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Results: 301 - 360 of 544
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, I would like to very sincerely thank the member opposite for raising the issue of the energy ratchet clause. That is something I have been looking at closely with my officials. If and when NAFTA negotiations begin, I think that is certainly something—
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, let me start with chapter 19. This is a very important chapter for Canada. We have all spoken a lot about softwood lumber, and the chapter 19 tribunals are a very important place for Canadian companies to establish their rights. That is going to be a strong Canadian position now and going forward.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, I have, for a long time, been clear that there are significant issues with ISDS provisions in many trade agreements, and the Canadian experience shows that. Having said that, when it comes to specific negotiating goals, we are going to keep our powder dry, just to the point—
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, this gives me a chance to go back to the labour point, and I think the fact that Canada has now committed to ratifying this final ILO convention is a moment worth celebrating. That is something that we can support together, and it does show our government's commitment to labour rights and international obligations.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, I very much share the member's view that Canada and Canadians benefit from a border that is thin, a border that is easily crossed, a border that has very strong infrastructure. Our government is absolutely committed to building infrastructure and working in partnership with our American allies to facilitate crossing of the border, and I discussed that at some length yesterday and the day before in Washington.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, on that question I am going to defer to my colleague, the Minister of Natural Resources, who has responsibility. We are working on a plan, and I know he will share it soon.
I do want to come back quickly to the labour mobility point just to say I strongly support—
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, I want to start by thanking my parliamentary secretary for his extremely hard work on this file. We can all agree that he has been leading an exemplary effort, particularly in parliamentary engagement. I certainly heard a lot of praise for his exceptional efforts when I was in Washington this week from both our own diplomats and our American counterparts. Therefore, I would like to thank him.
There was a bit of joking about the difficulty of the questions from my parliamentary secretary, so I cannot resist reminding the members opposite of a line that I think is attributed to Winston Churchill. Someone once said to him, looking across the House, that those were the enemies across the aisle, and he said, “No, those are my adversaries. The enemies are behind me.” Of course, that is not the case in this House in either direction.
I want to talk a bit about what has really been an exceptional effort by us all to engage with our U.S. neighbours and partners. So far, we have engaged with 220 political leaders, including 11 U.S. cabinet members, 150 members of Congress, and over 35 governors and lieutenant-governors. I do not know how—
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, as we have just heard, Canadians have known for a long time that the parliamentary secretary is a fantastic soldier. We are now learning that he is a terrific salesman for Canada, and I think we should all be grateful to him for his eloquence, some of which we have just heard.
One of the things that we have all been spending some time talking to our American partners about is making sure they are aware of the depth and importance of the economic relationship with Canada. As Canadians, we all appreciate that we tend to think about the United States and are a little more aware of the United States than it is about us. That is what happens when we are one-tenth the size. As the parliamentary secretary has just mentioned, what really is surprising and gets the attention of Americans is pointing out that we are by far the largest client of the United States.
We read a lot and hear a lot in the U.S. media about China. However, the reality is that the single largest market for the United States is Canada. That is an important point to ensure our American partners appreciate, and something that I think all of us have been explaining very effectively on our many trips and engagements with the United States.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, I would like to thank the member for Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman for his hard work in general, but also very specifically on Bill S-226. The member has been working on this for a long time. This is really a special moment when we can come together in support.
I want to join him also in acknowledging the hard work of our colleague Senator Raynell Andreychuk. This is an example of not only cross-party collaboration, but also an example of the Senate and the House working together.
I want to thank the member for Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman for joining me in celebrating the pioneering work of our former colleague Irwin Cotler, who has really been a leading voice on this. I am glad to be able to recognize him for that.
I also want to underscore that I was particularly glad to hear the member for Laurier—Sainte-Marie also acknowledge in her remarks that she supported Bill S-226. To me, that augurs well for us getting the support of the whole House.
The member for Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman is absolutely right. I discussed with him just today the fact that there were some amendments, largely of a technical nature, that we would like to discuss with him. The cross-party support that was demonstrated in the committee's report and in our discussions today can really be carried through with some of those amendments.
