Hon. Stan Kutcher moved second reading of Bill S-276, An Act respecting Ukrainian Heritage Month.

He said: Honourable senators, I rise today to speak to Bill S-276, An Act respecting Ukrainian Heritage Month. When passed, it will designate September of every year as Ukrainian heritage month across Canada, a time to celebrate from coast to coast to coast the contributions Ukrainian Canadians have made to the tapestry of our country.

We all know what the word “heritage” means, but it is worthwhile to take a moment and consider its importance. Our heritage is what we have inherited from the past, those things that we value and enjoy in the present and that which we strive to preserve and pass on to future generations.

Heritage is a mixture of things — ideas, memories and hopes. It is something that each of us as a member of Canadian society brings to the tapestry that is our place. It is something that each of us uses to understand and respect ourselves, to share that understanding with others and to help us better understand and respect our fellow travellers through sharing and discovering their heritage. In short, our heritage is a celebration of who we are, who we aspire to be and part of the glue that binds us to each other.

I am bringing forward this bill to honour my Ukrainian heritage, with the support and encouragement of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, the Ukrainian diaspora, recently arrived Ukrainians seeking refuge here and MP Yvan Baker, who has brought forward similar legislation in the other place.

As I do this, I want to confirm to all who are listening that I also take this time to acknowledge that I respect and want to learn more about your heritage — for in that mutual journey of discovery, we can hope to better understand each other and, by so doing, define and reach for a better common tomorrow.

I am privileged to stand here in this chamber to share with you the story of my parents and grandparents. They came to this country from Ukraine, having lost all their property, many of their friends and most members of their own families to Russian and Nazi forces that sought to destroy them, their identity and their futures. They were among numerous Ukrainians who sought refuge in Canada following World War II and found a safe landing for their families so that they could live in peace, without fear, and flourish for generations to come.

Once here, they became part of a much larger and established Ukrainian diaspora that traces its roots to the call for “men in sheepskin coats” issued by Clifford Sifton, Minister of the Interior, who chose to welcome Eastern European farmers to Canada as an immigration strategy to settle the West between 1896 and 1902. His remembered phrase stating what he believed Canada needed to settle the Prairies was “. . . a stalwart peasant in a sheep-skin coat, born on the soil, whose forefathers have been farmers for ten generations . . . .”

Thousands living in what is now Western Canada answered this call and, by their sweat and toil, helped turn Canada into the agricultural powerhouse that it is today. Indeed, some members of this chamber can trace their family stories back to this time.

The bond between Canada and Ukraine has been forged over many decades and is still being moulded. Since February 2022, all Canadians have become keenly aware of these bonds between Canada and Ukraine.

Russia’s genocidal and illegal war on Ukraine has reminded us of the historic tragedies that we hoped were long gone but that are now re-emerging. This invasion not only threatened to destroy Ukraine but is also an attack on the shared values that bind us together — values such as human rights, democracy and the international rule of law.

Although I anguished over the loss of my mother, who died with COVID in a nursing home during the height of the pandemic, I am in some way thankful that she passed before the Russian invasion. I could not imagine how horrible it would have been for her, at her advanced age, to relive the traumas of her childhood and the memories of how those family members who survived the war suffered horribly under Stalin and subsequent Russian dictators.

This history is part of the heritage that defines Ukrainian Canadians and binds them to others living in this country whose heritage includes similar memories. It is a history with deep and tragic roots, including about 4 million deaths during Holodomor, the Stalin-imposed famine, and between 8 and 14 million killed in World War II.

As our previous colleague senator Paul Yuzyk stated in his 1964 speech in this chamber, it is:

. . . the living human spirit of truth, justice and liberty, which ultimately must prevail for Ukraine and all oppressed peoples who are still struggling for their freedom against Russian communist imperialism. The free countries of the world, including Canada, must mobilize world opinion against the largest existing totalitarian empire . . . .

Sadly, friends, this challenge still confronts us today.

There are now more than 1.3 million people of Ukrainian heritage living in Canada, close to about 4% of our population. My family is counted among those numbers, beginning with my grandparents, parents, myself, my two brothers and then our children and grandchildren. As a boy, I didn’t speak English until I started elementary school. As was the case in many refugee homes, the mother tongue was the language of the household. For us, it was Ukrainian. Since my grandparents never learned to speak English, that was the language that bound me to them.

The years passed, and due to family circumstances and economic realities, I became more and more removed from my language of origin. My familiarity with my language and culture was nourished by my Baba and Dido — grandmother and grandfather. Unfortunately, after they died, I stopped speaking Ukrainian. I had nobody in my life with whom I needed to use my mother tongue anymore.

Since the genocidal Russian war on Ukraine began and Canada started to welcome displaced Ukrainians, I have been privileged to meet many people from my homeland again seeking refuge on our shores. I have come to know a number of these recent arrivals, and these events have encouraged me to renew my cultural ties. That is why I’m bringing forward this bill.

This has also been an opportunity to reconnect with my mother tongue. It has provided me with a renewed appreciation of my roots and has rekindled an interest in understanding more about the contributions that Ukrainians have made to the history and fabric of Canada. In fact, colleagues, I have been taking Ukrainian lessons from a young professional who, along with her family, is making a difference through their work and community involvement since arriving in Canada. I am improving with every lesson and soon hope to be able to speak Ukrainian at the age of 71 almost as well as I spoke it when I was 6.

