who need it the most.
I thank the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of National Defence for their efforts. We are in this with the people of Ukraine.
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- May/4/23 12:09:06 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, I want to be clear: President Putin started this war, and he can back away and end it today.
This is a critical moment in Russia's illegal war. Russia has not been negotiating in good faith, and we see no indication that Putin has changed his objective. On the contrary, he is preparing for new offences. We cannot accept at face value any Russian claim to seek peace, and Russia's actions contradict such claims.
A peace on Russia's terms would be neither just nor sustainable. That is why Ukraine needs our support more than ever. The brave people of Ukraine have inspired us all with their courage, resilience and commitment to fighting for their country and their very existence.
Canada will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Ukrainian people, to strongly condemn the Kremlin's brutal actions and to provide multi-faceted support, including economic, humanitarian, military, stabilization and development assistance.
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