Evidence of meeting #121 for National Defence in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was russia.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Konstantine Kavtaradze  Ambassador of the Republic of Georgia to Canada
Ala Beleavschi  Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to Canada
Andriy Shevchenko  Ambassador of Ukraine to Canada
Julie Dzerowicz  Davenport, Lib.
Richard Martel  Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, CPC

12:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Stephen Fuhr

Thank you.

MP Gallant.

12:45 p.m.

Conservative

Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Given that we've heard about repeated incursions and expansions into Georgia by Russia, invasions into Crimea and the Donbas, now blocking the Sea of Azov, the manipulation of the Transnistrian population, the election interference and the daily cyber-attacks of a thousand at a time, including the threat to Canada as we've learned, I'd like to move the following motion:

That the Standing Committee on National Defence invite the ambassador of the Russian Federation before committee to explain his country's intervention in the Republic of Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. That the Committee report back to the House its findings.

12:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Stephen Fuhr

Is there any discussion?

We're going to distribute it.

12:45 p.m.

Liberal

Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON

Mr. Chair, I'd like to ask for a five-minute recess to caucus.

12:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Stephen Fuhr

I'll suspend for five minutes.

12:50 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Stephen Fuhr

Welcome back.

We were discussing MP Gallant's motion, and I would like to yield the floor to MP Spengemann.

12:50 p.m.

Liberal

Sven Spengemann Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON

Mr. Chair, thank you very much.

This is clearly a motion that has significant, substantive import and warrants consideration of the ramifications, for which we don't have time at the moment.

Also, in light of the fact that we have three distinguished ambassadors as witnesses in front of us on a topic of importance, and a conversation has taken place already on that subject, I would move to adjourn debate on the motion.

12:50 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Stephen Fuhr

It's dilatory. We will vote on whether to adjourn debate.

(Motion agreed to)

Madam Gallant, I believe you had about a minute left. Did you want to continue?

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON

I consider that disappointing, given that when there was less of a significant incursion into Canada's airspace, we invited the ambassador from Russia to Canada to appear before this committee and he did give us his fulsome explanation. It's a real disappointment that it looks like there will be no discussion on this. I would have liked to have had that on your behalf.

In any case, cyber-attacks have been a part of the Russian war against Ukraine, and we know that the attacks will be ramping up in advance of the elections. What steps is Ukraine, and Georgia for that matter, taking to counter the cyber-attacks? Do you have any advice for Canada as we prepare for our own elections?

12:50 p.m.

Ambassador of Ukraine to Canada

Andriy Shevchenko

I can add to what we have already discussed on this issue. Right now, we are building very practical co-operation with our western partners in our fight against cyber-attacks.

We understand what objects of critical infrastructure Russia has been targeting. We actually tried to build our defence measures against that together with our western allies. That includes Canada. It's a very important joint experience. It will help, not just us but also our western friends.

12:50 p.m.

Conservative

Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON

For the ambassador—

12:50 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Stephen Fuhr

I'm going to have to leave it there, your time is up.

Mr. Spengemann, you have five minutes.

12:50 p.m.

Liberal

Sven Spengemann Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON

Thank you very much.

At the end of November 2018, Canada hosted the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Halifax. I'd like to acknowledge the work, in particular, of the executive committee of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association chaired by my colleague, Borys Wrzesnewskyj, who is with us.

This committee passed a motion on November 27 with four crucial elements, declaring its unequivocal support via NATO to its ally, Ukraine: to condemn the Russian escalations of the war against Ukraine in the Black Sea; to call upon the Russian Federation to immediately release Ukrainian sailors and vessels; to cease the disruptions to commercial shipping; and lastly, to call upon NATO member countries to apply additional targeted, sectoral sanctions against the Russian Federation, should Russia not take immediate action to de-escalate.

In the context of this motion by the executive committee of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association, I want to put to the three of you the question of the role of parliamentarians in our respective bilateral and multilateral relationships. Feel free to comment on any ideas you have that specifically go outside of the parliamentary engagement on security.

In other words, what, if anything, can we do in the relationship of parliamentarian to parliamentarian to strengthen our connections and our belief in the international rules-based order, and to promote relations between our four countries?

12:55 p.m.

Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to Canada

Ala Beleavschi

The role of parliamentarians is huge. I mentioned the parliamentary assembly that has been created between the three countries, which is a very strong tool to make the concerns of our countries better heard. With regard to the upcoming parliamentary elections in Moldova, I've repeatedly been asking Canadian members of Parliament, and also in my discussions with Canadian officials, to consider sending an observation mission to Moldova.

It would be very much appreciated if the government could also consider the participation of Canadian observers during our elections. I hope that the Parliament of Canada can put pressure on the government to decide on this matter.

We are thinking of how we can involve Canadians more in supporting Moldovans and addressing the threats, especially the hybrid war threats, by developing various approaches that would help us take over best practices and see what we can learn from the Canadian experience.

I know there was an agreement after the G7 summit that Canada would create a special unit that would be considering measures to tackle the threats to democracy. We would really like to see these measures that would take into consideration the threats toward the whole region and certainly, Moldova. Also, listen to us and engage us in a discussion so that we can also make clear our concerns with regard to the democratic processes in Moldova.

12:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Stephen Fuhr

Thank you. We're out of time.

Russian aggression is a problem for global peace and security for all of us. I appreciate that from a hybrid warfare perspective—information, cyber and kinetic—many of the three of you are on the receiving end of all three, which is a problem.

This committee has been open to support you, especially on the information piece by allowing you time to come and tell the world what is actually going on over there. It helps to debunk some of the misinformation that usually spawns from actual physical instances like we saw a few weeks ago with the seizing of those Ukrainian vessels and sailors, whom we desperately want back.

Thank you all very much for coming, and have a nice afternoon.

The meeting is adjourned.