Part of what I hope to accomplish by bringing this bill to our chamber is to encourage all of us to learn more about our own heritage, as I have been learning about mine, and to use that journey to help us better know ourselves and better understand each other.

September is a notable month for Canadians of Ukrainian heritage, as it was in September over 125 years ago, when it is believed the first Ukrainian immigrants arrived in Canada. As I mentioned earlier, this was during the time when Canada was promoting the immigration of farmers from Eastern Europe to settle the West. Ivan Pylypiw and Vasyl Eleniak arrived in Canada on September 7, 1891. This day is marked in Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario as Ukrainian Heritage Day.

Marking the month of September nationally would include these days while concurrently allowing for celebrations to occur from coast to coast to coast at times that would serve the needs of various communities.

Many of these early arrivals settled in the Prairie provinces and farmed before moving to urban settings and taking on other jobs. Many served in our Armed Forces in both world wars and, like so many other ethnocultural groups in this country, paid for their place in Canada with their blood.

There are also many stories of these early Ukrainian Prairie settlers being helped by their Indigenous neighbours. Indeed, these bonds between Indigenous and Ukrainian communities are symbolized by the kokum scarf. I have noticed, as have many of you in this chamber, that some of our colleagues have been wearing this symbol of appreciation and mutual respect.

We are fortunate in Canada to be part of a tapestry that was woven by many hands. The important contributions made by Ukrainian Canadians, throughout our history and in our present, have helped form the country that we live in today.

This bill is an opportunity to recognize that heritage and celebrate the impactful role that Ukrainian Canadians have played in our social, economic, political and cultural fabric. It would also provide opportunities for learning and education on the shared values of rules-based governance and democracy that are the foundation of Canada’s support for Ukraine during this challenging time.

There are countless Canadians of Ukrainian heritage who have made contributions to our country in the fields of science, the arts, the Canadian Armed Forces, athletics, business and politics. They have played a part in weaving the tapestry of the Canada of yesterday, today and tomorrow.

I will take a moment to highlight only a few here:

Individuals such as Roberta Bondar — the first Canadian women and second Canadian in space — a neurologist, who is a pioneer in space medicine research. She is also an accomplished nature photographer. Dr. Bondar is a role model to many who dream big.

Sylvia Fedoruk was another medical pioneer who worked as a medical physicist in the area of the uses of radioactive isotopes and cancer treatment. She was a professor who became the first woman named chancellor of the University of Saskatchewan in 1986. Fedoruk also excelled at baseball, track and curling. She is an inductee into the Canada’s Curling Hall of Fame, and was the president of the Canadian Ladies Curling Association. Maybe Senator Plett’s granddaughter will one day be in that same position. This trailblazer accomplished many firsts over her lifetime, including becoming the first female lieutenant governor of Saskatchewan in 1988. She wove many threads into the fabric of our country’s history.

Ray Hnatyshyn was also from Saskatchewan. His father was Canada’s first Ukrainian-born senator. Ray served as a member of the House of Commons from 1974 until 1988, and served in the cabinets of both Joe Clark and Brian Mulroney. On January 29, 1990, he was sworn into office as Canada’s Governor General where he transformed that office into one that celebrated his phrase, “The governor general belongs to the people of Canada.”

For decades, Canadian households tuned in to test their knowledge with “Jeopardy” host Alex Trebek. Trebek, whose father came to Canada as a boy from Ukraine, worked at the CBC before taking up the helm of “Jeopardy.”

Playwright and novelist George Ryga tells us about the Canadian experience in his writing. Raised in a northern Alberta farming community, he rose to prominence despite little formal education. The Ecstasy of Rita Joe and The Other Plays are his depiction of the plight of Indigenous peoples struggling to be heard.

Musicians from all genres draw from their Ukrainian heritage, such as Randy Bachman, Paul Brandt, Chantal Kreviazuk, LUBA and Ivan and Stefan Doroschuk from Men Without Hats. I know my seat mate will know all about that.

There are countless athletes of Ukrainian descent that have represented Canada, especially NHL hockey players including Wayne Gretzky and my own cousin Mark Osborne. Mark is much less known than Mr. Gretzky and, sadly, he spent more than a decade-and-a-half playing for the Maple Leafs. What can you do? It should have been the Canadiens.

Senators, this chamber has several current members of Ukrainian descent. There have been many before us. I remember making this connection with Senator Andreychuk before her retirement.

One such distinguished senator was Paul Yuzyk, who was a leader within the Canadian Ukrainian community and has been called the “father of multiculturalism.” He set the stage for a shift in the underlying ethnocultural values of the Canada we see today. His first speech in the Red Chamber was centred around the concept of multiculturalism. He insisted that all ethnic groups deserved to be recognized as partners in the Canadian mosaic. In his March 3, 1964, speech entitled “Canada: A Multicultural Nation,” he pointed out that Indigenous peoples were in Canada long before the coming of French and English settlers. He saw our multicultural reality as “unity in our diversity” and challenged our nation to embrace and celebrate that reality. In that speech, he pointed out this journey, if successful, would benefit not only Canada but the world community as well. He said:

If we succeed . . . to evolve the pattern of unity in continuing diversity . . . this will serve as a precedent (model) for other states in the world . . . It will be Canada’s contribution to the world.

