Debates of Oct. 18th, 2011

Democracy in Ukraine

[Peter Goldring, Conservative, Edmonton East, AB]

Mr. Chair, it has been asked several times tonight in the debate whether this will do any good and what will make a difference.

When I was in Ukraine, through the 10 days of the Orange Revolution, 500,000 people were in Independence Square day and night. Standing there at midnight, listening to the national anthem wafting up through the snowstorm and up the hills where I was by the Ukrainian hotel, the enthusiasm was there, the regularity was there for the 10 days. The people of Ukraine were there because it was for their democracy. It was for their vote.

When I spoke on the stage at Independence Square to 500,000 people, I told them that Canada was with them. The applause from my comments through the interpreter was absolutely incredible.

I believe then and through the follow-up elections we experienced the pride that the Ukrainians showed that they did know how to do democracy and that they did want to have democratic elections.

Now we come to whether this will have any effect. This will be shown in Ukraine and I believe that in Ukraine they will speak up knowing that Canada is there giving them support.

Does the member think this will help?

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Mr. Chair, absolutely, I think this will help.

I think the eyes of the world are upon Ukraine. I think the government of Ukraine knows that and the people of Ukraine know that. The more we keep repeating that message, the more they will know that we are with them and the more these actions will come to bear.

There are other questions that come about with respect to the trade and investments we are making. However, we need to continue to engage the people of Ukraine and increase those lines of communication. That is our preferred route and we will continue to press those actions.

[Leon Benoit, Conservative, Vegreville—Wainwright, AB]

Mr. Chair, when President Yanukovych was first elected there was concern that he might move Ukraine more toward Russia and away from the west. However, that has not happened and, to me, that just magnifies the importance of Canada helping to put pressure on against the imprisonment of Yulia Tymoshenko and the whole process that led up to that. It is pretty clear to an outsider that this process, arrest and trial were not proper.

I had concerns when the new president was elected but my concerns did not come to pass. However, we now see this. I would like the member to comment on how he sees this situation and on the importance of once again pressuring Ukraine to back off and respect democracy, respect the judicial process beginning with this arrest and this situation.

[Bernard Trottier, Conservative, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Mr. Chair, the hon. member is right. Even Russia is displeased with the actions and the words of the Ukraine government. Basically, the Ukrainian government was deploring the activities of Russia and saying that it acted in bad faith when it negotiated the gas deal.

I think Ukraine is finding itself more and more isolated in the international community. I think there is a certain need for all countries to be, not just economically engaged but to feel accepted in that community. The more we voice those strong words of disapproval and the more we isolate Ukraine, the more we can bring about judicial independence, freedom and human rights in that country.

[Wladyslaw Lizon, Conservative, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

Mr. Chair, in the year that Ukrainian Canadians celebrate the 120th anniversary of their settlement in Canada and the 20th anniversary of the independence of Ukraine the judicial persecution of Yulia Tymoshenko is an extremely troubling development.

Our government has made it clear that we have a serious concern about the apparent bias in the ongoing judicial challenges being faced by Yulia Tymoshenko.

No matter what country we reside in, political persecution is completely unacceptable and the appearance of political bias shows contempt for the rule of law.

From coast to coast, Ukrainian Canadians make significant contributions to our society in business, sports, academia, medicine and numerous other fields. We often need to remind ourselves how hard and long the struggle for basic freedom can be for some of our world's citizens. When reminding ourselves of this, as Canadians we take great pride in knowing that our government is urging the Ukrainian government to strengthen its judicial independence. We also continue to support the efforts of the Ukrainian people to build a peaceful, democratic and prosperous society within their country.

The conduct of the trial of Yulia Tymoshenko does not reflect the due process, fairness or accepted norms that Canadians value in our legal system. The conditions and context of which the verdict was reached and handed down raises deep concerns about the possibility of political motivation being the main factor in the questionable conviction of Yulia Tymoshenko.

The independence, fairness and transparency of this trial bring forward many questions to ask Canadians and citizens all around the world. Canadians pride themselves on being able to promote the strength and growth of democracy, both at home and around the world. We all know that judicial independence and a vigorous political opposition are vital to building a democratic and prosperous nation. However, the development in the prosecution of Yulia Tymoshenko affects all of us and our government is very concerned about the path that the government of Ukraine appears to be taking.

