Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Thanks for attending, Mr. Plakhotniuk, and joining us today. I'm particularly grateful.
I've been to Ukraine twice in the last couple of years: once in November last year and once in July this year. I hesitate to call what I did a tour, but we were in the eastern oblasts and went all the way down.
I'd like to mention that we, on the Conservative side, are strongly in favour of Ukraine. I know there's been some mention elsewhere that we may not be, but that's not true. The reason we are is in part that the sovereignty of nations is a principle that has been codified here since 1945, at least, and arguably since 1648 with the Treaty of Westphalia. It's the central premise of international law.
Many of the academics I've talked to about Canada and Russia are talking about a state of prekinetic war. That's the term some have used. Others have simply used the word “war” to describe the situation between Russia and Canada right now. There has been a tendency lately toward isolationism in the west. Some people look at it and say, “Well, we're Canada. You're Ukraine. What do they have to do with each other?”
I was wondering if you could explain to us why Canada's defence is necessary, what Canada has to do with Ukraine right now and why we are in danger from the Russians as well.