Thank you, Madam Chair. I want to put this on the record. This is another veiled delay tactic designed to save face after the Conservatives voted against the trade agreement yesterday.
This is simply ridiculous. They continue to be called out by the business community, the trade community, industry groups, media, the UCC, Ukrainians and many other stakeholders across the board. This is something that we've heard from witnesses, who all spoke in favour of this. They said they were in support of this trade agreement being ratified as soon as possible. There are many benefits to be seen by industry groups across the board. It's not only going to help Canadian businesses. It's going to help Ukraine rebuild.
Minister Ng was at the Rebuild Ukraine Business Conference on Monday and Tuesday, and she also heard directly from stakeholders who came up to her and thanked Canada for the support because, frankly, this is what Ukraine has asked for. This is what the business community in Canada has been in favour of, and we are going to continue to push forward with this.
I don't know what the Conservatives' obsession with carbon pricing is when these are the same folks who had this in their campaign promises in the 2021 election. Many of their members were talking very proudly about carbon pricing and the impacts it can have: to save our environment, to keep future generations safe, to provide clean drinking water and to make sure we are able to fight pollution. Here you have the Conservatives frankly obsessed with something that's not even factual. They're making things up on the fly as they go along.
It is important for those who are listening and those who are here today to see this. It's just a veiled tactic designed to save face and waste time.
Ukrainians are asking for us to be there. We'll continue to be there. Canada's FTA with Ukraine has very little to do with the adoption and development of a carbon tax with Ukraine. In fact, Ukraine has been using carbon pricing for many years and now with alignments with the EU emissions trading system. Since 2011 Ukraine put forward a carbon tax that applies to CO2 emissions from stationary sources in the industry, power and building sectors, so this is nothing new. In November 2018, as we heard, their parliament decided to steadily increase the carbon tax rate.
It is important that we put on record that it's nothing new to Ukrainians. I'm not sure where this fake outrage is coming from.
We spoke about defence assistance to Ukraine. Canada has provided billions of dollars in defence assistance, from Leopard tanks to armoured vehicles, missile defence systems and training for officers. In fact, we'll continue to be there, as the Prime Minister said, as our government has said, but it's the Conservatives who are delaying support to Ukraine. It is important for the public to see this. I don't know how Conservative members with the Ukrainian diaspora can go out and speak to the Ukrainian community after this, after they are blocking support for Ukraine.
We see it. Industry groups see it. Business groups see it, and I think it is important for those who are watching today to see this fake outrage. I don't know where it's coming from. It seems similar to what's happening in the U.S. with the far right, but they need to actually put their thoughts on the stage because carbon pricing, hiding behind carbon pricing or a carbon tax, is not the way to go, because we all know that Ukraine knows about carbon pricing. They have been using carbon pricing for many years.