Justin Trudeau

[Housing, January 31st, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to give the Leader of the Opposition another opportunity to apologize for referring to Ukraine disparagingly as a faraway foreign land.

[CBC/Radio-Canada, January 31st, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, supporting journalists and local journalism is extremely important to this government, especially in these challenging times. That is why we introduced Bill C‑18, which will help our journalists operate at all levels.

We will continue to be there to defend an independent, free and professional press. We know that a lot of work remains to be done in these times of uncertainty. Unlike the Conservatives, we will be there to work with all parties interested in protecting journalism.

[CBC/Radio-Canada, January 31st, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, in this era of misinformation, disinformation and the transformation of our digital and media universe, we need a strong CBC/Radio‑Canada to protect our culture, protect our democracy and tell our stories from one end of the country to the other.

We will always be there to stand up for CBC/Radio‑Canada and we will try to make the necessary investments so it can continue to fulfill its mandate to inform, entertain and strengthen democracy here in Canada.

[Foreign Affairs, January 31st, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, this House used to be united in its unequivocal support for Ukraine, and then the Leader of the Opposition disparagingly referred to Ukraine as a faraway foreign land, something for which he has not yet apologized, and demanded that all his MPs, including MPs from the Prairies, where there are strong Ukrainian Canadian populations, vote against a free trade deal that Volodymyr Zelenskyy has deliberately and directly asked Canadians to support. When will he stand up for Ukraine?

[Foreign Affairs, January 31st, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, this House used to be united in its support of Ukraine and in its support of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, yet now we see—

[Foreign Affairs, January 31st, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, the leader of the official opposition has an opportunity to correct the record of him having called Ukraine a faraway foreign land by allowing his Ukrainian Canadian MPs, at the very least, to vote in favour of the renewal of the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement, which is coming up for a vote in the coming days. For those who choose to stand with Ukraine, it is an opportunity to stand in this House and be counted. Why is he muzzling his Ukrainian Canadian MPs?

[Foreign Affairs, January 31st, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, when the Leader of the Opposition refers to Ukraine as some “faraway foreign land”, when he continues to insist that all of his MPs, including Ukrainian Canadian MPs, vote against a free trade agreement that Volodymyr Zelenskyy is asking us to vote for, to support Ukraine, he cannot hide behind the kind of misinformation and disinformation that he regularly peddles.

It is very simple. Will the members of the Conservative Party—

[Foreign Affairs, January 31st, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, Ukrainian Canadians from across the Prairies are begging their MPs to please stand up for Ukraine. Will they do that in the upcoming Canada-Ukraine free trade vote?

[Foreign Affairs, January 31st, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, Volodymyr Zelenskyy came to the House and asked all of us to support Ukraine in its fight for freedom and its economic independence.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked us to support a renegotiation and a renewal of the Canada-Ukraine free trade deal. In this House, everyone except Conservative MPs stood up to support Volodymyr Zelenskyy—

[Foreign Affairs, January 31st, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, the member for Etobicoke Centre is right. Before the holidays, Canadians all witnessed the Leader of the Opposition forcing his caucus members to turn their backs on Ukraine. They turned their backs on fundamental Canadian principles and bowed down to the pro-Russian narrative.

I know the leader will not change his mind, but Ukrainian-Canadians across the Prairies are hoping that at least some brave Conservative MPs will do the right thing and vote with their conscience and their principles.

Let everyone in this House who stands with Ukraine stand up and be counted.