Legislation introduced in the Verkhovna Rada would decriminalize actions of the type included in the Tymoshenko case. The president is now on record as saying that the changes to the criminal code may apply retroactively but would not apply to Mrs. Tymoshenko.

These developments may have serious consequences for our bilateral relationship and for all Canadians who value democracy and the right of law that so many fight and die for and who are standing together with the people of Ukraine encouraging a fair and peaceful end to this unacceptable situation.

I appeal to all democratic nations who hold sacred the concept of democracy and good governance to join with us against the great injustice being forced upon Yulia Tymoshenko.

I am very emotional because I am an immigrant to this country. I was born and raised in communist Poland which is now independent Poland, a neighbour of Ukraine. I can see that old forces are being reborn in that country. These people deserve the best.

I would echo a question that was raised here, that being whether what we are doing here would have any effect on what is happening in Ukraine. It does. We have to support these people. It will encourage them to maintain their fight. It will encourage them to move ahead.

As all members will remember, we supported the Ukrainian people through the Orange Revolution where the election of the president was overturned as a result of the movement in the international community. We have to support the people of Ukraine. They should not feel that they are left alone. We are a democratic country. We must help others achieve the same democratic freedom we have in Canada, the greatest country in the world.

[Leon Benoit, Conservative, Vegreville—Wainwright, AB]

Mr. Chair, having immigrated from Poland, my colleague comes from a country that has an extremely close relationship with Ukraine because at times there has in fact been no separation.

A few days ago the Prime Minister received the top award that could be presented to someone who is not a citizen of Ukraine. At that very time our Minister of Foreign Affairs used some strong language on what this action against Yulia Tymoshenko could mean to the relationship between Canada and Ukraine. He said:

Today’s developments may have serious consequences for our bilateral relationship.

In diplomatic terms, that is very strong language.

Members across are asking what Canada will do. It has already done a lot. It is a process and we have to continue taking steps. We all hope that this take note debate will be an important event in that process.

I ask the member to comment on the importance of the Prime Minister receiving that top award at the same time these other unfortunate events are happening. It seems contradictory. The member would understand what is happening in Ukraine better than most people. I would ask him to comment on that.

[Wladyslaw Lizon, Conservative, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

Mr. Chair, it is tough for me and for many people in the democratic world to watch what is happening in Ukraine.

With regard to the Prime Minister receiving the highest award from the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, it is a great recognition of the government's contribution toward a free Ukraine and freedom in Ukraine.

With respect to the question of what impact what is happening here will have in Ukraine, I can speak from personal experience.

In 1981, I was still in Poland. The communist government in Poland introduced martial law to break up the first independent labour movement in that part of Europe under the Soviet regime. People were glued to their radios and TVs in the hope that the world would support us. The world did support us. Thanks to other democratic societies, Poland was successful. Then Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and other countries were successful in their fight for democracy, as well as Ukraine. We should fight for them all together here as should all democratic countries in the world.

[Peter Goldring, Conservative, Edmonton East, AB]

Mr. Chair, I echo my colleague's comments and will add a bit to them also.

During the Orange Revolution in Independent Square, of all of the Ukrainian flags probably the second most prominent flag was the Polish flag. I interacted with many Polish people during that period of time. Coming back from the Orange Revolution, when it was time to send monitors to Ukraine, I had many meetings with Ambassador Ogrodzinski. We had very good discussions.

I want to underline that Poland was extremely instrumental in helping out both here in Canada and in Ukraine. I believe Walesa was in Ukraine speaking as well. There was very good support.

[Wladyslaw Lizon, Conservative, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

Mr. Chair, Walesa was speaking at the square as was the former president of Poland. However, there were many other democratic leaders who spoke both in Ukraine and outside Ukraine and that was important.

It is important that we support everybody in the world who is fighting for freedom and democracy.

[Jinny Sims, NDP, Newton—North Delta, BC]

Mr. Chair, it is my pleasure to speak in support of the motion put forward by the government for discussion and debate of this issue.

