Subcommittee on International Human Rights Committee on Dec. 1st, 2025

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Thank you.

I would like to follow up with Veronika.

I firmly believe that everything you set your mind to, you will achieve. I have one more question for you.

You talked about hopelessness in occupied territories. You talked about silence. I wonder if you could tell us why it's so important for any peace agreement to keep the territorial integrity of Ukraine so that people in those occupied territories will be able to have hope that they will still be part of Ukraine.

[Veronika Sheldagaieva]

I guess it's simply because, when people see injustice, they hope for a natural reaction of the world to say, yes, it is injustice. Lots of people, as I did, were losing general hope in the fact that something can be good, not only in terms of politics, but just that good exists.

I know it's a philosophical concept. It's something that can be really vague, but in this case, it's really specific. It's really about the fact that peace is also about speaking up and about the opportunity for people to choose who they are, to self-determine and to not have others decide on their behalf to whom territory belongs, but reflect what people feel and the decisions they make.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Fayçal El-Khoury]

Thank you, Madame Vandenbeld.

On behalf of this subcommittee and all the members, staff and interpreters, we would like to thank our two great defenders of human rights.

You will have a page in the history of defending human rights. Your great efforts are profoundly appreciated by me, my family, all members and, I believe, people around the world. Thank you very much. May God give you a long life, health and good effort to continue to do the greatest job on the planet.

Is it the will of the subcommittee to adjourn the meeting?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Fayçal El-Khoury]

Thank you.

The meeting is adjourned.