In the House: Zelenskyy addresses a joint session of Parliament

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The House of Commons was possible the fullest it has ever been since moving to the temporary Chamber in the West Block, not only with most of the seats filled, but there was seating down the centre aisle for senators and other dignitaries, and the galleries were almost full for possibly the first time ever. Mind you, not all of the seats were occupied by MPs—as which happens during these kinds of events, empty seats were filled with staffers and spouses (and even then, the NDP still left most of their seats empty).

Prime minister Justin Trudeau led with a welcoming address, speaking of the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada, and the shared values between our countries. Trudeau personally addressed Zelenskyy as a friend, calling him a champion of democracy, to much applause, and Zelenskyy appeared touched. When the applause died down, Trudeau announced new sanctions laid that morning, and moved onto the incalculable human costs facing the Ukrainian people, saying that Putin must stop it now. Trudeau praised Ukrainians for standing up to authoritarianism, said they would stand with them as friends, and then turned over the proceedings to Zelenskyy. 

From the screen, Zelenskyy addressed the assembled parliamentarians and guests, including “dear Justin,” and asked them to imagine cities in this country being bombarded by Russia, and how to explain to their children about this war of aggression. He described the scene of the invasion, columns of military vehicles entering the country, the bombardment of schools and hospitals. He listed off Canadian landmarks and monuments to imagine coming under bombardment like in Ukraine. He compared the siege of Mariupol as a city like Vancouver, and asked Trudeau to imagine reading the daily reports of casualties, including 97 children currently confirmed dead from the attacks. He said that this is their reality, as they wait to the next bombs to fall.

Zelenskyy described more of the attacks on his country, including the fires at nuclear power plants. He noted the friendship with Canada, and made the plea for a no-fly zone (which cannot happen because it will mean a shooting war with a nuclear power). The video broke up a little, before he listed actions that Canada has taken, but noted that it has not ended the war. He called on Canada to do more to protect Ukraine and stop Russia. He said that he was not asking for much, and said that Canada has been leading, and asked for more of this leadership in order to get others onside to get these measures. He made another plea for a no-fly zone, before saying that Russia is attempting to destroy their future, their nation and their character. He asked Canada to expand their efforts, and asked the diaspora in Canada to provide practical support, so that they could show they were more than just part of Ukraine’s history. Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude to Trudeau and Canada, before ending the address with “Glory to Ukraine, thank you Canada,” to great applause.

Once things died down, Speaker Furey of the Senate made his remarks to thank Zelenskyy for his words, and he quoted a Hebrew phrase from the Old Testament meaning “here I stand,” that leaders would utter, much as Zelenskyy stands, and Canada stands with Ukraine. “Ukraine, simply put, is family,” Furey declared.

Speaker Rota gave his remarks, calling Ukraine woven into the fabric of Canadian society, and quoted Zelenskyy from two years ago about the heroes of Ukraine in the arts and culture, calling Zelenskyy one of those heroes.

Next up was Candice Bergen, declaring her caucuses admiration and respect for Ukrainians, and her personal respect for Zelenskyy. She spoke of the heartbreaking images, but also the inspiring scenes they see, noting that they are standing for all of us, as Putin’s attack on Ukraine is an attack on all of us. She noted the diaspora community, before returning to Putin and his war of aggression, his tuning over the international rules-based order, and his use of lies (which is a bit ironic there). She called for him to be brought to justice at The Hague, for air space to be protected over humanitarian corridors, and then promised that any Ukrainians who flee to Canada will be well taken care of before they are able to return home.

Yves-François Blanchet rose for the Bloc, and he called for more severe sanctions, so that pressure could come from within Russia to end the war, and wanted the Canadian government to remove barriers to welcoming more Ukrainian refugees, and the need for a “humanitarian bridge” to Ukraine. He noted with reluctance the need for more weapons, but called on more weapons to be delivered so that Ukrainians can fight for their homeland. He called the Russian people the first victims of Putin and praised Zelenskyy for turning the Russian propaganda machine against them. Blanchet empathised with the Ukrainians living through the current war, and praised their dignity and bravery, before declaring that Zelenskyy would win the war. 

