Mr. Prime Minister, Mr. First Vice Prime Minister, Mr. Ambassador, thank you so much for being with us today. It's an honour to be here. I'm one of the several members of Parliament with Ukrainian heritage, so I'm particularly proud to be here today.
I hearken back to December 2, I think it was, in 1991, when I was a university student, and I recall vividly how Canada was the first western country to recognize Ukraine. I think that was a monumental date in the history of both of our nations. Continuing in that vein, we ratified the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement last year. I believe it was unanimous. Every member voted for that. I think also it was a monumental day for the relationship between our two countries.
I just want to touch on that agreement a little bit, and on international trade between our two countries in general, from the perspective that I think trade and a strong economy are the best ways to strengthen democracy as well. I think Ukraine is ranked 70th among Canada's trading partners right now.
What obstacles are there to trade? How can we work together to increase trade? It's fundamental, not just for the relationship between our two countries, but to helping you strengthen the democracy in your country, and frankly to show the world that Canada and Ukraine have been friends for a long time, and that we remain friends. I think that would be a good way of indicating that friendship globally. I just wonder if there are ways in which we can remove obstacles and improve the trade between our two countries.