We would like to discuss some technical amendments to make this work better. For example, as we know from problems we have had with no-fly lists, it is important that when someone is put on a list, there be some right of appeal. Believe it or not, government officials, even MPs, can get things wrong sometimes. I know that is astonishing. It is important to have a process that allows people to appeal.
There are some other technical amendments, but I do not have time to mention them right now. I would be happy to do so later.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, I am very aware of the research which the member opposite refers to. I would also like to commend Canadian journalists. They have done a really good job reporting on this. They have captured the attention of a lot of Canadians and have made us aware in ways that many Canadians may not have been previously that our country also has been used as a haven for ill-gotten gains of corrupt foreign officials. That is something which no Canadian can support, and that is the reason Bill S-226 will have not only, I hope, unanimous support in this House, but also support across the country.
In terms of providing the resources to be sure that once we get the legislation in place we are able to act on it, I and the government have every intention of doing so.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, through you, let me just say to the member for Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman I am well aware that I have many flaws, as do all mortal people, but appeasement of Russia is not something I have often been accused of.
I do believe it is important for Canada to be able to have frank conversations with the Russian government. In Fairbanks, Alaska, last Wednesday and Thursday, I had the opportunity to speak with Sergey Lavrov, the Russian minister of foreign affairs, and I plan to continue to do so. It is important for Canada to have a voice and to speak directly with Russia.
I was very clear in those conversations that, as I said earlier this evening, we stand very strongly with Ukraine and are very strongly opposed to the invasion of Ukraine and annexation of Ukrainian territory, not only or even not principally because of the shared Ukrainian heritage of some members of Parliament, but because this is a violation of the rules-based international order. That is why Canada and our G7 allies and our NATO allies have to say that cannot stand.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, I would like to, again, thank the member for Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman for his focus on Ukraine. This is an issue in which Canada is engaged not only in our bilateral relationship with Ukraine, and in our direct conversations with Russia, but in collaboration with our partners. In fact, as we can see not only from our readout, but from the readout of secretaries Tillerson and Mattis, it is an issue that came up on Monday night at our supper in Washington. Canada can play a very strong and important role on the Ukraine issue in a way that supports our friends and allies in Ukraine, and also helps to reinforce the international rules-based order.
As the member opposite knows, the Minister of National Defence and I were pleased to extend Operation Unifier. I want to acknowledge here that this was the right thing to do for the previous government, to put that in place, and we were glad to continue that work. As the member opposite also knows well—
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, four hours seems like a long time, but I am finding I do not have enough time to say everything I need to say. I just want to go back for a moment, if I may, to some of the previous comments.
The member opposite and I agree about many things, but I want to underscore perhaps a point of difference, and that is to say how grateful I am for the fantastic work that Minister Dion did as foreign minister, and in a very distinguished career in public service in Canada.
As foreign minister, he really stepped up Canada's international role. He created some very important paths for dialogue, and raised our presence in the world. I want to say how honoured I am that I will have the opportunity to work with him as ambassador. He is going to represent all Canadians extremely well. I really wanted to get that on the record.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, we are strongly committed to peacekeeping. That was a campaign commitment, and something all Canadians strongly support. Canadians also believe that is a big decision that needs to be made very carefully. Whenever we put our troops in harm's way, we have to be very thoughtful about where that happens. We are fully committed, and we are going to make the right decision.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, it is really late and we have already had mention of the Senators and the Leafs. I went to high school in Edmonton and my heart was broken when the Oilers were knocked out last Wednesday—
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, I want to assure the member opposite that none of his constituents will mind us talking about the Oilers.
Saudi Arabia's membership on the Commission on the Status of Women was chosen by the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Canada, as the member opposite knows well—
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, as I was explaining, we are not on the UN Economic and Social Council, so we did not have a vote. Saudi Arabia's regional candidacy was not contested.
