OTTAWA – First Vice-Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Andriy Parubiy completed an official visit to Canada (February 21-24). Mr. Parubiy came to Canada prior to an official visit to Washington.
Invited by House of Commons Speaker Andrew Scheer, Mr. Parubiy arrived in Canada on Saturday, February 21, and was greeted at Pearson International Airport by a delegation led by Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) Toronto President Taras Bahriy. During his two-day stay in Toronto, Mr. Parubiy also met with UCC National President Paul Grod, Euromaidan Canada Chair Marc Shwec, Charge D’Affaires of the Ukrainian Embassy in Canada Marko Shevchenko and UCC Executive Director Taras Zalusky.
On the evening of February 21, an expanded meeting of UCC’s Advisory Council was held with Mr. Parubiy to discuss the current situation in Ukraine.
A busy Toronto schedule continued on Sunday with a meeting with community members at Buduchnist Credit Union. After this, Mr. Parubiy attended divine liturgy at St. Demetrius Church. Following the church service, a panakhyda was held at the Holodomor monument outside the church to pay respects to those who perished as part of the Heavenly Brigade (Nebesnia Sotnia), as well as those who have perished defending Ukraine from Russian aggression over the past year.
Mr. Parubiy met with Toronto’s Euromaidan activists for a vibrant question and answer session at the Huculak Center. This was followed by a series of media interviews. Sunday’s highlight was undoubtedly the fund-raising reception and dinner “Tribute to the Brave Defenders of Ukraine” held at the Golden Lion restaurant. Attended by 400 people, the event was emceed by Mr. Shwec and was a solemn commemoration of the Nebesna Sotnia.
UCC
At the panakhyda at St. Demetrius Church for the Heavenly Brigade and others who have perished in Ukraine.
“Andriy Parubiy brought with him a true spirit of the new generation of politicians in Ukraine, free of corruption and dictatorship, with a European democratic tradition,” said Mr. Shwec.
Mr. Parubiy was the keynote speaker and the event also featured speeches by Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Chris Alexander, who gave an impassioned speech about Canada’s support for Ukraine, and UCC leaders Messrs. Grod and Bahriy.
Addressing the assembled crowd, Mr. Parubiy expressed gratitude to Canada and the Ukrainian Canadian community for their assistance and support during the Maidan, as well as assistance during the continuing Russian invasion of Ukraine. He called for Canada to provide lethal and non-lethal assistance to Ukraine’s military.
Mr. Parubiy noted the biggest differences between the situation in Ukraine today and the situation in Ukraine a century ago. “Today, Ukraine has a unified government and united society, modern army and the support of the international community,” he said.
Mr. Grod noted: “The Ukrainian Canadian community is working closely with the leadership of Ukraine’s new government and the government of Canada to ensure continued strong support for Ukraine’s independence and democracy. We have embarked on a historic new era of cooperation between Ukraine and the Ukrainian Canadian community, as well as Ukraine-Canada relations.”
Visit to Ottawa
A delegation from the Ukrainian Canadian Congress accompanied Mr. Parubiy for his meetings in Ottawa. On Monday, February 23, Mr. Parubiy met with the chair of the Canada Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Group, MP Ted Opitz.
In an interview with The Globe and Mail, Mr. Parubiy told the newspaper, “We think this is a global challenge, a global fight, not just a Russia-Ukraine fight. We believe we are fighting not only for Ukraine but for Euro-Atlantic and European values. So I think it’s fair for us to expect support.”
Mr. Parubiy met with MPs James Bezan, parliamentary secretary to the minister of national defense, and Dean Allison, chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs.
As part of his official visit at the invitation of the House of Commons speaker, Mr. Parubiy was hosted by Mr. Scheer for a lunch in the speaker’s dining room along with dignitaries including members of Parliament from all parties: Wladislaw Lizon, Mr. Opitz, Geoff Regan, Mike Wallace, Mr. Bezan, Marc Garneau, Alexandrine Latendresse and Bernard Trottier (parliamentary secretary to the minister of foreign affairs), and Sen. David Tkachuk.
After the luncheon, Mr. Parubiy attended the daily Question Period in the House of Commons and was formally recognized and welcomed by Speaker Scheer. Afterwards he met with Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Rob Nicholson. At the joint media availability Mr. Nicholson said Ottawa is against any violation of the Minsk ceasefire. “Any attempt to reduce or take away Ukraine’s sovereignty in that way is completely opposed by Canada.”
Mr. Parubiy then braced the frigid Ottawa cold (close to minus 40 degrees Celsius) and attended a solemn commemoration of the Nebesna Sotnia at the Centennial Flame, organized by UCC Ottawa and EuroMaidan Ottawa.
In addition to Mr. Parubiy’s official meetings, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress delegation met with MP Ed Fast, minister of international trade, to discuss Canada-Ukraine bilateral economic relations; MP Jason Kenney, minister of national defense, to discuss Canada’s leadership and support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s invasion and continued aggression; and Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his office. Members of the delegation also met with MPs Ralph Goodale and Garneau on February 24, and with MPs Paul Dewar (official opposition foreign affairs critic), Peggy Nash and Linda Duncan on February 26.