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Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP)

Feb/28/22 10:33:54 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I have a quick question for my colleague in the Bloc Québécois. Does he agree that a world war broke out between dictators and true democracies as a result of the disinformation that my colleague from Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan was talking about?

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Mr. Stéphane Bergeron

Feb/28/22 10:34:19 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I completely agree with my colleague, and I mentioned this in my speech. The problem with Ukraine and Russia is that two philosophies and two world views are clashing. We must defend the side that prioritizes human rights and the rights of peoples.

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Ms. Julie Dzerowicz (Davenport, Lib.)

Feb/28/22 10:34:49 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I will be sharing my time with the hon. member for Surrey Centre. It is a true honour for me to stand in the House this evening to take part in the important discussion and debate we are having on Russia's unprovoked attack on Ukraine. I want to start by thanking my colleague for Etobicoke Centre and all members of the House for making sure that we had the space and time to have this important discussion. At this time, Canada is going through so much: our ongoing fight against COVID, unpredictability, uncertainty and so much change happening in the world today. However, despite all of this, the unprovoked attack on Ukraine is very much top of mind for Canadians, and it is most certainly top of mind for the residents in my riding of Davenport. I firmly stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and with its legitimate, democratically elected government and Parliament, not just because I am a proud Ukrainian Canadian, but because I too join all Canadians in condemning, in the most unequivocal manner, the unprovoked, unjust and illegal attack by Russia on Ukraine. Two images stand out for me. The first image is of President Zelensky standing his ground, not leaving Kyiv and saying that he is staying. He is fighting for freedom, democracy and his country. There is the image of Ukrainians, and not just the soldiers, but everyday citizens who have decided to stay. They are using whatever is at their disposal to fight the Russians, such as molotov cocktails, and are taking up arms. Their bravery is inspiring. The second image is of the big country of Russia, a global military power, attacking a smaller nation, unprovoked. The world has taken notice, because all of a sudden we all feel threatened. If we do not stop this illegal and unconscionable attack on Ukraine, who is to stand up for us should this happen to us? This illegal invasion is against international law and against article 2 of the UN charter, which says that no nation is less sovereign and less equal than any other nation and that no nation has a right to violate the integrity of another nation. Canada's UN ambassador reminded us in a speech at the UN a few days ago that the Soviet Union was actually present at the drafting of the UN charter after World War II. Russia is now in breach of the rules it helped craft and that it promised to follow. It knows what the charter says but has chosen to breach it. I am so proud of Canada for stepping up to do its part by working closely and in conjunction with our allies and by taking action primarily with our NATO allies. We are also taking action independently and stepping up to do our own part by providing economic support, defensive weapons, lethal and non-lethal weapons and supplies and by imposing sanctions. On the immigration front, we are fast-tracking applications for Ukrainian refugees. We are also banning crude oil imports from Russia. The list goes on. We will not stop until this attack on Ukraine stops. I have attended thousands of rallies in my life, but one of the best ones I attended happened yesterday. It was not only well organized; it was beautiful. We can all say the words “we are Ukrainian”, but yesterday I really felt it and I really believed that the 30,000 people in the centre of Toronto really felt it too. We had leaders from Jamaica stand up on stage and say, “Jamaica is Ukrainian today”. We had Hong Kong Chinese people stand up to say, “We are Ukrainian today”. I saw members from the Portuguese and Brazilian community there as well to show their solidarity. Every single culture and nation here in Canada was standing up for Ukrainians yesterday. The event ended with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress telling us to look up because there was a drone taking photos above us. They said the photos would be sent back to Ukraine to show all Ukrainians that Canada was there supporting them, thinking of them and praying for them. I hope they did see our photos and felt our love, support and hope for a peaceful end soon. We want Ukraine to be victorious, and most of all we want peace for Ukrainians, who are part of a world that has seen too much bloodshed for too many years. I do hope that we find a way to get to a peaceful end. I hope with all my heart that there is a way for Putin to stand down. Our Canadian UN ambassador indicated a few days ago that it is never too late to stop, to dialogue and to negotiate, and we are prepared to find a way to peace, prosperity and progress for all peoples living in the region. I am going to end by quoting Taras Shevchenko—

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The Deputy Chair

Feb/28/22 10:39:57 p.m.
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The hon. member will have to do that during questions and comments. I apologize. Questions and comments, the hon. member for Brandon—Souris.

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Mr. Larry Maguire (Brandon—Souris, CPC)

Feb/28/22 10:40:16 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I will give my colleague a couple of minutes to finish her speech.