One of the questions that was asked earlier was whether this debate tonight will have an impact anywhere. The very fact that we are having a debate and that parliamentarians are willing to be in the House until the wee hours means that we give this issue significance. We are here because we are concerned about the state of democracy in Ukraine. When democracy is attacked or is undermined in any country around the world it has a ricochet effect on the countries not just around it but also internationally, right around the world.

Today I am hoping that people of Ukrainian origin are listening. If they are not I am sure they will hear about the debate because they have serious concerns. The diaspora from Ukraine exists in huge numbers in Canada. Its members have expressed very clearly through papers they have published that they have grave concerns regarding what is happening in their homeland. They are Canadians now but have kept their connections with their birth country or their ancestral nation and I read in a document produced by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress that it has serious concerns about the undermining of democracy in Ukraine.

We all know that for a democratic system to work there has to be a separation between the judicial and the executive branches. When those two lines get murky, crossed or get into a grey area democracy suffers. One of the underlying institutional legacies or underpinnings of a democracy is to have the executive and the judicial branches separated. That has disintegrated in Ukraine.

When politicians are in power there is room for political debate. We all know that. We engage in wonderful political debate in the House day in and day out. At times we are a bit more passionate. However, that political debate is fundamental to our parliamentary democracy. We share our different points of view. During the electoral process we take part in elections. We express our different platforms. We express our different points of view. In the end, the voters decide.

When voters make a decision to elect a government, in that process they also elect an opposition. That opposition has a critical role to play in a democratic system like ours. In Ukraine it is that system that is being undermined. The leader of the government in power, the president, is using his executive power to punish the opposition for having different points of view. He has done this through the judicial system by direct interference. As we all know, there is only one way to sort out political differences and that is through debate, not by persecution and the court system.

We must ask ourselves what our role is in a place like this. I was delighted to hear that our government representatives have sent a strong message to Ukraine stating that what it is doing is undermining democracy and that is not acceptable to us. A good tack for us to take is to keep talking with that government. We must use diplomacy whenever we can.

We can maybe make gains through the use of diplomacy, but at the same time we do have some cards in our hand. The EU is willing to exercise that card and say that the officials either play nice and start respecting democratic institutions or it is not signing a document right now. It is not saying that it is never going to sign. In a similar way we are in bilateral negotiations with Ukraine right now. We should not say that we withdraw and that we will never have an agreement. However, to go along with what the Ukrainian diaspora has asked us, we should say that any free trade agreement that we sign has to have human rights protections and has to have protections for those who have a different point of view.

That is not us saying that we do not want to have a free trade agreement. What we are trying to say that is we want to influence that. This is a powerful tool that countries like Canada have whereby we can use our influence to further human rights. I would urge our negotiators to do that. Without the protection of human rights and without a rule of law, then we have to question whether Ukraine has a democracy. Those two things are really fundamental.

I am also look at our commitments to Ukraine through CIDA. I notice that in 2009 Canada made Ukraine a focus of its work. We invested millions of dollars to improve economic opportunities for Ukrainians in a strengthened democracy. We need to use and work with the CIDA projects there on the strengthening democracy part. Sometimes we think when we observe elections, which is critical, that is it. However, looking at what is happening in Ukraine, there was a need for some kind of intervention and monitoring long before that. We need to empower NGOs so they can work with civil society to build and strengthen democracy.

Our wonderful parliamentarian project, whereby we brought young people here, are wonderful opportunities to model democracy. Those young kids will take that back to their homeland and they will become strong players right there and then.

I do not think I have heard anyone saying that we need to withdraw all relations with Ukraine, and I am not saying that either. I am saying let us use the tools we have and one of the tools is the free trade negotiations. Let us use that free trade agreement, which is critical for Ukraine as much as it has advantages for us, to gain some protection for human rights.

There is also the money expended through CIDA. Let us look at our mandate, which is strengthening democracy. Let us see how we can use, redirect or focus the work to strengthen democracy by working with civil society organizations.

In a democracy another thing that is absolutely important is protection for the media. The report prepared by the Ukrainian congress talks about the threats to media freedom. When the media is being threatened and it cannot report the news and feel muzzled from reporting what is going on, that is a step toward an authoritarian state. Surely at this time we would not want to further negotiations with an authoritarian state without saying to it that these are the kinds of things we are looking for and want it to take a look at.

