SoVote

Context: House Hansard - 238 - Oct/24/23

Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.)

Oct/24/23 1:48:00 p.m.
Watch
Re: Bill C-57

Madam Speaker, we have heard a great number of members talk about how important the trade agreement is from the perspective of what is taking place today in Europe, which is the war and the illegal occupation of Russia in Ukraine. We have seen a united front on that. On September 22, the President of Ukraine was here, and President Zelenskyy signed this trade agreement. Today we are debating the trade agreement. My question to the member is something I posed to other members of his caucus. Given the very nature of this particular trade agreement, which has many economic benefits for both Canada and Ukraine, would he provide his thoughts on the powerful message this would send if it were to pass before Christmas? It would be the first trade agreement for Ukraine since the war has begun.

139 words

All Topics

Context: House Hansard - 238 - Oct/24/23

Mr. Yvan Baker (Etobicoke Centre, Lib.)

Oct/24/23 1:52:55 p.m.
Watch
Re: Bill C-57

Madam Speaker, last week I had the opportunity to be in the House when the minister introduced this legislation. I was very proud to sit beside her as she introduced it then, and I am very proud to stand here today to speak in support of this important legislation. This is, to me, good legislation for Canada and good legislation for Ukraine. It is great for our economy. It is not only good for Canadian workers, Canadian investors and business people, but also for Ukrainian workers and Ukrainian business people. Tremendous economic benefits will come to citizens of both Canada and Ukraine if we pass this legislation. This is also an important step in supporting Ukraine's victory and our collective victory. I heard a number of members here today speak to how supportive they are of Ukraine and how we want Ukraine to win. One of the ways we can do that is to make sure this legislation passes, and passes as quickly as possible. I want to recall what it was like when President Zelenskyy was in the House just a few weeks ago. He gave a historic speech to our Parliament and then visited the Fort York Armoury in Toronto, where he met with Canadians. To my mind, one of the things that stood out to me in his speech was that he not only came to thank Canada for our global leadership and support of the Ukrainian people as they fight for their freedom, but he also came to ask us to continue to support the Ukrainian people in that fight because it is the right thing to do and Ukrainians are fighting for us as well. It is in our collective interest that Ukraine wins this war. I think back to the first time President Zelenskyy came to Canada, which was in 2019. I had the pleasure of being at a lunch where he gave an address. A number of my colleagues here in the House were also there. President Zelenskyy was not wearing his military attire, as we are accustomed to seeing him in. He was wearing a suit, and his speech was not about war, but about economy and trade. Most of his speech was dedicated to talking about how he was modernizing Ukraine's economy and making reforms, and he encouraged Canadians to invest and do business with Ukraine for our mutual benefit. At that time, Canada had a free trade agreement in place with Ukraine, the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement, but it covered only merchandise trade, the trade of goods. As a result of that free trade agreement, which came into force in 2017, the trade between our two countries grew, but the original free trade agreement did not cover services. Around the time of his visit in 2019, Prime Minister Trudeau and President Zelenskyy announced that they were going to begin again—

484 words

All Topics

Context: House Hansard - 238 - Oct/24/23

Mr. Yvan Baker

Oct/24/23 1:56:05 p.m.
Watch
Re: Bill C-57

Madam Speaker, thank you for that reminder. It was inadvertent on my part. Around that time, the Prime Minister and President Zelenskyy announced plans to modernize CUFTA. Then came COVID-19, and those negotiations had to be delayed, understandably. In early 2021 and the fall of 2021, Russia started to amass soldiers around Ukraine's borders. Understandably, the discussions in Ukraine, around the world and here in Parliament were about how we were going to support Ukraine: what we were going to do, what Russia was going to do and how we were going to respond. I remember that in January 2022, so about a month before Russia's full-scale invasion, the minister approached me and said that she wanted to join me in a Zoom meeting because the government was going to relaunch the negotiations for the modernization of the free trade agreement. This showed, despite everything that was going on, how high a priority this was for Ukraine and for Canada. After the further invasion by Russia continued, those negotiations continued. Again, that showed what a high priority this was for Canada and for Ukraine. When President Zelenskyy was here a few weeks ago, yes he spoke in Parliament and yes he was at the Fort York Armoury to meet with Canadians, but he also signed the free trade agreement with our Prime Minister. This again shows how important this is to both Canada and Ukraine. What is so great about the new modernized free trade agreement? It would maintain the preferential market access gained in the original free trade agreement with respect to all Canadian merchandise exports to Ukraine, which would be great for Canadian business people and workers. The agreement also includes dedicated new chapters on trade and services, investment, temporary entry, telecommunications, financial services and inclusive trade, and updated chapters on labour, environment, transparency and anti-corruption, among a number of other things. It would facilitate and enhance co-operation, improve the ability to resolve trade disagreements, promote openness and inclusivity, increase transparency in regulatory matters and help reduce transaction costs for businesses, which is good for business and workers and increases trade. It would commit Canada and Ukraine to respecting and promoting internationally recognized labour rights and principles and the effective enforcement of labour and environmental laws. There would also be significant measures in place to help prevent and respond to corruption. All in all, this is an agreement that is structured in such a way as to not only benefit Canadian businesses, Canadian employers and workers, but also make sure that the investments that Canadians are making in Ukraine, and vice versa, are protected. Therefore, it is a great economic opportunity for Canada and for Ukraine. However, there is something else about the agreement that is really important. It is an important step in supporting Ukraine's victory and our collective victory. Let me tell members what I mean by that. As we speak, the Ukrainian people are fighting to defend themselves against Russia's genocidal war. Notwithstanding the courage and the resolve of the Ukrainian people, the situation is dire. Russia is committing genocide every day. Millions of people have become refugees inside and outside Ukraine. Hundreds of millions of people in the global south are facing food shortages and famine because of Russia's invasion and the blockades of Ukrainian food exports, and the war is a primary cause of food and energy inflation around the world. Most importantly, the war poses an existential threat to global security and Canada's security.

592 words

All Topics