That said, we are going to be very clear. We will never hesitate to—
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, I am personally very seized with the issue of the Rohingya. It is something I am very focused on. In fact, shortly after becoming minister, I made a point of getting in touch with the UN special rapporteur on this issue, Professor Yanghee Lee. It is something Canada and my department are focused on. We have provided $4.3 million in support. We are on this one.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, let me speak for myself and my own engagement. This is something I am absolutely focused on. I have taken a direct personal interest and have spoken with people who are directly focused on this issue. My department is supporting the Rohingya refugees. They are, indeed, a persecuted ethnic and religious minority, and they have Canada's support.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, we as a government have been very focused on this issue with our counterparts around the world, at the UN and diplomatically.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, I very much share the concern of the member opposite for justice in Sri Lanka, and we have many members in this House, including active members in our own caucus, who are extremely focused on it. It is something that our officials are working at, that our MPs are working at, that we have been focused on in international fora and directly.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, I think I was very clear. The issue of justice in Sri Lanka is one that our government is very focused on, that members of my caucus have been extremely active on, that I have instructed my officials to work on very—
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, I thought the member opposite or one of the members opposite might ask about that.
As the member may well know, this is an old loan dating back to 1975. In 1982, Cuba began repayment, but stopped making payments in 1986 because of the financial situation. In December of 2015, members of the Paris Club creditors, a group that includes allies such as the U.K., Australia, France, and Japan, decided that the thing to do was to reach an agreement with Cuba to forgive the debt. We—
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, as the member opposite knows, we are very focused on the plight of the Yazidis. We are very focused on them as refugees. We are working hard to help some of the most vulnerable victims of Daesh, with the focus on Yazidi women and girls, to move to Canada. Our work in—
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, let me reiterate. Our support for the Yazidis is clear. Our support for the Yazidis is recognized in our support for them as refugees. I do want to recognize the work of the member for Calgary Nose Hill, who has worked hard on this as well. Our work in Iraq focuses on helping the most vulnerable, and that very much includes the Yazidis, with a particular focus on women and girls.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, absolutely we have. My focus on the Yazidis was just a question of limited time. We are very focused on the plight of the Assyrian Christians.
I would also like to mention the Coptic Christians in Egypt who are suffering a very difficult situation and have our government's full support.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, my excellent parliamentary secretary, the member for Mississauga Centre, whose work I had hoped to have an opportunity to recognize this evening, has just reminded me that one example is the statement which he made in this House recognizing and advocating for persecuted religious minorities, very much including Christians.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, let me offer Mr. Chang, his family, and the member opposite a very strong personal assurance from me that we are following this case closely. We absolutely are focused on it. We absolutely appreciate and believe that this is a case that Canada must be, and is, involved in. We are in contact with the local Chinese authorities in an effort to resolve the matter. It is absolutely a case that has our attention.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, as the member opposite knows, Canada is very focused, as I have said in my previous answers, on the rights of persecuted minorities, including, but not exclusively, religious minorities.
I spoke earlier today and was pleased to do so about our support for the persecuted homosexual and bisexual men of Chechnya. I hope we would all agree that is another group that is worthy of our support.
When it comes to Africa, we heard from my colleague, the Minister of International Development about a lot of the great work that our government is doing there.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, let me give some examples. We strongly believe in the support of human rights and of the rights of minorities, from funding the Lifeline Project and directing all of our ambassadors to empower human rights defenders, to supporting reconciliation efforts in Sri Lanka, and to having active and ongoing consultations with human rights activists, very much including religious leaders around the world.
Our government is absolutely committed to this issue. I do want to emphasize that we believe in supporting the rights of persecuted religious minorities, but not only those. We believe in supporting the rights of minorities who are persecuted also.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Madam Chair, I want to say that we, and I personally, fully support the right of persecuted minorities very much, including religious ones. That is something I am proud to speak out about in Canada and abroad.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, it is important to keep in mind that the agreement expired on the Conservative government's watch. The U.S. Department of Commerce's countervailing duties are punitive and unfair. We will go before the courts, and we will win, just as we have every time.
