Mr. Speaker, the ribbon I am wearing is a little different from my colleagues' because I got it yesterday during the march in support of the people of Ukraine in Montreal.
People in Montreal, in Quebec, probably in Canada, as well as in major cities and capitals around the globe, stand united in their condemnation of these serious, indefensible acts of aggression, which are driven by the vilest propaganda and disinformation, not to say outright lies. This aggression is the sole doing of a dictator whose only friends are himself, a few oligarchs who must be starting to worry about their bank accounts, and, above all, violence.
The right to self-determination is often viewed as something to be won, for example, with the Scots, the people of Catalonia, the Kurds or the unique situation in Taiwan. It is less common to see this right as something that must not be lost, that people do not want to lose, that they must protect with their voices, their hearts and sometimes, unfortunately, with weapons.
I want to take a moment to acknowledge the people of Ukraine and commend them for their courage. I also commend Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has stepped up to his role and appears to be the driving force behind that courage.
Confronting a dictator like Russia's boss and his fantasies of conquest is a risky exercise. Imposing sanctions is not without risks, but it is still less risky than choosing, as an international organization, to take up arms.
I would like to think that the sheer scope and scale of the sanctions that have been and are being imposed on Russia are having an effect. The closure of airspace, the penalties imposed on the operations and functions of banks, the cutting off of trade, the limitations on oil exports, all of these are having an effect.
Unfortunately, a dictator must not be confused with the people he governs with an iron fist. In terms of consequences, freedom, and enjoyment of life, President Putin's first victim is the Russian people themselves. Inspired, it seems, by some of the worst moments in history, he seems to want to extend his grip.
Therefore, how can we not take action despite the risks, the threats, the bravado, the grandstanding, the verbal attacks and the lies? We must take action.
We were talking about this a little earlier: One of the things I think is important is the need to be a land of welcome. Canada and Quebec are already home to a large number of Ukrainian nationals and descendants of Ukrainians who are watching the situation in Ukraine with the great concern.
However, they are often buoyed by a rising sense of confidence, inspired by the fierce resistance of the Ukrainian army—and of Ukrainian civilians, sports figures, or teachers who are taking up arms to protect a freedom they all rightfully believe in.
The Prime Minister mentioned that one of the things that can be done to help people who will be displaced and will have to go somewhere is to facilitate their future arrival, family reunification and the welcoming of refugees. I am pleased that the House mostly agrees on what Ukrainians need. However, I do wonder why the government has not lifted the requirement for the usual visas.
A little earlier, I gave the example of the tens of thousands of people who crossed the border at Roxham Road. The problem was not the number of people but the lack of officials, efficient immigration reception structures and language instruction, especially for the very large number, if not the majority, of people who remained in Quebec. If we were able to show such compassion for irregular entries that were easy to control, why not do the same in a context of war?
I urge the Prime Minister and the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to reconsider this.
The significant restrictions on Russia's oil exports are among the sanctions and negative repercussions for the Russian economy. I will respectfully repeat that I have a major problem with this. Our national security and that of other countries does not depend on increasing the extraction, transport and trade of oil, but rather on freeing ourselves from this constraint, which continues to be just as dangerous for the planet today as it was two weeks ago.
I want to believe that what I am hearing in the House is not the exploitation of a tragic conflict to benefit western Canada's oil sector, which, in any scenario, with the proposed infrastructure, would not get anywhere before Vladimir Putin himself was relegated to a rocking chair. I urge all members to be wary of this false pretence dressed up as an opportunity.
Certain measures must be considered. Russia must be expelled from all international institutions to which it belongs. That said, I do not see the point of expelling the ambassador. While this may not apply to the Russian president, they do say “weapons or words”. Once talks reopen and economic sanctions produce their results, we are going to need a channel of communication, and that is the role of diplomacy. I think we sometimes have to hold our nose and maintain diplomatic ties.
We will support Ukraine, which wants to be free, wants to remain free. Many Quebeckers can relate to that despite never having experienced anything like what Ukrainians are going through. The Bloc Québécois believes in that for Ukraine as much as it believes in it for Quebec.
I feel I speak for all Quebeckers when I say to the Ukrainian people and President Volodymyr Zelensky that they have our steadfast support and friendship.
