The House defends Andrew Scheer

Parliamentarians officially oppose Russian sanctions against 13 Canadians.

Question Period had formally ended when Government House Leader Peter Van Loan rose to seek unanimous consent for a motion. Van Loan hoped the House would agree to condemn Russia’s sanctioning of Speaker Andrew Scheer, a move without precedent. Liberal MP Ralph Goodale got the ball rolling yesterday, when he rose on a point of privilege to request that parliamentarians respond in some way to Russia’s sanctions. Scheer stood among a baker’s dozen of Canadians, a list that includes a prominent Ukrainian-Canadian, senior public servants, and MPs of all stripes. Goodale was unimpressed with the Russians, as was the rest of the House.

Van Loan’s motion, which was seconded by Goodale and Ottawa Centre MP Paul Dewar, read as follows:

“That in view of the sanctions against parliamentarians and other Canadians announced by the Russian government, this House: a) reaffirm its resolution of Monday, March 3, 2014; b) strongly condemn Russia’s continued illegal military occupation of Crimea; c) call for Russia to deescalate the situation immediately; and d) denounce Russia’s sanctions against the Speaker and members of the House of Commons, a member of the Senate, public servants, and the president of the Ukraine-Canadian Congress; that the speaker do convey this resolution to the ambassador of the Russian Federation; and that a message be sent to the Senate to equate their honours accordingly.”

Indeed, the House agreed to the motion. And the Speaker will now relay the message to Russian ambassador Georgiy Mamedov.