Mr. Chair, I thank the hon. member for Edmonton Centre for his question. It is one that gives rise to a lot of discussion.
I mentioned the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. I have attended several meetings over the last number of months and the topic of discussion is about the intention of the strategy that Mr. Putin is following. Some of the strongest experts have said that he is operating tactically and not strategically, that there is no grand plan, that the taking of Crimea was in fact opportunistic, and that all will depend on the reactions from the west and from how resolute the support is for Ukraine, for example, in terms of the kinds of things that NATO was doing. I think the NATO reassurance package has made a difference.
I am not sure there is a master plan. Mr. Putin is opportunistic, I think is the consensus of some the experts, and not predictable in that sense. However, it is important that the sanctions that are there are kept up and kept strong, but also conditional on what Putin might or might not do. I do not think that we will have sanctions forever, regardless of what happens. We may have to start putting some conditions on the sanctions, so that they may change behaviours and make it work.