I hope that all of us in this chamber recognize the value of unity in our diversity. Our task is to better learn how we can harness the good in the ties that bind us while avoiding the incitements of those who would use our diversity as an excuse to rend us asunder.

The vyshyvanka is a symbol of that call for understanding, respect and a willingness to work together for the common good. Traditionally, the vyshyvanka is a handmade blouse sewn of natural materials and embroidered with threads of various colours. Ukrainians believe embroidery has a talismanic meaning, the power to protect a person from harm and to bring good luck.

The vyshyvanka is a symbol of the beauty that is created when threads of many colours are woven together. It is a symbol of how every one of us can link with others to create something much greater than the sum of our parts.

Senators, we are living in a time that calls for more celebration of the things that bind us together in the face of the things that pull us apart. This is why I am seeking your support to move this bill celebrating Ukrainian heritage quickly through this chamber and over to the other place.

D’akuju. Thank you. Wela’lioq.

The Hon. the Speaker: I’m taking it under advisement. Sorry, I didn’t understand your question. Thank you.

Hon. Yuen Pau Woo: Are we finished with the point of privilege?

Hon. Patti LaBoucane-Benson (Legislative Deputy to the Government Representative in the Senate), pursuant to notice of October 18, 2023, moved:

That, when the Senate next adjourns after the adoption of this motion, it do stand adjourned until Tuesday, October 24, 2023, at 2 p.m.

Hon. Andrew Cardozo: Thank you, Senator Kutcher, for that speech and for introducing this bill. I happen to think that heritage months dedicated to various communities are extremely important because they really place the community in Canada as opposed to simply looking at, for example, national days of other countries.

As you have outlined in brief — because you could have spoken for hours about the contributions of the Ukrainian-Canadian community — there has been a significant contribution. Certainly, the contribution of our late colleague senator Paul Yuzyk in terms of multiculturalism back in 1964 was an important one in developing what was then the multiculturalism policy introduced in 1971 and the act in 1988, I believe.

During the years of Soviet domination of Ukraine, I think it’s fair to say that Ukrainian language and culture were more alive, well protected and growing in Canada than it was in Ukraine. And here we are in another situation where there is another attempt by Russia to stamp out Ukrainian culture, language and people. Are we back into that space? Is there a sad similarity to that period? How do you see the role of Ukrainian Canadians, not only in that situation, but reminding us of our role as citizens of the world in understanding the various cultures?

Senator Kutcher: Thank you, senator. One of the most important things about cultural appreciation is that, as we learn to appreciate our own heritage, we have the opportunity to equally appreciate everybody else’s heritage. That is one of the gifts, as Senator Yussuff pointed out, that Canada can give the world.

We are all too aware of different places in the world and, indeed, in our own history where we have vigorously stamped out the culture of others, where we have not treated other people with respect and dignity, where we have “othered” them and discounted their humanity, language and identity. We’re better than that.

We can’t avoid that we have had that history in Canada. We can’t avoid that history happens over and over again in the world. However, we can say that we can learn from those terrible atrocities and the difficulties of the past, and that we have a responsibility here — in our own country — to bring healing to the damage that we have caused. Also, as you point out, it’s important to stand up for other countries who are faced with similar circumstances.

Thank you for your question.

Hon. Leo Housakos (Acting Deputy Leader of the Opposition) moved second reading of Bill C-281, An Act to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act, the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act (Sergei Magnitsky Law), the Broadcasting Act and the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act.

He said: Honourable senators, today I rise to speak about Bill C-281, the international human rights act.

This bill was authored and introduced in the other place by my Conservative colleague Philip Lawrence who is the Member of Parliament for Northumberland—Peterborough South. I want to commend MP Lawrence for bringing this bill forward, and for his commitment to upholding human rights around the world. This bill will strengthen Canada’s ability to say that we are walking the talk on upholding and promoting human rights on a global scale — a cause that resonates to the core of our Canadian values.

Bill C-281 has several provisions, including amendments to the Sergei Magnitsky Law, the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act, the Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act and the Broadcasting Act. Each provision addresses a gap in Parliament’s ability to hold the government accountable in Canada’s defence of human rights around the world, a cause that I’m sure senators can agree transcends party lines and the government of the day.

Let me first speak to the amendment to the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act, colloquially referred to as the Magnitsky Act. The Magnitsky Act equips our government with another tool to levy sanctions against human rights violators. However, I am disappointed to say that this tool has not been utilized as effectively as it could and should be, especially in recent years. Astonishingly, not a single entity or individual from China, for instance, has faced sanctions by Canada under the Magnitsky Act, despite repeated calls for such actions.

Take the situation in Hong Kong, a glaring example of why Bill C-281 is so necessary in today’s world. The ongoing human rights crackdown in Hong Kong, as senators know, continues despite repeated calls for the regime in Beijing to uphold its commitment to “one country, two systems.” We have seen ample evidence and many accounts of the situation on the ground in Hong Kong, but the current government has yet to lay sanctions on any official, whether it be a Hong Kong official or a PRC — People’s Republic of China — official. That’s despite many of those officials having ties to Canada, whether through property ownership, family members holding Canadian passports or having been educated here.

