Canadian defense minister Jason Kenney. Photo: Taavi Tamtik.
A re-elected Harper Government will also establish a Financial Task Force to track Russian capital flows in global markets and will negotiate a Defence Cooperation Agreement with Ukraine.
“The Putin regime is waging an information war against the Ukrainian people,” Kenney said. “The digital world is Putin’s new battlefield and we will support those who are working to reveal the truth about the situation in Ukraine.”
Following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and illegal annexation of Crimea, the Conservative Government has undertaken a series of actions to confront Russian aggression and demonstrate Canada’s continuing resolve to stand with the Ukrainian people:
• economic sanctions and travel bans have been imposed on more than 270 of those who are responsible for the crisis.
• military equipment and training has been provided to Ukrainian forces and we have committed troops and assets to NATO missions in the region.
• more than $700 million in aid and development assistance has been committed.
• the Canada-Ukraine Free-Trade Agreement was concluded to support Ukraine’s long-term economic stability and prosperity.
• Prime Minister Harper was the first G7 leader to visit Ukraine following Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea. He has since welcomed both President Poroshenko and Prime Minister Yatsenyuk to Canada.
• Canada has sent international observer teams to monitor Ukraine elections and support democracy.
• Since the conflict began, the United Nations estimates that nearly 6,500 have died and 16,000 have been wounded.
• The Ukrainian Diaspora in Canada is more than one million strong.
The meeting, organized by Marcus Kolga was sponsored by the Canadian Eastern and Central European Council and the Estonian Central Council in Canada chaired by Markus Hess who also spoke, as did Paul Grod, Ukrainian Canadian Congress chair.