Mr. Chair, first, Canada should use all of the diplomatic resources at our disposal to communicate both publicly and privately to Ukraine our displeasure about the regressive developments that have been cited during the course of this debate this evening, and to put the Ukrainian government on notice that there will be adverse potential consequences for this anti-democratic conduct.
Second, we should help foster NGO sector development, particularly groups that are working there in human rights, education and law reform. Civil society in Ukraine is still a powerful resource and we should stand in solidarity with it.
Third, government to government dialogue is necessary. We should send a Canadian parliamentary delegation to visit Ukraine to meet with our counterparts there and deliver the message of our standing with them in common cause as we deliver the message to the government that it will be held accountable for its actions.
We should engage in appropriate diplomatic interventions with respect to upcoming hearing, such as the Lusenko trial.
We should include human rights protection in free trade talks with Ukraine.
We also should engage in robust election monitoring, particularly in the upcoming October 2012 parliamentary elections, and support the independent media in Ukraine where there are significant threats to media treatment. We should perhaps consider reinstating Radio-Canada international Ukraine programming to ensure that our Canadian values are shared and broadcast in Ukraine.