On Parliament Hill

As the Member of Parliament for Provencher, I am deeply troubled by the violence against protesters in Ukraine. It is disturbing to hear that the people of Ukraine are enduring violent oppression for exercising their democratic right to peaceful protest.

I am both outraged by these atrocities and saddened that the people of Ukraine are suffering such injustice. This is why I find Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau’s comments this past weekend to be offensive. When asked for his thoughts on the situation in Ukraine, he responded, “It is very worrisome, particularly since Russia lost in hockey, they will be in a bad mood and we fear Russian involvement in the Ukraine.” These comments were insensitive and I believe that the loss of life in Ukraine is no laughing matter!

On behalf of Provencher, I offer the people of Ukraine my most sincere condolences. My thoughts and prayers go to the family and friends of the courageous individuals who were injured or lost their lives while speaking out for freedom and democracy.

With that said, I applaud our Government’s continued support for Ukrainian protestors and has taken action to let the Ukrainian Government know that violence is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. The Government of Canada has led the world in condemning the oppression by imposing sanctions. On January 28, Canada introduced a travel ban on the regime’s senior leaders. Then on February 20, Canada announced further measures to put pressure on the regime to end the violence. Additional economic sanctions imposed will freeze any assets in Canada belonging to senior Ukrainian Government officials.

On February 18, Canada also announced assistance to provide medical care for Ukrainian activists through a contribution to the International Renaissance Foundation, a Ukrainian non-governmental organization. The assistance includes vital supplies, first aid kits and training.

I am encouraged by media reports stating that Ukraine’s acting government issued a warrant Monday for the arrest of Victor Yanukovych, accusing him of mass crimes against protestors. On Sunday, the Ukrainian Parliament voted to temporarily hand over the duties of president to Speaker Oleksander Turchinov until new elections are held on May 25.

Canada will consult our allies and like-minded nations to build a coordinated path forward and will continue to monitor the situation closely. We will support the Ukrainian people, the constitutional process, and their legitimate leaders as they work to re-establish freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.