Simply put, no one has been held accountable by our country for the human rights abuses happening in Hong Kong.

What Bill C-281 seeks to do in amending the Magnitsky Act accomplishes two things: allowing parliamentary input and providing parliamentary oversight. Essentially, it will create a mechanism through which parliamentarians will be able to recommend foreign officials, like those involved in human rights violations in Hong Kong and other places in the world, to be included on sanctions lists.

That is something I had tried to do with my own bill amending the Magnitsky Act, but it can be done with this one instead. It is all the same to me.

Part of the rationale for this measure is that parliamentarians are in touch with human rights organizations and NGOs in a way that the ministers of the day might not be. It is therefore logical that parliamentarians should be able to recommend individuals for sanction to the minister.

It is important to note, however, that the minister is not obligated to comply with such recommendations. The minister remains free to accept or refuse those recommendations — and here is where the second part comes in — but they will have to provide an explanation why. It has been the tradition of this country that ministers are individually accountable to Parliament for their own actions and those of their department.

The amendment proposed in this bill will ensure that, within 40 days of either the House of Commons or Parliament passing a motion to sanction an individual or a group of individuals, Global Affairs Canada, or GAC, will have to report back to Parliament. This would enforce a greater and, I believe, more reasonable degree of accountability. If, in fact, either the Senate, the House of Commons or both have deemed that Magnitsky Act sanctions should be enforced, it is not unreasonable for Global Affairs Canada to come to a parliamentary committee and explain why they have determined otherwise.

To be abundantly clear, I want to reiterate that this amendment to the Magnitsky Act does not force GAC to take orders from Parliament regarding sanctioning. We, as parliamentarians, appreciate that there might be other considerations to be made in issuing such sanctions and do not want to be seen as impeding or interfering with the work of government.

As I said at the start, this amendment simply allows parliamentarians to have input and to be provided an explanation when that input is not acted upon. Colleagues, this isn’t about ego, a power struggle or some belief that parliamentarians know better than everyone else. I certainly do not believe so.

The author of this bill and I, as its sponsor in the Senate, genuinely believe that this measure of reporting and accountability will result in the sanctioning of more human rights abusers around the world in a more efficient and effective process. I think that’s everyone’s goal.

In the initial months after the Magnitsky Act came into force in Canada, we sanctioned a flurry of individuals in Myanmar, Russia and Venezuela. Since then, we have had very little activity from the government on that front. In fact, no one has been sanctioned under the Magnitsky Act since that initial flurry.

We want to put this reporting and accountability mechanism in place to encourage the government to utilize the tools it has to sanction those individuals who are committing the vilest of crimes and human rights atrocities around the world. If they aren’t utilizing those tools, we should know why so we can fix whatever needs to be fixed.

Another accountability provision in this legislation also places certain reporting requirements on the Minister of Foreign Affairs in relation to the work being done by our government in protecting international human rights, requiring the publication of a report outlining those activities. Initially, this provision called for the report to include the names and circumstances of individuals that the Canadian government and Global Affairs Canada are advocating for and working to get released.

However, to address concerns that such a disclosure could actually place some of these individuals or their families in harm’s way, an amendment was adopted at committee in the other place that gives the minister discretion regarding the disclosure of those names. The bill now states that the minister must make all reasonable efforts to consult with family members or representatives of the prisoners of conscience, and may decide not to include certain information in the list if a person consulted by the minister requests that the information not be included or the minister is satisfied that not including it would be in the best interests of the advancement of human rights or the personal safety of the prisoner.

That amendment was adopted in the spirit that, again, these reporting obligations are not in any way meant to restrict or obstruct GAC and the important work it does. Rather, it is designed to support the department.

We believe it will ensure that NGOs and the public will be better positioned to pressure governments around the world to release prisoners of conscience — people who are being held simply because of the beliefs and thoughts they have about the betterment of their countries. They are people who are fighting for human rights, freedom of expression and freedom of speech.

By raising public awareness in Canada and abroad about the incarceration and, sometimes, sadly, the torture of prisoners of conscience, we can give those people hope. More importantly, we can help drive out that evil, leading to the freedom of prisoners of conscience and advocates of democracy, women’s rights, LGBTQ2 rights and freedom.

The next provision of this bill restricts investments in companies that violate human rights or exploit developing nations with respect to cluster munitions. These provisions underscore our commitment to upholding international standards, our responsibility that we have previously passed on the matter and international treaties to which we are signatories.

Considering that the United States is not a signatory to the Dublin Convention and does, unfortunately, manufacture these types of weapons, there was a question raised in the other place about whether we would be running the risk of being lobbied by American weapons retailers to ensure that shareholders or people involved in those companies, for example, are not targeted by the bill. My colleague in the House, MP Philip Lawrence, responded with the following:

Political pressure has been shown to be incredibly powerful. Textron, which is one of the largest arms manufacturers located in the United States, stopped producing cluster munitions and specifically stated it was because of political pressure. Therefore, with things like this legislation, which would prevent the funding through Canadian businesses of cluster munitions, not only do we have a hard line in stopping them but we also continue to ramp up the political pressure. I would be glad to work alongside the member to stop the manufacturing of cluster munitions throughout the world.