We are working closely with the provinces and their representatives. We want a good deal, not just any deal.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, let me tell you who were some of the government's guests at Come From Away. One of them was Claude Elliott, the mayor of Gander, who oversaw the set-up of the emergency operations. Another was Derm Flynn, the mayor of Appleton, who hosted passengers in his own home. Another was Diane Davis, a former teacher who organized her co-workers, students, and volunteers into housing nearly 800 people. I am proud of the work of these Canadians and I was proud to help showcase this.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, let me tell you about some of the other great Canadians whose work and generosity and greatness of spirit was honoured and recognized at that Come from Away showing. Beulah Cooper was there, whose generosity led her to be nicknamed “Florence Nightingale”. Oz Fudge is the municipal police officer who recreated Disney World for stranded terminally ill children, and Brian Mosher is a high school teacher who put together 12 live shows for local cable. I was proud to stand with these Canadians and see their greatness honoured.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I will tell you what getting serious means. Getting serious means working incredibly hard in a whole-of-government approach and an approach that has been bipartisan to reach out to our U.S. allies and neighbours and be sure they understand our Canadian values and the history of our close relationship. That is getting serious, and getting serious is honouring the great people of Newfoundland.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, our government is absolutely committed to working hard to advance the Canadian national interest and Canadian values around the world. We have focused in particular over the past few months on our relationship with the United States, with a huge effort involving, yes, our colleagues on the other side of the House in reaching out to our American partners and neighbours. Canadians know that this effort is absolutely essential, and I want to thank our diplomats for the hard, creative work they are doing to support us.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, the best way to advance human rights and consular issues in Iran is by talking directly with the regime. By raising these issues directly, we are holding Iran to account. That is what I did yesterday in my conversation with the foreign minister and what our officials will do this week.
Let me be clear. We oppose Iran's support for terrorist organizations, its threats toward Israel, its ballistic missile program, and its support for the murderous Assad regime in Syria.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, we are maintaining our commitment to protect Quebec's forestry regime, and we will vigorously defend the interests of the softwood lumber industry.
As I told the Quebec minister, Ms. Anglade, and Richard Garneau last week, our forestry industry has never been found guilty. As I always say, we are seeking a good deal for Canada, not just any deal.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the softwood lumber agreement, speed is not what matters. What matters is to have a good agreement for Canada and Quebec. As I always say, and as Quebeckers and Canadians know full well, we are right on this issue. I am absolutely convinced that our forestry regime is just fine. We are prepared to defend, work, and even fight for our industry.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, Come from Away celebrates the warmth, generosity, and cultural accomplishments of Canadians. The tickets were purchased at a significant discount, and our guests included the brave, inspiring volunteers from Newfoundland. We were proud, as Canadians, to showcase our national values and our cultural accomplishments at this—
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I am so proud of the response of the people of Newfoundland to the tragedy of 9/11. It was a heartwarming demonstration of Canadian values. I am equally proud of the great work of Canadian artists in showcasing those Canadian values. I was very proud to be there, seeing our values, our warmth on stage, and you should be proud that Canada was showcased that way too.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, the protection of human rights is an integral part of our government's foreign policy. Canada and China are not extradition partners, and there are no extradition treaty negotiations. As with all cases internationally, our government's commitment is to the protection of human rights, the rule of law, and due process.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, it was the Conservative government that allowed the agreement to lapse.
The countervailing duties imposed by the U.S. commerce department are punitive and unfair. We will challenge them before international tribunals and we will win, as we have in every previous case. I repeat, we want a good deal for Canada, not just any deal.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, Stéphane Dion is a great Canadian public servant, statesman, and, above all, patriot, who did tremendous work to keep our country together. I am confident that Stéphane Dion will do an equally outstanding job representing our country in Europe. I must say I have heard personally from Europeans, including Chancellor Merkel, including Federica Mogherini, how delighted they are to have Stéphane Dion there. For me, it is an honour to work with him.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, as I already said, Stéphane Dion has always fought for a better country for all Canadians. Mr. Dion understands the transatlantic relationship that we have with our European allies and he will be able to advance our interests and our common values.
It is a privilege for me to work with Mr. Dion, and I know that our European allies, like all Canadians, have the greatest respect for him.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I would rather characterize the appointment of Stéphane Dion, an outstanding Canadian, to this essential role as a spectacularly good decision.