Reporters are saying that they are being threatened and they are being quiet. The way licenses are being given out for media outlets, which are tied to the judicial system as well as to the cabinet, also forms a great concern.

There are also human rights abuses and intimidation. This is not just about the leader of the opposition. She is not the only target. There are many others. All of us have a responsibility to advocate for a very strong democracy in Ukraine.

[Peter Goldring, Conservative, Edmonton East, AB]

Mr. Chair, it seems to me that there is a fixation on trade agreements. I would like to ask my colleague this. If the government did put in free trade agreements that democracy and human rights issues would be respected, would the NDP then vote for free trade agreements?

[Jinny Sims, NDP, Newton—North Delta, BC]

Mr. Chair, I do not have any kind of obsession with free trade agreements, just so everybody knows. I can think of many other things with which I would rather have obsessions.

Right now, one of the tools that Canada has in its pocket is the free trade negotiations. From what I am reading, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress is looking to have those rights enshrined. It is not just having the words there. It is actually putting the words into practice.

[Alexandrine Latendresse, NDP, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Chair, I would like to thank my colleague for her excellent speech. It was very interesting. I want to come back to a fairly crucial point in her speech. She spoke about the separation of the executive and the judiciary. Separation of these two branches is truly of the utmost importance to a society.

I would like her to speak more about the many problems this could cause and what historical factors could have caused the line between the two branches to be blurred.

[Jinny Sims, NDP, Newton—North Delta, BC]

Mr. Chair, some members may not know, but I used to be a history teacher. One of the things I have learned through my studies, and as I have looked back at different governments, is that as soon as a government loses the absolute demarcation between the judicial system, the executive system and the executive branch, there is a fundamental undermining of democracy. This is where not only the judicial system has to be separated from the executive branch and the decision-making body, parliament, but also the need to protect freedom of speech and immunity for the media so it can report on what it sees without fear of being persecuted. Absolutely it is a core fundamental for a democratic society.

[Bob Dechert, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Chair, the hon. member heard this evening that last Friday in Toronto the Prime Minister was awarded the highest honour of Ukrainian Canadian Congress, the Taras Shevchenko award. In response to receiving that award, he said as follows:

So to be clear, our government is very concerned about the path the Government of Ukraine appears to be taking. Tuesday’s developments may have serious consequences for our bilateral relationship. The Ukrainian people can count on Canada to stand-up for their liberty. Canada is always ready to help…to help democratic institutions take root, in Ukraine and around the world.

Could the hon. member tell us if she agrees with those statements by the Prime Minister and if she believes that the people of Ukraine will hear those statements?

[Jinny Sims, NDP, Newton—North Delta, BC]

Mr. Chair, I agree with those words. Those were the right words to be said at that time. The Prime Minister of Canada was honoured by the diaspora of people from Ukraine originally. It is the highest honour and it is appropriate that at that meeting he talked about a topic that was kind of the undercurrent and brought it out into the open.

It is because the Prime Minister has taken that position already that I believe it allows us a platform to move forward and put further pressure on the Ukrainian government today. I believe tonight's debate will put pressure on the Ukrainian government and then we will have to look at other ways we can do it as well. Often words are not enough. Sometimes they have to be backed up with something and we have a few tools in our back pocket.

[Leon Benoit, Conservative, Vegreville—Wainwright, AB]

Mr. Chair, I would like to commend the hon. member opposite for her very effective presentation tonight. People of Ukrainian ancestry and Ukrainian heritage in my constituency, even when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union, had close contacts. Many visited family that were unfortunately stuck in the Soviet Union and had been unable to immigrate to Canada. Many immigrated to Canada in the late part of the 1800s.

We saw a progression. At first it was just trying to help their families survive in Soviet Ukraine, then there came a time later. I remember in the early 1980s, Ukraine was still part of the Soviet Union, but at that time some Ukrainian farmers came over to learn about farm business management. I was a farm economist at the time so I did a little work with them. They were trying to learn how to manage a farm. It was hopeless because they did not understand the free enterprise system at all.