That brings us to the fourth and final provision: empowering the government to ban state propaganda outlets that operate in Canada and spread disinformation, interfering in our public debate.

In the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we saw RT, Russia’s state propaganda network, taken off Canadian airwaves. On March 16 of this year, the Government of Canada formally removed Russia Today and RT France from our airwaves on the basis that the distribution of those services were not in the public interest, as their content appears to constitute abusive comments or is likely to expose the Ukrainian people to hatred or contempt on the basis of race, or national or ethnic origin, and that their programming is antithetical to the achievement of the policy objectives of the Broadcasting Act.

Russian propaganda has no place on Canadian airwaves. In fact, no state propaganda should have a place in the Canadian broadcast system at all. Senators may recall the controversies surrounding CGTN, Beijing’s state propaganda arm, with its denial of the Uyghur genocide and the broadcasting of forced confessions from dissidents.

The Broadcasting Act amendments in this legislation are crucial to align Canada with like-minded partners, such as the U.K., which banned CGTN in 2021. State propaganda that aims to spread disinformation is acting against Canadian interests. While I support the CRTC’s decision to pull those licences, they shouldn’t have had to take such a broad approach in doing so. There should have been a more straightforward mechanism put in place to support this. This bill would give the CRTC a specific tool to say that country X or Y is committing genocide and spreading its propaganda in our country and, therefore, loses its right to broadcast in Canada.

This amendment simplifies the matter for the regulator instead of requiring it to sort of gerrymander around existing rules. We believe this is a modest but necessary amendment that would allow the CRTC to protect vulnerable Canadians and fight against misinformation.

To conclude, Bill C-281, the international human rights act, is a step in the right direction. It won’t solve all problems, honourable senators, but it will add another tool to Parliament’s toolbox. Canada has historically had a strong commitment to upholding human rights around the world. The provisions in this bill allow us to make sure that these are not just words, but the very principles by which we stand. This bill gives parliamentarians tools to compel the government of the day to take action, and to hold it accountable for the actions it does take in upholding human rights around the world. This bill passed with unanimous consent in the House, supported by all parties, and I hope that it will also pass unanimously and in a timely fashion in this place. Thank you, colleagues.

An Hon. Senator: Say “no.”

Senator Kutcher: Of course, I am going to say “yes,” but I want to put a caveat in here while everyone is listening. I would expect that you would arrange for a wonderful meal of varenyky, holopchi and everything else, which would make it much better for us to visit — and definitely the music.

Thank you for that suggestion, and thank you for offering your hospitality.

Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): I’ll start, but first of all, let me echo Senator Dasko’s invitation. Although it may be her hometown, she fled Winnipeg — I’m not sure why.

I am still there, but I would also encourage you to come and visit the wonderful Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

Thank you, Senator Kutcher, for your speech — I agree with all aspects of it. I’m not Ukrainian; I’m Mennonite. But, of course, after the Mennonites left Holland, they went to Poland. They fled communism there and went to Ukraine, and many of them suffered and died during the Holodomor as well.

There are many similarities between Mennonites and Ukrainians — certainly varenyky being one of them.

Senator Kutcher, thank you; I do want to speak to this. I appreciate what you have said.

Your Honour, with that in mind, I will prepare my notes, and I would like to adjourn for the balance of my time.

(On motion of Senator Plett, debate adjourned.)

Hon. Michael L. MacDonald: That was a great speech; I really enjoyed it. I want to make a clarification for the chamber. You talk about how identity can be dismissed. You mentioned both the French and the English, but you probably should have said the French and the British — because although the English are British, the British aren’t necessarily English. The British are a multicultural people. I know this because most of my ancestors are British, but very few of them are English.

As you talk about the eradication of culture and language, Cape Breton is filled with the eradication of both. My grandparents were all fluent Gaelic speakers. It is the third most common European language in this country. In fact, it was the third most common language in the country at the time of Confederation. In Cape Breton, my father and all of my grandparents had their language suppressed.

One of the most remarkable things about it is the following: In school, usually the person doing the suppression spoke the language themselves, so it was a strange dichotomy. I just wanted to put that on the record.

Do you agree?

Senator Kutcher: Thank you for that question, Senator MacDonald.

You very poignantly pointed out to us how important this is, and I thank you for doing that.

Senator Cordy and I had the privilege of being at the opening of the Celtic Colours International Festival just last week. It is amazing and joyous to see the revival of the Gaelic culture, and the incredible richness that culture brings to all of us.

It’s with great disappointment that we look at what we lost — because just think of what we could be, had we not lost it. Now we have to get it back.

Thank you.

[Translation]

Hon. Donna Dasko: Thank you very much, Senator Kutcher, for your wonderful comments. I share your Ukrainian heritage, and I very much value what you have said today, especially your emphasis on the positive. Of course, we are now in a terrible situation that’s facing Ukraine. Both of us spoke last night to Senator Omidvar’s bill with respect to the seizure of Russian assets. I appreciate your mention of the Holodomor — this is an example of Soviet terror on Ukraine.

This is supposed to be a question, so I’ll ask it this way: One of the places that I find tremendously inspiring is the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg. That’s my hometown. There is a wonderful exhibit there about the Holodomor, as well as the Holocaust, and many other stories of terror.

