Mr. Chair, while we are meeting tonight, news reports out of Kiev indicate that large numbers of police are once again moving closer to the Maidan. There is no action yet. However, there appears to be large numbers descending on Independence Square and the risk of violence is obviously in the air. That will be of great concern to a great many Canadians, the 1.25 million Canadians who can trace their heritage to Ukraine, 13% of the population of the province of Saskatchewan and even more so, I think, in the province of Alberta.
This is a very troubling situation. We need the means to get the attention of President Yanukovych so he knows the world is watching, the world is deeply concerned and the world is not prepared to turn away or to turn its back.
That is why I make the suggestion of trying to bring together the international community in an effort to develop a set of very targeted, very specific Yanukovych sanctions that are aimed at him, not at the country, not at the people, but at him so he is not free to use his assets with impugnity, he is not free to travel with impugnity and that the world will hold him to account for how he is handling this situation.
I wonder if my colleague from Winnipeg North could indicate his view on that specific suggestion. Canada could not do this alone, but we could in concert with other countries. I do think it would be useful for Canada to start that international dialogue so President Yanukovych will understand very clearly that the world treats this situation in a very serious manner and there will be consequences for behaviour that violates human rights, democracy and the rule of law.