Senator Plett: Yet no one from this NDP-Liberal government will travel to Ukraine now to show support for our friend and ally.

Canada’s embassy in Kyiv remains closed while over two dozen other embassies have reopened. The former Ukrainian ambassador to Canada said on the weekend:

Canada was one of the first countries to move the embassy out. We do not want Canada to be the last one to return.

Please, Senator Gold, answer my question: What is the NDP-Liberal government’s position on reopening Canada’s embassy in Kyiv? Why is it safe for other countries to open their embassies but not Canada?

Hon. Donna Dasko: Senator, I would like to revisit a question posed to you last week by Senator Omidvar. To summarize, there are two paths for entry into Canada for visitors, a faster express stream for citizens from some countries such as the U.K. and a slower stream for other countries which include Ukraine. With the current crisis in Ukraine, we are facing a situation where many more Ukrainians have applied for entry into Canada than have been authorized under the new emergency travel program.

Senator Gold, will the government extend express travel authorization to Ukrainians which would help tremendously to alleviate the situation? Thank you.