Mr. Speaker, in 2014, Russia invaded Ukraine. Oleg Sentsov, a Ukrainian filmmaker, who is here with us today, was arrested on trumped-up charges of terrorism and sentenced to 20 years in a Siberian labour camp. In jail, as a protest he undertook a hunger strike, which lasted for 145 days.
Canada, led by our now Deputy Prime Minister, was at the forefront of the international effort calling for his release.
During his trial, Mr. Sentsov once said:
[Member spoke in Ukrainian and provided the following translation:]
I do not know what your convictions are worth if you are not willing to suffer for them or even to die for them.
[English]
As we speak, many political prisoners are suffering in jails in Russia. As we speak, Ukrainian women and men are dying defending their homeland from a Russian invasion.
As Canadians, we share these convictions.
Today, I hope that we draw inspiration from Mr. Sentsov's courage. I hope that we live by the courage of our convictions.