Mr. Chair, I do believe it is a very important debate, and I appreciate the opportunity to express a few thoughts and share some ideas that the Liberal Party has come up with.
In Canada, it is estimated that we have over 1.2 million people of Ukrainian heritage. There are literally hundreds of thousands of people who are watching every day as to what is taking place in Ukraine. They care about the future of Ukraine. Whether it is the person on the street or individuals here inside the chamber, that caring attitude is there and it is very real.
I know the foreign affairs critic has had communications with organizations such as the Ukrainian Canadian Congress. We have been kept fully informed of what people from our communities are saying, whether it has been the leader of the Liberal Party or the member for Wascana, and even our new member for Toronto Centre, who has also been addressing this issue that she feels quite passionate about.
I want to start with an event that I attended. The member for Wascana spoke on it, and it was dealing with the issue of the Holodomor, an issue that anyone of Ukrainian heritage, and many more, recognize as a genocide of sorts that occurred during the 1930s. I say it for this one specific reason; I want to be able to quote something that was being circulated at the 80th anniversary. The booklet states, in reference to the Holodomor:
Those who were untouched by this tragedy do not understand us. But they need to understand us. So that our memory of the victims remains eternal. Only then will we not be simply people or a population, but a nation.
This was written by Semen Rak, a Holodomor survivor.
I have had the opportunity to see the memorial in Kiev that is featured on the brochure that was being circulated for the recognition of the 80th anniversary.
I understand and appreciate the resilience of Ukrainian people. Through that resilience, we have something that is happening today, and we recognize what happened in the past, the whole orange wave, the Orange Revolution that was made reference to.
All of that has had a very profound impact on a population in Ukraine that so many here in Canada are following and want to see some sort of positive resolve. We need to come up with ideas and suggestions as to what will ultimately go a long way toward bringing more peace and harmony, thinking, of course, of the importance of issues like the rule of law, democracy and human rights. These are all fundamental principles that we believe are important for everyone throughout the world.
We have seen the carrot dangled in front of Ukrainians for many years, and at times we have seen huge steps forward indicating that Ukraine is on the right track.
I believe that when President Yanukovych decided not to move forward with the EU agreements, we saw a reaction from the population. The population reacted virtually immediately. We saw protests in the square in downtown Kiev in front of government buildings, a square that I personally have had the opportunity to be in. I am very familiar with the surroundings and the emotions that no doubt would be flowing.
These are the types of responses that we have seen, even in the cold and miserable weather at times. People have taken to the streets, not only in Kiev, but in Lviv, smaller cities and in the countryside.
The people of Ukraine are concerned about the future of their country. We are so blessed here in Canada that we take a lot of things for granted. However, we do have something to offer. Whether they are constituents living in Winnipeg North, in Regina, Toronto or wherever it might be, people are following this, and they want parliamentarians to assist in whatever way we can. A part of that means listening to the communities we represent.
That is why the Ukrainian Canadian Congress has played a very strong leadership in informing members of Parliament. I compliment individuals like Taras Zalusky and Paul Grod for the excellent and wonderful job they have done in ensuring that whether a member is the leader of the Liberal Party, members like myself, members of the Conservative Party or the New Democratic Party, we are kept abreast of their point of view on what is actually taking place.
There are many other individuals whom I have had the opportunity to talk with. I can tell the House that there is a consensus forming, which is that we need to emphasize how important it is that Ukraine respects the importance of restraint. It has to allow people to vent their ideas and their positions when things occur, respect peaceful rallies and allow people to get together to protest in a peaceful fashion.
We have to look at where there have already been allegations of serious violations of human rights. There needs to be some sort of investigation that is legitimate and shows we are respecting human rights. From what I understand, we know there has already been some armed intervention on some of the protests. We need to be concerned about that.
We have to be very much aware of the importance of democracy. We have to do what we can to encourage it. We feel very strongly and passionately. I, for one, have had the opportunity to visit and monitor an election at the grassroots level, particularly in Lviv during the last election. The people there value democracy. They value the economic opportunities that could be there for them.
It does not mean that Russia does not have a role to play. It means that we have to recognize that the European Union also has a role to play in the future of Ukraine. Even Canada has a role to play in looking at potential Ukraine-Canada trade agreements. Obviously, it would be with caveats that deal with things such as human rights and democracy.
These are things that we need to look at. We need to maintain the issue of engagement with the different levels of government, whether it is with universities, municipalities, national governments or the many different links that are there. As I said, 1.2 million people of Ukrainian heritage call Canada home. Many of them have family, brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces and so on, who live in Ukraine today. We need to maintain and enhance those communications.
Whether it is the grassroots level or here in this beautiful chamber that we maintain those communications, we should stay engaged and see if we can help our Ukrainian brothers and sisters into the future so they will have a rule of law, democracy and human rights of which all of us can be very proud.