OTTAWA --
Canada will likely be supplying Ukraine with anti-tank weapons techniques and upgraded ammunition for use in response to Russia’s ongoing invasion, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau introduced Monday, as federal ministers pledge extra assistance is coming within the face of Vladimir Putin’s “brutal assault on Ukraine.”
With plans to make the supply as quickly as potential, Canada will likely be sending roughly 100 Carl-Gustaf anti-tank weapons system launchers and a couple of,000 rockets for the Ukrainian military to make use of, with the federal authorities saying that they nonetheless don't have any plans to ship Canadian troops into fight in Ukraine.
This newest package deal of weaponry will likely be coming from the Canadian Armed Forces’ stock, and is along with earlier shipments of deadly and non-lethal gear. Canada is working with NATO allies to make sure the provides arrive promptly.
Monday’s announcement comes alongside different nations delivering key help and gear, Trudeau mentioned throughout a press convention discussing Canada’s newest response efforts alongside a number of key ministers.
“Canada will proceed to ship help for Ukraine’s heroic defence in opposition to the Russian army,” Trudeau mentioned. “It's more and more clear that President Putin has made a grave miscalculation… Our message is obvious: this pointless conflict should cease now. The prices will solely develop steeper and people accountable will likely be held accountable.”
Because the incursion started, virtually each day the Canadian authorities has been making bulletins of subsequent steps in responding to the worsening conflict, from levelling a sequence of sanctions on key Russian figures and establishments— together with prohibiting Canadian monetary establishments from participating in any transaction with the Russian Central Financial institution—to engaged on expediting immigration and consular processes for these seeking to go away the area.
“Whereas courageous Ukrainian civilians gamely learn to make Molotov cocktails to defend their houses, one of many world’s most brutal conflict machines is bombarding them,” mentioned Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland on Monday. “Not content material to terrorize his personal folks, President Vladimir Putin is searching for to impose his tyranny on his democratic freedom-loving neighbours.”
In an replace to the immigration efforts to-date, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Sean Fraser mentioned Monday that since Jan. 19, Canada has authorized 4,000 functions from Ukrainians searching for to come back to Canada. Fraser mentioned extra measures are coming quickly that can see Canada welcome extra of the hundreds of Ukrainians who've fled to neighbouring nations, “within the most secure and quickest manner potential.”
The federal authorities can also be offering Canadian Armed Forces airlift help to NATO and to ship extra defence gear like physique armour and night-vision instruments to Ukraine, whereas closing off Canadian airspace to Russian planes.
Minister of Nationwide Defence Anita Anand mentioned Monday that Canada’s preliminary $10 million price of deadly and non-lethal support made it to the nation forward of the present incursion, and the promised extra gear and as much as 50 personnel accompanying it's arriving in two phases, with one airplane leaving for Europe in the present day and the second set to fly out later this week.
“Canada has been there for Ukraine’s army and its folks. Over the previous few years, our Canadian Armed Forces have skilled over 33,000 Ukrainian troopers, to assist them put together for the very kind of assault that they're dealing with in the present day,” Anand mentioned, noting that Canada’s army stands prepared to help additional, ought to NATO’s posture within the area change.
For now although, Trudeau mentioned “we aren't going to be sending troops into Ukraine.”
TARGETING OIL IMPORTS, RUSSIAN TV
Trudeau additionally introduced that the federal government will likely be asking the CRTC to evaluate state-owned broadcaster Russia At this time’s presence on Canadian airwaves, whereas some main gamers have proactively begun to take away RT.
“There's a important quantity of disinformation circulating from Russia, together with on social media, and all of us must hold calling it out,” Trudeau mentioned.
And, Canada plans to ban all imports of crude oil from Russia, an business that could be a main supply of Russian federal revenues. Whereas Canada has imported restricted quantities lately, this transfer is supposed as a “highly effective message,” the prime minister mentioned.
Trudeau was scheduled to satisfy with key cupboard Incident Response Group on the state of affairs in Ukraine on Monday, and attend a gathering hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden, alongside leaders of different allied nations and NATO, on Putin’s assault.
Talking from the United Nations Human Rights Council, International Affairs Minister Melanie Joly instructed reporters earlier on Monday that “there will likely be extra sanctions coming.”
“Our purpose is to place most strain on Russia, and isolate it,” Joly mentioned, applauding these within the cultural, sport and different personal sectors who've additionally gone ahead with actions in opposition to Russia in current days.
MPS ALIGN, SUGGEST NEXT STEPS
Within the Home of Commons—the place MPs will likely be holding a particular take-note debate on the urgent state of affairs Monday night—all events spoke up in solidarity with Ukraine, urgent the Liberals for extra particulars about Canada’s subsequent steps and providing solutions.
“The state of affairs in Ukraine is heartbreaking and rising extra troubling by the hour. We additionally know it's always evolving and though Conservatives help the federal government's actions to this point, we do imagine there are issues that would have been performed quicker,” mentioned interim Conservative Chief Candice Bergen throughout query interval, calling for Canada to expel Russia’s ambassador to Canada and recall Canada’s ambassador from Russia.
Bergen took half this weekend in an anti-war protest outdoors of the Russian embassy in Ottawa.
The NDP is asking for Canada to drop its visa necessities for Ukrainians, to keep away from these searching for refuge from a “bureaucratic nightmare,” as immigration critic and NDP MP Jenny Kwan put it in a press release.
“Canadians are watching in horror, as a whole lot of hundreds of Ukrainians search refuge from the unprovoked Russian invasion. Folks on this nation count on their authorities to behave swiftly to assist these in peril… The federal government has to maneuver shortly to chop the crimson tape – Ukrainians' lives rely upon it,” Kwan mentioned.
With information from CTV Information’ Sarah Turnbull
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks as he's joined by Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Sean Fraser, left to proper, Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Nationwide Defence Anita Anand, and Minister of Pure Assets Jonathan Wilkinson throughout a press convention in Ottawa on Monday, Feb. 28, 2022, in response to the Ukraine disaster. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick