I guess it was Pierre Trudeau at that time.
That is why it is so encouraging that today we are joining together in support of those in the Ukraine who are asking for the right to decide on their own where their country should go. The decisions of where Ukraine should go should not be made in the Kremlin or anywhere else; they should be made by the Ukrainian people. They have the capacity to make their own decisions on where they want to go.
I would like to express my concern. This is compounded by the current economic situation that will not be improved by President Yanukovych shunning the European Union and the west, nor by his disregard for the collective will of the country's citizens.
The government and the people of Canada are determined to assist the development of the Ukraine's economy to help Ukraine to improve its standard of living and to benefit from the freedom of a rules-based economic system, absent of the constraints of corruption and inadequate governance.
The current economic climate is Ukraine is very troubled. In a most recent report, the World Bank has forecast 0% growth for Ukraine in 2013, citing a weak global environment and delays in domestic policy adjustments. The bank cited high fiscal debt levels and a need to proceed with structural adjustments. Indeed, the IMF has characterized Ukraine as off track. As well, Ukraine faces worsening liquidity conditions and a banking sector that shows structural weaknesses, while access to long-term funding for businesses is difficult.
The Ukrainian government's privatization program has also generated concern, as many believe it will only benefit Ukraine's oligarchs. An association agreement and a deep and comprehensive free trade area with the EU could have put Ukraine on the path to economic stability and prosperity. Instead, the Yanukovych government rejected the opportunity.
In the recent news I read, it is very troubling. Berkut cleared out the Maidan, the Independence Square in Kiev, and we do not know what will happen with the tent city that was set up there, but we should all be in support of the people in Maidan in Kiev in Ukraine.