Then we saw democracy come. From there, a very slow development I would argue, but hope. Canadians of Ukrainian heritage were visiting more. They saw new hope and things were moving ahead. Now we have this.

On August 6, Yulia Tymoshenko was arrested. By the way, she is a former prime minister, a very prominent political figure and currently a member of the opposition. When she was arrested, this is the statement from the Minister of Foreign Affairs:

Canada is concerned by the apparently politically motivated persecution, and now arrest, of Yulia Tymoshenko. The appearance of political bias in judicial proceedings undermines the rule of law. Canada urges the Ukrainian government to strengthen judiciary independence and continues to support efforts to build a peaceful, democratic and prosperous society in Ukraine.

Then on October 11, the Minister of Foreign Affairs made this statement, “In my recent letter to President Viktor Yanukovych, I urged the Ukrainian government to strengthen judicial independence and capacity”. He went on to say, “Today's developments may have serious consequences for our bilateral relationship”.

The member has already mentioned the trade deal. Specifically, what other actions would she take from here if she were in a position to actually determine what the Government of Canada would do in relation to this situation in Ukraine?

[Jinny Sims, NDP, Newton—North Delta, BC]

Mr. Chair, I will try to answer the question as fully as I can.

Right now what has been done so far is to raise the issue. That has been done both by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The other thing that has been done is this. In the last quote the member read there was a direct hit that bilateral relations were in jeopardy. Those are very calculated steps being taken, and one step at a time. We know that for Ukraine the free trade agreement is a very important agreement, just as being a member of the EU is very important for them.

We do not want to isolate Ukraine. That is not what I am saying. However, we can use that tool. We could also use the tool of some of our CIDA projects to actually support civil society more. In many ways it is when civil society gets strengthened and the strength is internal that it works from that end. Then our job, being another nation, is to work from the diplomatic end using whatever tools we can.

[Bob Dechert, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Chair, I would just like to say at the outset that I will be splitting my time with the hon. member for Souris—Moose Mountain.

I welcome the opportunity to rise today to participate in this significant and timely debate. As members know, Canada has led the international outcry against the conviction last week of former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko. Following the news of her conviction, the Minister of Foreign Affairs issued a very strong statement expressing Canada's concern over the ways in which the arrest, prosecution and conviction of Yulia Tymoshenko were carried out by Ukrainian authorities.

In August, when Ms. Tymoshenko was first arrested, our government stressed that the appearance of political bias in judicial proceedings undermines the rule of law and urged the Ukrainian government to strengthen judiciary independence. In September, both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs wrote to Ukrainian President Yanukovych, again expressing Canada's concern about the process and the appearance of political motivations in judicial proceedings.

Canada is not alone in expressing this dismay. Both the European Union and the United States, for example, have condemned the trial and conviction, speaking of the selective application of justice in politically motivated prosecutions. We owe it to the more than 1.2 million Ukrainian Canadians, who have done so much to help build this country of ours, to make it as clear as we possibly can to Ukrainian authorities that they must respect the fundamentals of human rights and the rule of law.

The terrible irony of this is that President Yanukovych came to power in 2010 in a presidential election recognized as free and fair. This was a real milestone in Ukraine's democratic development. Yet here we find the actions of this administration working to subvert the very institutions that brought it to power.

A double irony is that more than 300 Canadians participated in that electoral process as election observers, in a contribution to Ukraine's democratic development that we have been making since 2004. Our support for the development of democratic institutions in Ukraine is but one example of what Canada and Canadians have done to help build a democratic Ukraine following its independence in 1991. After 70 years of Soviet rule, there was certainly a lot of building to do on the democratic front. To speak of a democratic deficit after all that time is putting it very mildly, to say the least.

What had to be built was not just the institutions and the processes, but all the checks and balances that we take for granted here in Canada, all those instruments that ensure the people's will is respected. What had to be built was a belief in democracy, the belief that people's voices could matter, that “a government must work in the interests of its people, not the other way around”, as the Prime Minister said last year when he was in Ukraine. Such reconstruction takes a long time.