Would you encourage all of our colleagues to visit the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in my hometown of Winnipeg? Thank you.

Senator Kutcher: Thank you very much for that question, Senator Dasko.

Hon. Rebecca Patterson: Senator Housakos, would you take a question?

Hon. Frances Lankin: Senator Housakos, will you take a question? Thank you very much. First of all, thank you for your effort on this and for the remarks that you have delivered today. I have two questions.

The first is with respect to the Broadcasting Act. You taught me something today in terms of the challenges that exist, which you alluded to. You talked about a more straightforward way of administering the intent of the amendment to the Broadcasting Act than the workarounds that have to be done now. I just wonder if you can provide me with a little more information on what the current situation is.

My second question is more of a comment, to say that I appreciate the sensitivity with which you described the discretion allowed to ministers, whether it’s a matter of foreign relations and a Global Affairs Canada, or GAC, or government consideration about what steps might harm those relations and why those relations are important as an executive branch decision. I’m also going to ask you, with your legal background, about the challenge of intelligence to evidence. Do the processes inherent in these amendments allow for the decision makers to have full information? Considering the reasons why intelligence is not made public — protection of sources, statecraft, other sorts of things — how do we get around those sensitivities and the fact that many parliamentarians have, of late, insisted on full transparency without giving any sensitive consideration to those matters that you raised in your speech?

Hon. Dennis Glen Patterson: Honourable senators, I rise today to speak to the sixth report of the Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs.

I’d like to begin by thanking Senators Dean and Anderson and the other members of the committee for joining me alongside some of my Canadian Senators Group colleagues for the Arctic Sovereignty and Security Summit that I co-sponsored with Inuit development corporations in Iqaluit last September. I can very clearly see many of the themes raised by participants at that Summit reflected throughout the report and recommendations. I also thank the committee for going to great lengths to ensure that Arctic Indigenous voices are well represented in this report as well.

The report, entitled Arctic Security Under Threat: Urgent needs in a changing geopolitical and environmental landscape, touches on many issues that I have been engaged with for years, and I was very happy to see that it contained such clear, strong and compelling recommendations.

While I agree with all of the recommendations, I wanted to focus my limited speaking time today on one in particular. Recommendation 4 states:

That the Government of Canada, in the next defence policy, outline Canada’s approach to deterring adversaries in the Arctic, including during the expected “gap period” between when adversaries could deploy new weapons systems and when the North American Aerospace Defense Command will have the technology to detect them.

This recommendation speaks to questions I asked of the government leader, Senator Gold, earlier today. We need to continue moving forward with our ambitious plan to strategically invest $38.6 billion over the next two decades on North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, modernization. Part of that includes making sure we are able to keep the North secure now, not just in 20 years. With the ongoing instability brought on by Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine, and given the sadly deteriorating state of peace in other regions of the globe, we must preserve and defend the peace we currently enjoy in the Arctic.

Colleagues, I was recently in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, on Victoria Island in order to be present for the visit of U.S. Ambassador David Cohen. During the luncheon held there, he gave a speech during which he described the U.S. views on the Arctic region. He said:

In one sentence, the United States sees the Arctic region as a place free of conflict, where nations act responsibly, and where economic development and investment take place in a sustainable, secure, and transparent manner that respects the environment and the interests and cultures of Indigenous peoples.

That really spoke to me. We have a duty to Canadians and to our allies to maintain a strong, stable and secure Arctic. That is why I am so convinced that we need to focus our attention on acquiring a fleet of the P-8A Poseidon aircraft to replace our aging CP-140 Aurora aircraft. The Auditor General’s 2022 report on Arctic Waters Surveillance clearly stated:

Action is needed to close gaps and put equipment renewal on a sustainable path to provide a full picture of what happens in the Arctic, which is essential to developing the actions needed to monitor maritime activities and respond to threats and incidents.

As I said in the preamble of my question today, the P-8A is currently employed by all other Five Eyes nations — namely the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand — as well as by Indo-Pacific nations such as India and South Korea.

The Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft capability is vitally important to Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, NATO responsibilities and maritime challenges in the Arctic. Until the Over-the-Horizon Radar is in place, the aircraft is also essential to NORAD’s all-domain awareness.

The letter of acceptance to officially acquire these aircraft is set to expire on November 30, 2023. The timeline for the P-8A provides overlap with the existing capability in the CP-140 — overlap that is crucial to maintain coverage. Any other solution will, I fear, require years of development and testing. Any further extension of the CP-140 would involve risk and billions of dollars in additional cost. The P-8A will remain the only currently available aircraft that meets operational requirements for years to come. Therefore, I am anxious to see this solution secured as soon as possible.

I do know and acknowledge that there is still substantial pressure from Bombardier to have the contract go out to tender. However, I fear that opening up a competitive process could put Canada in a position where it will not be part of the coalition we have struck with our allies of interchangeable Multi-Mission Aircraft. It is also noteworthy — and a fact — that the Bombardier aircraft simply exists on paper, while the P-8A is tested and proven. Public Services and Procurement Canada’s own statement from March 27, 2023, stated that the P-8A is “ . . . the only currently available aircraft that meets all of the CMMA operational requirements . . . . ”

So why are we delaying? In my opinion, this is urgent.

