Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'd like to explore the whole issue of what the government's position is on the provision of lethal weapons to Ukraine and to clarify whether or not the February 14 announcement was an exception to the rule or whether the policy has changed.
Up to Monday, February 14, the day that the emergency powers were invoked, the Government of Canada's position was not to ship lethal weapons to Ukraine because, in the words of the Prime Minister, the solution was “diplomatic”, not military. On February 14, the government announced it would be shipping lethal weapons to Ukraine.
I want to clarify this important issue: whether or not the government is prepared to ship lethal weapons to Ukraine going forward, or whether that February 14 announcement was an exception to the previously stated policy.