Stéphane Dion has fulfilled, over many years, many roles in the service of Canadians with honour, dignity, and intelligence. He will do the same thing in Europe. We should all be proud that he will be there for us.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, Canada is a steadfast friend and ally of Israel, as I was honoured to say at the World Jewish Congress in New York last week. I will be delighted to repeat that tomorrow at the Israeli embassy, where I will be the guest of honour at the Independence Day celebration.
I believe the member opposite was speaking about the UNESCO action. I want to be clear that we object to any attempt to unfairly single out Israel for criticism, including in multilateral forums like UNESCO.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, let me clarify UN procedure. The United Nations Economic and Social Council chooses the members of its Commission on the Status of Women. Canada is presently not a member of this council and could not vote in this election. Saudi Arabia's regional candidacy was uncontested. Our government's position is clear. We will never hesitate to defend human rights, very much including women's rights.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, the member for Thornhill has asked what it means for our government to be a feminist government and have a feminist foreign policy. Let me say what it means. I was so proud of the Prime Minister and the Minister of International Development on March 8, International Women's Day, when we announced $650 million for women's and girls' sexual and reproductive health, including access to safe abortions. That is feminism in the world.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, it was the former Conservative government that allowed the agreement to expire. We are now dealing with the fifth softwood lumber dispute. Our workers and producers have never been found guilty. We strongly oppose the decision by the U.S. Department of Commerce to impose an unfair and punitive tax. The charges are unfounded. We will continue to raise this issue with the United States. I want to point out that we want a good agreement for Canada, not just any agreement.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to inform the member opposite that this morning I spent 45 minutes on the phone with Wilbur Ross, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, talking about the softwood lumber issue. We are very closely engaged with the U.S.
I also want to say, not only to the member opposite but to all Canadians, that while we are actively engaged in negotiations, we are also concerned about supporting our industry, and in the interim we will not let the threat of countervailing duties weaken our negotiating position.
We want a good deal, not just any deal.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-47, An Act to amend the Export and Import Permits Act and the Criminal Code (amendments permitting the accession to the Arms Trade Treaty and other amendments).
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member that it was the Conservatives who did not sanction Mr. Yakunin in 2014 and 2015.
Now Mr. Yakunin is no longer in power, just like the Conservatives. This is an important reality. As for our position vis-à-vis Russia, I think all members in this House would agree with me when I say that our government’s opposition, as well as my own as Minister of Foreign Affairs, remain very strong.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, let me remind my hon. colleague of what the leader of his party said when Stéphane left the House. She described him as a Canadian who understood the issues in minute detail and was prepared to vigorously defend his positions.
As for the orders in council, it was a procedural step, and each appointee will receive two orders in council.
The Prime Minister and I heard in Europe a couple of weeks ago of the highest respect for Mr. Dion. We are honoured to have him represent us.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Speaker, speaking on behalf of our diplomats and our fine ambassadors, to be an ambassador serving Canada around the world is no consolation prize. It is one of the highest honours that we can confer on a Canadian.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Chair, I want to thank this House for the opportunity to lead this important debate on the extension of Operation Unifier, a critical part of our assistance to support Ukraine sovereignty, security, and stability. I am confident that all hon. members will support Canada's ongoing efforts to support the people of Ukraine and to help them defend their territory.
Earlier this month, the Minister of National Defence and I were pleased to announce the extension of Unifier until March 2019. The extension means that Canada will continue to support the professional development of the Ukrainian armed forces, an institution that is essential for the sustainable stabilization and development of Ukraine.
Canada is deploying approximately 200 Canadian Armed Forces personnel to Ukraine until the end of March 2019. Canadian Armed Forces members will come from all parts of Canada, bringing with them their unique skills and capacities in support of Unifier training programs.
Last summer, together with the Prime Minister, I had the honour of visiting our troops and seeing them in action, in Yavoriv, working with their Ukrainian partners. I was proud and I was impressed. We are privileged to have them represent us in Ukraine. On behalf of this House, on behalf of the government, I would like to say to all of our troops in Ukraine, we thank them very much. Dyakuyu.
Many members in this House know that the people of Ukraine have very close ties with the people of Canada. Diversity is our strength. In fact, our countries have enjoyed a close relationship going back more than 125 years. The first two Ukrainian settlers, and members can imagine how brave they were, arrived in Montreal on board the steamship SS Oregon in 1891. This marked the beginning of many waves of Ukrainian immigration to Canada, waves that would help build some of the most vibrant and caring communities across our country.
Ukrainian immigrants played a particularly important role in settling the Canadian prairies, where I, and many members of this House, grew up. Our Ukrainian-Canadian community played a central role in creating what I considered to be one of Canada's greatest political ideas and accomplishments: multiculturalism. There are now over 1.2 million Canadians of Ukrainian descent.
However, Canada's support for Ukraine goes beyond the strong and long-standing human ties between our countries. We support Ukraine because of our values. We support Ukraine because we support democracy. We support Ukraine because we support the sanctity of borders. We support Ukraine because we support the international rule of law.
Today Canada stands alongside Ukraine in defending its borders and sovereignty against illegal acts of aggression. Canada has led its G7 partners in condemning Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea and the invasion of Crimea. We continue to take action to help the people of Ukraine defend their country and to stabilize and rebuild their economy. Canada has imposed sanctions against Russian and Ukrainian individuals and entities and has announced more than $700 million in assistance to Ukraine and more than $240 million in development assistance.
As Canadians have heard from the Minister of National Defence and from me, the extension of Operation Unifier will support the professional development of the Ukrainian armed forces, who are essential in deterring aggression and creating a safe space for the sustainable social and economic development the people of Ukraine need and deserve.
Last summer I was honoured to sign, in Kiev, in the presence of our Prime Minister and Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko, the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement. I am delighted and grateful that it was unanimously supported by all members of this House.
These measures, taken with strong cross-party support and with strong support across our country, are working. The Ukrainian economy has overcome the shock of this ongoing conflict and has actually been growing for the past year. Foreign investment, including by such Canadian flagships as Fairfax Financial, is resuming.
Decentralization, supported by our local economic development programs, is putting resources into the hands of grassroots communities, resulting in modernized hospitals and social services. An honest and trusted new police force, with a significant female presence, is on the streets of the country's 32 biggest cities, thanks in part to the great work of committed Canadians, like Montreal's Natalia Shuster, who I was pleased to meet in Ukraine last summer.
Canada's support for Ukraine has only grown stronger in the face of unprecedented challenges to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity stemming from Russia's illegal invasion and annexation of Crimea in March 2014 and its ongoing support to the separatists in eastern Ukraine.
We were in opposition at the time, but I and my party were pleased to support the government of the day when Canada joined the international community in immediately condemning Russia's occupation of Crimea, and we supported United Nations General Assembly resolution 68-262, which affirmed the General Assembly's commitment to the territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.
Canada has also imposed sanctions against key officials involved in the annexation. Additional sanctions related specifically to Crimea were subsequently introduced. Most recently, in November 2016, our government imposed sanctions against an additional 15 individuals, including six who were elected to the Russian State Duma from the illegally annexed territory of Crimea.
Let me be very clear: Canada does not and will not recognize Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea.
We have also been clear that we will continue to strongly condemn Russia's continued support for the separatist insurrection in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine. The sharp rise in violence in and around Avdiivka earlier this year reminds us that the civilian population in the conflict zone pays a heavy price. An estimated 20,000 people had to go without electricity, potable water, or heating when temperatures threatened to drop to -20 degrees Celsius. That is why it was possible for Ukrainians to come to Canada.
We will continue to pressure Russia, including through the current sanctions, to fully implement the commitments it made under the Minsk agreements and use its influence on the separatists to meet its obligations.
The ultimate goal of our support is to promote the security, stability, and prosperity of Ukraine.
We will continue to build on the solid foundation that we have established with Ukraine and we will continue to engage in a rich and mutually beneficial partnership based on common values and a commitment to regional and international security.
When I was Minister of International Trade, I had the honour of attending the signing of the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement. Now, as Minister of Foreign Affairs, I look forward to exploring opportunities to further strengthen our close and mutually beneficial relationship with Ukraine.