Once we make this investment, Canada should also turn its attention to the variety of coordinated investments that must take place to support this modernization of our fleet. Currently, our Forward Operating Locations do not have hangars that could sufficiently house the incoming fleet of F-35s we purchased. We need longer and paved runways in the Arctic for them. As well, we desperately need to improve and modernize the telecommunications infrastructure in the North.

During that same visit, I had a chance to tour a North Warning System location — that’s CAM-MAIN — in Cambridge Bay with the ambassador. I have to share with you, colleagues, that entering it was like entering a time warp. I’m old enough to remember staying at those sites when they were relatively new when I was part of Nunavut’s travelling court system. I can tell you that 40 years later, they haven’t changed much at all. That is frightening to me, given that we need to have a heightened awareness of what is happening in our Arctic, and we need to be able to respond to a potential threat that has spent the last few decades strategically investing in their military presence in the North.

The Russian North and coast are bristling with military bases, air bases and ports. I don’t say this as an alarmist, but as a pragmatist. The time for action is now. It is not enough to simply announce the funding. We need to start spending it immediately and wisely.

The title of this report of the Senate Standing Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs speaks clearly on the importance and timeliness of this study: Arctic Security Under Threat: Urgent needs in a changing geopolitical and environmental landscape. I wholeheartedly endorse every one of its 23 thoughtful and welcome recommendations and urge its quick adoption by the Senate.

Thank you. Qujannamiik, honourable senators.

Hon. Bernadette Clement: Honourable senators, I note that this item is at day 15. Therefore, with leave of the Senate, I ask that consideration of this item be postponed until the next sitting of the Senate.

Hon. Frances Lankin: Senator Patterson, will you take a question?

Senator D. Patterson: Yes.

Hon. Leo Housakos (Acting Deputy Leader of the Opposition), pursuant to notice of September 28, 2023, moved:

That the Senate take note of:

(a)the deteriorating humanitarian crisis occurring in Nagorno-Karabakh as a result of Azerbaijan’s ongoing blockade of the Lachin corridor and increased military aggression against indigenous Armenian civilians in the region; and

(b)the actions of the Aliyev regime as being dictatorial, and in violation of international law; and

That the Senate call on the Government of Canada:

(a)to support the liberty of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh and their right to self-determination;

(b)to immediately impose sanctions against the Azeri regime;

(c)to demand the immediate reopening of the Lachin corridor and the release of Armenian Prisoners of War;

(d)to provide a significant aid package through NGOs to those Armenian people forcefully displaced from their indigenous land; and

(e)to protect the Armenian people of Nagorno-Karabakh through the presence of international peacekeeping forces.

He said: Honourable senators, today we find ourselves facing a grave and urgent situation that demands our immediate attention and action. The Indigenous Armenian population living in the Republic of Artsakh, known by some as Nagorno-Karabakh, is currently enduring a crisis of unimaginable proportions. It is our moral duty to respond to their plight — not just with words but with meaningful action. What we cannot do is continue to look away or bury our heads in the sand.

Since the end of the 44-day war in September 2020, and particularly since December 12, 2022, when Azerbaijani government violated international agreements by blocking the Lachin corridor, a humanitarian catastrophe has been unfolding. This act severed Artsakh’s only connection to Armenia and the outside world, cutting off vital supplies of food, medicine, natural gas, electricity and the internet. The consequences have been dire, leading to cases of famine, malnutrition and death.

On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan escalated this crisis with brutal military force by shelling civilians and civilian infrastructure. This resulted in more than 200 casualties in just 24 hours, including children, women and elderly. Villages have been cut off, roads taken under Azerbaijani control, and the gruesome acts of violence have shocked those of us who are actually taking the time to watch.

In just one week, more than 120,000 innocent civilians have been forced to flee their homes, creating a humanitarian catastrophe not only in Artsakh but also in Armenia, which has had to absorb these refugees almost overnight.

Genocide Watch and the Lemkin Institute have classified this situation as genocide. Legal expert Luis Moreno Ocampo, former International Criminal Court chief prosecutor, asserts that what happened in Artsakh amounts to genocide.

Our own ambassador to the United Nations, the Honourable Bob Rae, called it a total failure of global diplomacy, forcible deportation and a potential crime against humanity. The Honourable Bob Rae was absolutely right, and one of the few who had the courage to stand up and call this out.

Canada, guided by its commitment to the United Nations’ Responsibility to Protect, or R2P, has a moral obligation to intervene and protect populations from ethnic cleansing and genocide. This is a defining moment for Canada and, for that matter, democracies around the world. It is a test of our dedication to upholding the UN R2P commitment and supporting democracies like Armenia, Artsakh and so many that are under siege right now around the world.

Our response must extend beyond mere words and expressions of concern. It requires concrete and meaningful action. It also sometimes requires sacrifice, such as diplomatic and economic sanctions against the Azerbaijani government officials; legal action against President Aliyev at the International Criminal Court; humanitarian assistance for genocide survivors in Armenia; and the recognition of the self-determination of the Indigenous Artsakh population.

We must not repeat the mistakes of history. The Indigenous Armenian community of Artsakh, with a heritage spanning over 4,000 years, inherently possesses the right to self-determination and remedial secession.

