Debates of Jan. 27th, 2014

Situation in Ukraine

[Ted Opitz, Conservative, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member mentioned the Canada-Ukraine Friendship Group. I am the chair. He may have noticed that this is an emergency debate that my colleague from Selkirk—Interlake co-sponsored with me this evening. In fact, being the vice-chair of the Canada-Ukraine Friendship Group, he has spoken this evening. The other vice-chair, the member for Parkdale—High Park, has spoken this evening. Other members of the Canada-Ukraine Friendship Group have also spoken this evening.

I would remind the member that the Ukrainian community will be having a very large gathering outside the House of Commons on Wednesday at noon, and I would expect the hon. member to be there to address that crowd and to take his position as the vice-chair of the Canada-Ukraine Friendship Group.

I would also like to remind the member that in the past, the third party has had a very poor record on defending human rights when it came to the Soviet Union, Cuba, China, and other places. Our government has stood up for them.

The Prime Minister has made very strong statements about what is going on in Ukraine. The foreign affairs minister has been there himself. He has walked the Maidan. I twice walked the Maidan in December when I was there. My former CUPP interns took me on a very intimate tour of the Maidan.

We are working intimately with our allies, because that is what a responsible government does. That is what a responsible country does. It coordinates. It is precise. By being imprecise, by going it alone, as the member would like to say, we could miss something, and the people who are harmed at the end of the day are going to be the little people in Ukraine. It is the ordinary people that would pay the price for an imprecise response from this government.

The member is, quite frankly, mistaken about the course of action he is recommending. This government is working very diligently. We stand with the people of Ukraine. We stand with the opposition, and we are going to fight very hard to help Ukrainians aspire to the freedom, democracy, human rights, justice, and economic options that country desires for itself.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member's comments with regard to the Canada-Ukraine Friendship Group. I am one of the vice-chairs. As I suggested, it would be appropriate for us to get together, possibly before Wednesday or after, even if it is for a brief discussion on other thoughts and ideas. Maybe something can be done, for example, for observers. Is there something we can encourage? After all, there are representatives from all political parties.

With regard to standing alone, let me discuss a quote posted on Facebook. I suggest that this is something we could actually do on our own. It talks about a special, expedited, and no-cost visa regime for injured protesters so that they can be treated in Canada. Protestors have been removed from hospitals by police only to be dumped outside the forest. There are family members of killed protesters and family members of protest organizers. As the situation develops, that list could, in fact, expand.

These are things we could do. We do not necessarily have to have the blessings of other governments in the world to move forward on this. That is why I say that what we really want is for the Government of Canada to play a stronger, more proactive leadership role in dealing with some of these issues.

[Alain Giguère, NDP, Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I agree with my Conservative colleagues who said in their speeches that Canada's main focus is to find a peaceful and democratic solution in Ukraine.

We do not want to add fuel to the fire. We definitely do not want to see a repeat of the horrors in Hungary, where publicity-hungry politicians encouraged Hungarians to revolt and then did nothing when the U.S.S.R. brutally cracked down on citizens. We cannot allow that to happen again.

Encouraging an international solution is a measured and intelligent response. We do not want to add fuel to the fire, but that does not stop the Canadian government from taking measures to stop those who are using Canada to launder money they stole in Ukraine. It does not stop the government from supporting the people who are knocking at our door, trying to get a visa to protect their family from indiscriminate repression.

However, I would like to know when the member from Manitoba will understand that Canada's role in this situation is not to beat the drums and fire the guns, but to truly help the people in Ukraine find a peaceful solution.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure if the member is consistent with other members of his political party. I was under the impression that the NDP did support targeted sanctions. Even the member's own critic for foreign affairs and numerous other members commented on that, so he might be a very small minority within his own caucus. However, I will let him deal with that.

For me, having targeted sanctions and Canada playing a leadership role would be of great benefit. It would not be the first time Canada played a very strong leadership role with respect to Ukraine, to give credit to a Progressive Conservative government in its recognition of Ukraine during its independence.

I would suggest to the member that we not underestimate the potential contribution Canada can make. No one wants to see additional loss of life in Ukraine. What we want to see is peace and harmony, but also freedom of speech, rule of law, democracy and so forth.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, as this is my last chance to get up today, I want to thank all of my colleagues for participating in tonight's debate, for raising awareness, for condemning the Yanukovych regime and the brutality that has been taking place on the streets of Kiev and so many other communities, and letting the people of Ukraine, as well as Ukrainian Canadians, know that we stand in solidarity with them. It was important earlier today that we pass the motion unanimously. That goes a long way in rattling the cages over in Kiev.

We know that tomorrow the Ukrainian parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, will be having a debate. I know that some of their discussions today fell apart again, but at least they are talking. We want to make sure that those discussions continue and, more importantly, that the Yanukovych government and the parliamentarians, the party of regions and the Communist party that supported this resolution that brought in place the draconian martial law that we see today, do the right thing and in good faith repeal that legislation, regardless of where those negotiations stand.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, to join the member in concluding on a very positive note, I say that we acknowledge and want what the people of Ukraine want. The House of Commons today is prepared to speak out in support of the people of Ukraine and respond to the hundreds of thousands of Canadians who want us to take action. All of us will take action where we best can.

I do appreciate that we had the emergency debate today. It was the right thing to do. We wish nothing but the best for the future of Ukraine.

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Joe Comartin]

It being midnight, I declare that the motion to adjourn the House is now deemed to have been adopted.

Accordingly, the House stands adjourned until later this day at 10 a.m., pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).

(The House adjourned at 12 a.m.)