One of my favourite Ukrainian poets is Ivan Franko, and one of his great poems is called To the Big Moment. In that poem he writes, “Let every one of you be ready for the great moment”.
This really is Ukraine's great testing moment. I think the people of Ukraine are showing themselves to be ready and I am proud that the people of Canada are showing themselves ready to support the people of Ukraine.
In this House we often disagree. Indeed, one of the reasons we are here is to highlight for Canadians the differences between our parties. However, when it comes to the issue of Ukraine and the issue of the values we are standing for in supporting Ukraine, all of us are united. This is truly not a partisan issue, and I am glad to be here to speak up for Ukraine and for Canada's support for Ukraine.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Chair, I would like to thank the hon. member for Parry Sound—Muskoka for his very strong and long-standing support for Ukraine and for taking a position on this issue in particular which does rise above partisanship. I am pleased to acknowledge that here, and it shows how the House can be a really great and strong place in support not only of Ukrainian democracy but Canadian democracy.
On the issues that the member opposite raised, I would like to join with him in highlighting the very important work that many Canadian members of civil society are doing in supporting the people of Ukraine, particularly on the medical side. We all have people in our constituencies who are providing humanitarian aid and doctors who are working there. I was in touch with one woman in my constituency yesterday who is involved in such an effort, and we should salute those private efforts of Canadians.
Definitely our government is engaged in humanitarian support for the people of Ukraine. As the hon. member mentioned, that includes medical support, but we need to think about what we can do for those displaced people. It really is a crisis. I spoke about Ukraine's economic performance. It is important for us, as we consider what the Ukrainian government is able to do, to appreciate that this is happening against the backdrop of an ongoing hot military conflict and a backdrop of a huge internal displaced persons crisis. That makes what the government has managed to do really all that much more impressive.
To the point the member raises about corruption, like him, I have heard concerns about corruption from many Ukrainians. Perhaps as Ukraine's strongest friends in the international community, we need to support both Ukraine civil society and the Ukrainian government in fighting against that corruption. At the end of the day, important though we all know Operation Unifier to be, I ultimately think Ukraine's sovereignty is going to be secured on the economic battlefield. If Ukraine is able to reform its economy, to reform its political institutions, to end corruption, then Ukraine will be strong enough to remain independent. There is a lot of work that Canada is able to do to help Ukraine in that effort.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Chair, I would like to start by personally acknowledging the long-standing commitment of the member for Edmonton Strathcona to Ukraine and the work she has done over many years in supporting Ukraine, very much in collaboration with and on behalf of her constituents.
The member referred to the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement. I know that my colleagues in the New Democratic Party are not always wildly enthusiastic about trade agreements, so I was particularly pleased that the NDP supported, together with the rest of the House, the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement. That says a lot about the cross-party support in this House for Ukraine and a lot about the understanding we all have that supporting Ukraine economically is such a central part of the support we can give that country.
As I said earlier, I share with the member opposite a real admiration for and belief in the power of Ukrainian civil society. That is probably the strongest element of Ukraine right now. It is what Ukraine really has going for it: an active, engaged, often querulous, courageous, unafraid-to-criticize-the-government civil society, particularly with very engaged young people.
Canada's government and Canadian civil society are very closely engaged with Ukrainian civil society. We are already working hard to support them. However, I would agree with the member opposite that this is a group of people we should be working closely with and supporting.
The member opposite referred to the parliamentary internship program. A lot of us have worked with Ukrainian parliamentary interns. It has been a pleasure for me to go to Ukraine and discover how many members of this new democratic government of Ukraine cut their teeth learning about democracy in this House. I certainly join with the member opposite in strongly supporting that effort.
View Chrystia Freeland Profile
Lib. (ON)
Mr. Chair, since I have to be very brief, let me say that I absolutely agree that politics are complex, domestic politics are complex, and international politics are complex, but some issues are black and white.
The invasion of Crimea and its subsequent annexation were illegal. They were clear violations of international law. That is why the world community has been united in opposing them, and that is why our government is proud to oppose them clearly and unambiguously.
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