Canada must impose sanctions against Azerbaijan government officials and enhance coordination with like-minded states. Canada must participate in an international peacekeeping force in Artsakh to ensure the safety of Artsakh Armenians as they return to their ancestral homes; provide substantial humanitarian assistance to alleviate the suffering of innocent populations; and recognize the right to self-determination of Artsakh’s Armenian population.

These actions require political courage and a commitment to establish procedures to get it done, and a real commitment if we believe in the international rule of law and human rights and democracy.

Canada has an opportunity to lead on the global stage, to be a beacon of hope and justice, as we once were a few decades ago. We must regain our status as leaders — not followers — and leave a lasting legacy that reflects our commitment to democracy, freedom and human rights.

Colleagues, democracy has never lived such difficult and precarious moments as we’re going through right now. I don’t need to remind anyone in this institution that there are more countries that are not democratic than countries which respect democracy, international rule of law and human rights.

Today, we are seeing tragedy unfolding in so many parts of the world. We see tyrant regimes like China putting the boot to the throat of the people of Hong Kong, threatening a vibrant democracy — a beautiful democracy just over the Taiwan Strait — just because they want to for their own political and economic ambitions.

We see the treachery going on against the Ukrainian people by a brutal dictator called Russia. The truth of the matter is we have waited too long to call out Mr. Putin and to hold him to account. That’s why we’re suffering the consequences that we are today, and the people of Ukraine are suffering those consequences. Sanctions should have been placed on that brutal regime years ago before they went to Ukraine.

The Indigenous people in Artsakh are being exterminated and thrown out of their homes just because they are Armenian. This is the second tragedy in a century. We stood up and gave gallant speeches in the House of Commons and in this chamber when we recognized the Armenian genocide. We said we’ll stand steadfast so these tragedies never occur again. They are happening right now as we speak, but everyone has forgotten about them because there are so many crises to pick from; the media entertains us with them.

There will be other crises that pile on because there never seems to be a resolve on the part of democracies to fight back against these tyrants with tangible actions, not just press releases of concern or “We’re monitoring the situation.” Perhaps, after this tragedy, we can send a few million dollars in humanitarian aid — it’s too late. These people are suffering those consequences, and a few million dollars announced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs to help these displaced people — it is shameful to be honest with you; it’s embarrassing.

What is happening in Israel today? We have a terrorist organization going against an Indigenous people and trying to brutally remove them from their homeland just because they are Jews.

It amazes me how this movie replays itself over and over again. We never seem to learn from history that if you don’t push back on dictators and tyrants, punch them in the nose and tell them we’re not going to accept this, they will continue to be emboldened and move the yardsticks forward.

I want to draw attention to just one more crisis going on in the world and call on our government and those of western democracies to show some resolve. Just because the people of Artsakh and the people of Armenia don’t have oil and gas, they shouldn’t be less important to us than other regimes.

The action we can take is obviously going to be a sacrifice on our side because a lot of these rogue countries — if it’s China, Russia, Iran, Cuba or Turkey — we do business with them. We’re facing a crisis right now in Israel. Hamas didn’t occur last week. Hamas has been supported by nations like Qatar from where we are importing hundreds of millions of dollars of their oil and gas. We’re buying it in Quebec when I go to the gas pump. What do you think they are doing with the proceeds of that revenue? They are funnelling it to organizations like Hamas.

Hamas has no food, water and medication for the Palestinian people in Gaza, but they have tons of rockets. They are not running out of rockets, are they? Why? We are contributing to that process.

The people of Cuba are suffering, but we are still doing business in Cuba because it’s helping a few of our investors and a few of our companies are profiting from it.

Right now, we’re still dealing with nations like Turkey, which has more journalists in prison than any other country on earth, but we close a blind eye to all this.

Colleagues, if I’m a little bit passionate about it, it’s because I really believe that we need to be consistent. If we do genuinely care about democracy, freedom, human rights and the cause of humanity, we have to stand up and fight for these values. It doesn’t matter if it’s in Ukraine, in Hong Kong or in defending Taiwan or Israel, legitimately, we have to also defend the people of Artsakh who are being displaced.

I remind every single person that when Adolf Hitler was sitting around the table with his final brutal solution, they asked him, “If we carry on with this extermination of innocent people just because they are Jews, what is going to happen?” Hitler said, “Who remembers the Armenians?” Right? That genocide happened only 25 years earlier.

This is what is going on again. We are repeating history. We are forgetting these people again. I repeat: Why? Because they are surrounded by bullies and it’s a too much of an effort? I think we have to stand up as parliamentarians. We have to draw attention to this human tragedy. We have to take action and call on our governments.

This cannot be resolved only by the Government of Canada. Every single western democracy that genuinely believes in democracy — not just navel-gazing — has to take action. It is called economic action, diplomatic action and even more if required to protect these innocent people in Artsakh. Today, they have been moved out of their homes, and no one around the world is talking about it. Thank you for listening to me on this Thursday afternoon. I thought these people needed to have a voice. Thank you so much.

Hon. Bernadette Clement: Honourable senators, I move that further debate be adjourned until the next sitting of the Senate.

(On motion of Senator Clement, debate adjourned.)