Foreign Affairs committee  I think your last words answer the question. How can you seriously have a referendum with military troops on the ground? One thing that is telling though—and I can provide the site to you—is how swiftly Russians in the Crimea put their names on the petition that I read, which s

Foreign Affairs committee  Your analysis of the situation is correct. It is impossible to plan that type of military movement within 24 hours. Clearly it was planned a while ago. I think that the Russian president did not want to send any armed forces during the Olympic games. As several predicted, as soon

Foreign Affairs committee  Mr. Chair, if I may add just one sentence to this. Over the last three months, various high-level officials from various countries have been in Ukraine or in Euromaidan, and have told Ukrainians, “We are with you”. I think a lot of Ukrainians in Ukraine want to see those words b

Foreign Affairs committee  I think basically it is to move that agenda forward, one that goes beyond just declarations. Declarations had to be made, they were made, and now I think we need sanctions. We need trade sanctions and we need an immediate monitoring mission in Ukraine on the ground.

Foreign Affairs committee  My understanding is that the European Union is tabling an offer of a short-term package and a long-term package. I recall that last week Elmar Brok, the chair of the foreign affairs committee in the European Parliament, stated that a package of about 20 billion euros would be put

Foreign Affairs committee  I think there are discussions. I don't want to put a number for Canada, because there are discussions between the EU, the United States, and the Ukrainian authorities in order to put a package together. The only thing I'd say at this point would be for Canada to push for the disc

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you for the question. Mr. Chairman, we have received various reports today both from the press service of Ukraine's Ministry of Internal Affairs and from the former adviser to President Putin, Andrei Illarionov, to the effect that special Russian forces, dressed as if from

Foreign Affairs committee  I think you answered your own question. I think it's obvious.

Foreign Affairs committee  On the record, the Russian minority in Ukraine is treated as well as a minority is treated by a majority in the best countries.

Foreign Affairs committee  Absolutely. I'm a lawyer, and usually we're not allowed to ask questions to which the witness can only say yes or no because it's so obvious, but I guess that rule does not apply here.

Foreign Affairs committee  Clearly, the biggest risk, the only risk, is a blatant violation of international obligations by a Russian president who is clearly imperialistic and clearly has never accepted Ukraine as an independent country. He thought that he could orchestrate through financial control and t

Foreign Affairs committee  I think Canada played a pivotal role during the three months when the Maidan was fighting a corrupt authoritarian regime in Ukraine. I would be looking for Canada to take the same leadership role in pushing the agenda forward. In terms of that agenda forward, as I always say, w

Foreign Affairs committee  I will send you my speech. However, I would like to mention that the Minister of Foreign Affairs has been to Ukraine twice now. He has seen people and been able to meet with them. The propaganda that extremists have taken power will continue. I learned today that Mr. Yanukovych h

Foreign Affairs committee  When the last elections were held, Canada was very engaged. There were up to 500 observers during some elections. The Ukrainian community in Canada sent the same number of volunteer observers. I believe that at least that many observers should be sent for the next elections, sinc

Foreign Affairs committee  Yes.