Bill C-57 – Sending a Powerful Message of Solidarity and Commitment to Standing by Ukraine

On February 14, 2024 Senator Omidvar spoke to Bill C-57, Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement Implementation Bill, 2023. Watch:

Senator Omidvar: Honourable senators, most of you know me well enough to know that I usually weigh in on matters of social affairs, human rights and global affairs as they pertain to these areas. But, for the first time, I’m weighing in on a trade agreement, on the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement, or CUFTA. That’s because I see it, as Senator Harder said so eloquently yesterday, as not just a trade agreement. It’s a signal and a symbol of our support to a troubled nation, which is under illegal attack.

Ukraine is in desperate need of our support, no matter in which form it comes, especially now as its citizens bravely risk their lives in defence of their country. I am quite frankly in complete awe of their resilience, but despite their resilience — let’s not fool ourselves — the situation is dire, with Russia inflicting daily destruction on the country, killing civilians and causing widespread displacement of millions, as refugees either abroad or within Ukraine.

For me and for many others, a particularly troubling aspect of this illegal invasion is the forced kidnapping of thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia without their families’ or guardians’ consent. The International Criminal Court, or ICC, has therefore called for the arrest of Russian President Vladimir Putin on charges of illegally deporting children. The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child has called on Russia to cease this forced kidnapping and to work on reuniting these children with their families.

We also know that the actions of Russia impact and resonate across the globe. The actions are impacting hundreds of millions of people in the global south by causing food shortages and famine due to the blockade of Ukrainian ports. This conflict has led to a surge in global energy prices and food prices, affecting all countries, including right here in Canada.

Russia’s actions pose an existential threat to the global order and to our national security. It is imperative for Ukraine to triumph in this war, and we must hold Russia to account for its crimes.

In March 2023, the World Bank estimated that the reconstruction of Ukraine will cost $411 billion, increasing by $10 billion each month. This underscores, therefore, the significance of the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement, particularly as Ukraine’s economy has declined by a full 30% since the war.

Senator Harder explained the trade agreement very well, so I won’t be as fulsome on the particulars as he was.

This trade agreement will encourage greater involvement of Canadian businesses, including Indigenous businesses. The modernized investment chapter ensures a protective framework for investors, maintaining the parties’ right to regulate and offer flexibility in crucial areas, such as the environment, health, safety, Indigenous rights, gender equality and cultural diversity. The updated chapter introduces a modern dispute settlement mechanism with strengthened alternatives to arbitration and enhanced transparency.

Furthermore, the agreement includes a dedicated chapter on temporary entry into both countries, fostering economic opportunities for Canadians and permanent residents. This chapter facilitates temporary entry and labour mobility for specific categories of business individuals, eliminating border barriers such as economic needs tests or numerical quotas.

It also includes a groundbreaking chapter on trade and Indigenous peoples. This economically oriented and cooperation‑driven chapter establishes a bilateral committee aimed at facilitating cooperative efforts to eliminate barriers and challenges faced by Indigenous peoples in trade participation. It commits to upholding — and refraining from weakening — domestic laws and protections safeguarding the rights of Indigenous peoples, fostering trade and investment while promoting responsible business conduct. The two countries also affirm their commitment to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, or UNDRIP.

This trade agreement, therefore, benefits not only Canada’s economy, but also guides Canadian companies in investing in Ukraine’s reconstruction. Believe me, the reconstruction will come, and we need to be there to help Ukraine build itself up again, and to take part in that reconstruction.

Colleagues, I have always been heartened when our political leaders stand up on the global world stage and follow our collective moral compass: Lester B. Pearson during the Suez Crisis and the creation of the first-ever UN peacekeeping force; prime minister Brian Mulroney in his stand against apartheid in South Africa; prime minister Jean Chrétien in the banning of anti-personnel land mines; and Stephen Harper’s strong stand against Russia after the annexation of Crimea. I was not in the room, but I have heard that he pretty much said the following words. I’m trying to channel my inner Stephen Harper; he must have said something like this: “President Putin, you must get out of Ukraine.” Hurrah for Canada at that moment.

I have also taken comfort that support for Ukraine since the full-scale invasion has not been a political issue in Canada. All corners — in both houses of Parliament — have supported Ukraine.

This has led to substantial financial aid of roughly $9 billion. This includes military, humanitarian and immigration assistance. Additionally, Canada has taken a lead in advocating for the confiscation and repurposing of Russian frozen assets to support the reconstruction of Ukraine and to make Russia pay. As my good ally Bill Browder has said, “Putin broke it, he should fix it.”

I have to tell you that I am worried. For the first time, we are seeing in Canada a fraying of support for aiding Ukraine. A recent poll from Angus Reid Institute indicates a decline in support for aiding Ukraine, especially among Canadians who identify as Conservative. This shift, I think, can be attributed to a number of factors, including winds from south of the border that have penetrated our national narrative — possibly the presence of Tucker Carlson in Alberta, and so on and so forth.

While I am confident in the robust support for Ukraine within this chamber, we cannot — and should not — turn our backs on Ukraine.

We also cannot, colleagues, let a domestic fight and political disagreement on carbon pricing impact our support for Ukraine. Ukraine has had a price on carbon since 2011 — way before we were even talking about it. This agreement in no way imposes a requirement for that.

Colleagues, moving forward with this legislation is what we need to do. It will send a powerful message of solidarity and commitment to standing by Ukraine in its moment of need.

Thank you very much.