The Orange Revolution of 2004 was one of the first bold and courageous realizations of this power of the people in newly independent Ukraine. Expressing their anger at the political corruption they believed had tainted the presidential elections, Ukrainians in the thousands took to the streets and remained there until those results were tossed out and the election was re-held. We heard from some impassioned speakers earlier this evening who were actually there at that time, and we heard about the reactions of the people of Ukraine to that very important Orange Revolution.

While many of the promises of the Orange Revolution were not met in the years that followed, there was democratic progress with the increased media and political freedoms. It is those fought-for freedoms that are now once again under attack, and the Tymoshenko case is but one of many. More than 12 members and senior officials of the previous government have been detained in criminal probes. In addition to Mrs. Tymoshenko, one former minister has been jailed and another has fled and successfully claimed political asylum in the Czech Republic.

I am confident that such bullying will not win the day. We must continue to urge the Ukrainian government to strengthen judicial independence and to support efforts to build a peaceful, democratic and prosperous society in Ukraine, because our ties with the Ukrainian people are significant.

Who can forget the generosity of the Ukrainian-Canadian community in 1991, which largely covered the cost of the opening of the Ukrainian embassy in Ottawa following its independence? That generosity and principled support is reflected in the support we have provided Ukraine since its independence in 1991.

This support has been provided on all fronts: through aid, and Canada is the fourth-largest donor of bilateral assistance to Ukraine; through military training co-operation programs; and through assistance in helping to reduce the trafficking of nuclear and radiological materials, which are a dark legacy of the Soviet era.

These political show trials designed to intimidate and destroy democratic voices of opposition must come to an end. If the Ukrainian government is serious about tackling corruption, as it claims, then it needs to do so through a transparent process that respects international standards and is clearly and genuinely independent.

As has been pointed out by many commentators, Tymoshenko went on trial for establishing legally binding agreements, the legality of which have not been contested. Making criminal that which is perceived to be a bad or incorrect decision by an elected official, which would seem to be the case in the Tymoshenko trial, is obviously denying the true source of authority—

[The Assistant Deputy Chair, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

Order. We will move now to questions and comments. The hon. member for British Columbia Southern Interior.

[Alex Atamanenko, NDP, British Columbia Southern Interior, BC]

Mr. Chair, I would like to ask that my colleague provide some comments on the following.

Mr. Alexander Turchinov, who is the first deputy head of the Batkivshchina party in Ukraine, said that the latest actions of the Security Service of Ukraine, SBU, are a continuation of the political repression against the opposition and that the latest charges against Yulia Tymoshenko regarding debts owed by the United Energy Systems of Ukraine to Russia are groundless and absurd, and that the new accusations against Yulia Tymoshenko are even more absurd than the failed cases that were announced, forged and investigated over the last year.

Would my colleague agree that there seems to be a pattern of silencing the opposition? We have had examples presented this evening of others. Would my colleague agree that this is sort of the pinnacle of silencing the main person who might oppose the current president in the next election?

[Bob Dechert, Conservative, Mississauga—Erindale, ON]

Mr. Chair, I certainly do agree with the member. I think we are seeing a pattern here, as I mentioned in my remarks a moment ago.

It is not just Yulia Tymoshenko who is being persecuted for participating in the democratic process in Ukraine. There are several others as well. There seems to be a pattern here, and that is why our Prime Minister wrote on October 14 to President Yanukovych and he:

....let him know that I am deeply concerned that the conduct of Tymoshenko's trial does not reflect accepted norms of due process or fairness. We all know that a vigorous political opposition and judicial independence are vital to building a democratic and prosperous Ukraine. Canada will support Ukraine whenever it moves towards freedom, democracy and justice.

However our foreign policy is rooted in principle and in the defence of freedom. As the member has pointed out, these other cases seem to fall against the principles of democracy and freedom, and we will oppose them as well.

[Wladyslaw Lizon, Conservative, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

Mr. Chair, I would like to remind all my colleagues in this House that in the case of Ukraine, we are dealing with people who are not playing by the same rules as we are used to in democratic countries. These are people who are using the judicial system to get rid of political opponents, to get rid of the free press and to get rid of people who have different views. We have to realize that.

If we have to take decisive action, as a democratic country, we should not be afraid to take it. I would like my colleague to comment on this.