Jagmeet Singh rose next, thanking Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people, before repeating what Zelenskyy asked people to imagine, and said that Canadians would stand with Ukraine and would provide as much help as possible. He promised more action on sanctions, and promising to meet the needs of Ukrainians. He recalled a Punjabi phrase from his mother about rising spirits in the face of difficult circumstances, and defiant optimism.

Finally, last to speak was Elizabeth May, who read the words of Ukraine’s Green leader, writing from a bomb shelter, her voice breaking as she did so. She noted that Greens around the world were united in knowing that a no-fly zone would only escalate a war with Russia, but called on Canada and the world to invent new means of helping Ukrainians in order to find a peace. She hoped that he would be able to join them in person, with a free and victorious Ukraine able to find Canada worthy of its friendship.

Rota made closing remarks, to more applause and chants.

4 thoughts on “In the House: Zelenskyy addresses a joint session of Parliament”

  1. Western media seems so defeatist about what military actions allies can do, or at least they’re reflecting what they hear from politicians. Maybe NATO support can’t be done now, but some military people have had lots of suggestions (Wesley Clark, Alexander Vintman, to name two) that don’t get much airing here.

  2. My opinion for what it is worth is simply that the EU and the rest of the NATO countries are not standing up their promise to stop wars and their betrayal of their pledge to the UN to do the same. The UN could sanction Russia and remove it as a belligerent. Second, if China were then to use its veto, then China could face the same sanctions as Russia. Would this provoke a World War? Probably! The use of nukes…possibly. If NATO were to give Putin the ultimatum. Leave Ukraine immediately or be attacked then Putin would have all of his options taken away. I can hear laughter. Let me be frank. After Russia crushes Ukraine, which I believe it will albeit at tremendous cost, Russia will pick off the weak non NATO nations one by one. It will be then that a stand will have to be taken. That may be too late. Also, Putin will be emboldened and will still threaten nukes. If Putin is not confronted now, the pain for all of us will lead to war in the end anyway. If we don’t, we will witness the barbarism of Putin long into whatever future we may have. The only way to beat a bully is to punch him in the nose. It is past time. This is no time for weakness. In the meantime the Ukrainian people are suffering and dying as Putin chews up their land and their women and children flee.

  3. I agree with coalitionforchangecanada this idea that we have to avoid provoking Russia and not expand this into WWIII is nonsense. Putin is daring the world, he is testing how far he can go. Lithuania and other Baltic States though NATO could be sacrificed with the current mindset. The same thing happened in 1939, Nazi Germany dared the world and they march in fact today 15 March into Prague,Austria then it was Poland, finally the world woke up but France had been attacked by then. It will probably come to a war, the problem for Canada and other countries like Britain is being totally unprepared. Will the USA come to Canada’s rescue I am not so sure. There will have to be firm push back beyond economic sanctions.

  4. The fact that Zelensky considers Trudeau a close personal friend has got to stick in the craw of the Tovarisch Tories, who it should not be forgotten have been stanning for Putin’s Potemkin President along with the most deplorable elements of their base. Not to mention the NDP, who are just totally clueless and lost on the foreign policy file and this subject in particular, vacillating between emotional paeans to human rights and Kremlin-sponsored conspiracy theories about Frida and other Ukrainians being Nazi sympathizers. How would the opposition react if Trump did the unthinkable and launched Op Canadian Bacon, thus placing Trudeau in the position that Zelensky is now? I can’t imagine the thought hasn’t crossed Trudeau’s mind more than once. Especially with Putin’s sabre-rattling over the Arctic and comments by the likes of Pompeo indicating “challenges” to the Northwest Passage. Canadians don’t often think about foreign policy but it’s probably not a bad time to start.

    These are terrifying times we live in, and I for one am glad for Trudeau *and his team* being in government doing what best they can, even though they cannot crush Putler alone. World War Three is upon us anyway as Fiona Hill said, it’s now or never for the Western powers to destroy Putler once and for all before his Republican stooges sweep the November midterms and the White House becomes Moscow Mar-a-Lago again. I shudder at the prospect of Putler and his trained orangutan catching Canada in a squeeze play. Zelensky gave a remarkable speech invoking unfathomable images of Montreal being Mariupol, that I fear could be prophetic.

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