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Ms. Julie Dzerowicz

Feb/28/22 10:40:26 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I thank the hon. member for allowing me to do that. I want to end by quoting Taras Shevchenko. For those who do not know him, he is a Ukrainian kobzar, or the Bard of Ukraine, and he talked a lot about Ukrainian independence. He said: Love your dear Ukraine, adore her, Love her...in fierce times of evil,In the last dread hour of struggle, Fervently beseech God for her. Fight on—and you shall prevail!God helps you in your fight! For fame and freedom march with you, And right is on your side!

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Ms. Jenny Kwan (Vancouver East, NDP)

Feb/28/22 10:41:06 p.m.
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Madam Chair, that was a very moving speech and we all feel it. It is important to note that everyone in the House stands with Ukraine and Ukrainians in our communities and abroad. Something that is really important for a lot of people is that Ukrainians do not require visas to travel to 114 countries, including most of Europe. Ireland announced that recently as well. The NDP has been calling for this since 2018. Why is the government so reluctant to provide visa-free travel to Ukrainians?

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Ms. Julie Dzerowicz

Feb/28/22 10:41:53 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I thank the member for her support, kind comments and pushing for visas. The Minister of Immigration was very clear today, as all ministers on the government side have been, that all options continue to be on the table. We are looking at visas. I also hope that in the coming days it is something we will consider, and I have great hope that we will have some good news in the days to come.

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Mr. Tim Louis (Kitchener—Conestoga, Lib.)

Feb/28/22 10:42:38 p.m.
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Madam Chair, my colleague mentioned a massive rally in Toronto. Smaller communities held smaller rallies, but with no less passion. In Kitchener, I attended a rally at Victoria Park, where members from the Ukrainian community, small communities and the Mennonite community were standing in solidarity. Can my colleague explain the importance of people in Ukraine seeing communities all around the world coming together in solidarity to show their support?

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Ms. Julie Dzerowicz

Feb/28/22 10:43:11 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I think many people come to this country because they are fleeing conflict, injustice and autocratic governments. In Canada, we very much value and appreciate our democracy, our freedom and our Parliament. These are things we all value and we have seen that in rallies, whether they are in small towns and cities, in big cities across this nation or around the world.

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Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP)

Feb/28/22 10:43:58 p.m.
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Madam Chair, a lot of proposals have been put forward on top of the very good actions the government has already taken. One that I think came up earlier today relates to Canadian pension funds that are invested in Russian operations. We would have to amend the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Act. Would the hon. member agree with me that we should do so, and quickly, to divest of Russian investments?

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Ms. Julie Dzerowicz

Feb/28/22 10:44:23 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I am reluctant to provide advice on our pension fund about what to divest or not divest. However, I will say that I am very proud not only of how the government has taken action, but also of Canadians across this country and businesses, small, medium and large. Everybody has stepped up to ask what they can do, and I would encourage everybody to continue to do so. What more can we do? How can we further support Ukraine and Ukrainians? That is something we all should be doing in the coming days and weeks.

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Mr. Randeep Sarai (Surrey Centre, Lib.)

Feb/28/22 10:45:02 p.m.
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Madam Chair, Canada's ties with the people of Ukraine have historical roots since well before Ukraine was a sovereign nation. This is why we were the first western country to recognize Ukraine's independence just over 30 years ago. Let me begin by saying that I am with Ukraine. Russia's invasion is unlawful. It is uncalled for and needs to be stopped. We must do everything we can to stop this unprovoked war. We have developed a strong diplomatic relationship fuelled by a passionate, engaged Ukrainian diaspora of over 1.4 million people. The Ukrainian diaspora and other communities across the country are stepping up to support Ukrainians in need. I am very proud of the Sikh community members in Surrey who are organizing a radiothon and telethon with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress to raise funds for Ukraine. Efforts like this are happening all over Canada, and bringing people together to support those affected in this time of need. Historically, we signed the Joint Declaration on Special Partnership between Canada and Ukraine in 1994, which affirmed our countries' shared interests and desire for international co-operation. In 2014, thousands of Ukrainians stood up for a democratic future during the Revolution of Dignity. Canada supported many of the activists, human rights defenders and civil society organizations that fought tirelessly for a free and democratic future, and we continue to do so today in response to President Putin's aggressive actions. Canada condemns Russia's unprovoked and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine in the strongest possible terms. We reject President Putin's attempt to rob Ukraine of its history, identity, democracy and independence. President Putin's actions are a blatant violation of international law, including the UN Charter, and they threaten our shared security. President Putin has no interest in resolving the crisis peacefully. Instead, he is putting millions of innocent lives at risk and causing a humanitarian crisis. In coordination with our allies and partners, Canada has implemented immediate and hard-hitting sanctions that target President Putin himself and Russia's leadership: key individuals in President Putin's inner circle and key Russian banks and financial institutions. They also target export control and sovereign debt restrictions. By hitting at the heart of Russia's financial sector, we are suffocating the Russian regime's ability to fund this war. To support Ukraine's defensive capabilities, Canada recently announced more than $7 million in lethal equipment and support items to the Ukrainian armed forces. This is in addition to the previously announced non-lethal equipment. On February 27, the government announced that Canada would send an additional $25-million worth of protective equipment to Ukraine to support the Ukrainian armed forces. Since 2015, we have been helping to enhance the capacity of Ukraine's armed forces through our non-lethal military training and capacity-building mission: Operation Unifier. We were pleased to announce the extension and expansion of this mission to March 2025. Further, we also backstopped Ukraine's resilience to Russian aggression through offers of financial assistance. This will help support Ukraine's economic stability. We also announced an additional $35 million in development assistance that will help coordinate and scale up support for services for those affected by the conflict, particularly women and marginalized groups. Furthermore, we are continuing to provide over $10 million per year in peace and security programming, including support to Ukraine's defence and broader security sector, to advancing the women, peace and security agenda, and to countering disinformation. In order to meet the needs of those affected by the conflict, we responded rapidly by providing an initial $15 million in humanitarian assistance, which has been allocated and disbursed to experienced human rights partners in Ukraine who are ready to respond flexibly to the situation as it evolves. This early response is now being complemented by the launch of a matching fund, and I am sure my colleague the Minister of International Development will speak more on how Canada reaffirms our unwavering commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. We will continue to stand with the government and people of Ukraine as we have for the past three decades of diplomatic relations.

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Mr. Marty Morantz (Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, CPC)

Feb/28/22 10:50:06 p.m.
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Madam Chair, in 2014, after Putin invaded Crimea, Russia was expelled from the G8. Should Canada seek Russia's removal from the G20 and possibly the OSCE? What is the member's view of that?

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Mr. Randeep Sarai

Feb/28/22 10:50:27 p.m.
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Madam Chair, it is a good question. I think all cards are on the table. As we have seen, this government has put in place severe sanctions. Any tool in the tool chest that we can use to dissuade President Putin from his invasion into Ukraine is on the table. Many other G7 and G20 countries will be looking at that, and at the OSCE as well.

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Mr. Maxime Blanchette-Joncas (Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, BQ)

Feb/28/22 10:51:08 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I want to acknowledge my colleague from Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, who might be watching right now. I also want to congratulate the member for Surrey Centre for his speech. Today he moved a motion to facilitate the immigration process for temporary residents or international students. Thousands, or even millions, of people will be forced to flee the ravages of war. What does my colleague think about eliminating the visa requirement for people who are fleeing war?

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Mr. Randeep Sarai

Feb/28/22 10:51:57 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I thank the member for mentioning my private member's bill and hopefully he will support that motion. I am very open to it, if our government can work out the semantics of Ukraine visas. This country in times of need has demonstrated that, whether it is for Syrians or for any community in the past, including those fleeing from Eastern Africa, or for any people in need of refuge and a place to stay, we are open to that. I would be very supportive of our government relaxing conditions so that Ukrainians who needed to flee would be able to leave.

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Ms. Bonita Zarrillo (Port Moody—Coquitlam, NDP)

Feb/28/22 10:52:43 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I thank the member for the comments around doing everything they can. Certainly the travel visas and release of visas is very important to the communities of Port Moody—Coquitlam, Anmore and Belcarra. Many families there are very anxious and awaiting the release of that visa qualification. I want to talk about another thing that people in my community are concerned about. That is the airing of RT today on the Canadian broadcast system. I wonder if the member agrees. Although some of the suppliers are removing that from their airwaves, should the CRTC take the steps to say no more RT will be aired in Canada?

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Mr. Randeep Sarai

Feb/28/22 10:53:31 p.m.
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Madam Chair, actually that issue came up earlier today while I was speaking with some colleagues from the opposite side. The government cannot tell the CRTC who to remove, but I think there can be direction just as many of the broadcasters have removed it. I think a direction can made and some instructions given on what type of propaganda television should not be allowed in Canada. Based on that policy, I am hoping that the CRTC will be able to remove such channels.

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Mr. Yvan Baker (Etobicoke Centre, Lib.)

Feb/28/22 10:54:14 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I wanted to thank the member for his remarks and for his advocacy. He mentioned that the Sikh community was working with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress and the Canada-Ukraine Foundation to raise money for humanitarian needs. Could he tell us about the important work that they are doing to help the Ukrainian people?

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