[Bob Dechert, Conservative, Mississauga—Erindale, ON]

Mr. Chair, just a few moments ago the member for Mississauga East—Cooksville made a very impassioned speech here.

This is a gentleman who knows of what he speaks. This is a man who lived under Communist oppression in Poland and who came to Canada with his dreams of freedom and democracy. He told us this evening that the people of Ukraine will hear our words and that it will hearten them, embolden them to stand up for freedom in their country.

I just want to take this opportunity to thank him for those words. Those are words that I could not have said myself, not having lived under the system in which he once lived. I think that people across Canada should hear those words and realize that the things we are saying here in the House of Commons this evening and that all Canadians are saying about this terrible attack on democracy in Ukraine will bring some comfort to our friends in Ukraine. Canada will stand with them at this time and demand freedom, democracy and the rule of law in Ukraine.

[Ed Komarnicki, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

Mr. Chair, it is certainly a privilege and honour to speak with respect to this motion that expresses concern regarding the ongoing erosion of democracy in Ukraine, including the most recent politically motivated, arbitrary prosecution and conviction of former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko by Ukrainian authorities. There is no question that this is a very important motion and debate taking place.

I had the opportunity to visit Ukraine and take part in the monitoring of elections. I was of the view that Ukraine had turned a corner and was well on its way with respect to democracy and justice.

I also count it an honour and a privilege to speak today because my grandfather, Nicolas, originated from the Ivano-Frankivs'k area in the southwestern part of Ukraine. He came here searching for democracy and freedom. It is something to be cherished for sure.

When we were there for the monitoring of the elections prior to 2010, it was impressed upon me that Ukraine had the opportunity to go forward. Ukraine had the opportunity to be an example of what can happen. When a government leads in a democracy, it means leading for the good of the people and not for the good of oneself. We can see that it had that potential.

One of the tenets of a democracy is the fact that one has to be able to lose in a fair and free democratic election. One cannot choose to silence opponents by placing them in jail, threatening them or targeting them. It just does not work that way.

Some of the fundamentals of democracy are the right to a fair trial, the right to be presumed innocent and the right to have a trial, so that those watching could say that not only was justice served but it was seen to be done. We cannot have the suspicion that follows a targeting of a number of individuals who were political leaders.

Yulia Tymoshenko was the leader of the largest opposition political party in the Verkhovna Rada. She was also the prime minister in 2005 and from 2007 to 2010. These are people who held public office and made decisions while in public office.

The Prime Minister stated in his address to the Canadian Ukrainian Congress:

...we know that a vigorous political opposition and judicial independence are vital to building a democratic and prosperous Ukraine.

Those are the two pillars that are very important in a democracy. We have a challenge to the political opposition using the tools of government and the tools of the judiciary. In fact, if it is the judiciary itself stifling that opposition, then we are on a backward path. It is something that should not be allowed to happen.

It was good that the Prime Minister wrote to President Yanukovych. He wanted to let him know that he was deeply concerned that the conduct of Tymoshenko's trial does not reflect the accepted norms of due process and fairness.

When we look at the sentence that was handed out, seven years, it is quite remarkable, given the upcoming parliamentary elections in 2012 and presidential elections in 2015. How can they be declared free and fair elections if the leaders of the two opposition parties, including the leader of the official opposition, are not able to participate? It is unthinkable.

However, this is only the tip of the iceberg. When we look at what happens to the freedom of the press, freedom of assembly and freedom of speech, we see they are all being stifled. When we look at what has happened to the political leaders in broad daylight, we see it is a symptom of something deeper that is taking place throughout society and that must not be allowed.

During the Orange Revolution we saw hope and aspiration to a great nationhood by the people who were there. That same hope needs to be rekindled. Although there has been a step or two backward, they must go forward. There were ideals of freedom and democracy that were expressed in the Orange Revolution, and I think this must go ahead.

What is important is that the young people who were there--the impressionable people--those who have tasted democracy and freedom--cannot go back. As I speak to them, they must not go back. They must go forward.

For those who are in positions of leadership or authority, it is not too late to rectify the wrong that has been done. It is not too late for those who have been sentenced to have those sentences changed under an appeal or otherwise so they can participate in an election. It is time to go forward, not backward.