On August 24, Ukraine will mark six months since the Russian invasion, as well as the 31st year of independence. Although Ukrainians are expected to celebrate the anniversary of independence from the Soviet Union in a festive manner, the ongoing war and the threat of attacks will likely dampen the day due to concerns that Russia will launch long-range missiles at Ukrainian towns and cities. Unfortunately, Canada – the first Western country to recognize Ukraine as an independent country in 1991 – will be largely absent during the celebrations in Ukraine this year. But that seems to be par for the course for Canada. Since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government has bungled its response to the crisis at nearly every turn: from the inexplicable delay in sending lethal weapons to circumventing its own sanctions on Russia by authorizing the release of repaired turbines for that country’s Nord Stream 1 natural gas pipeline. Ottawa’s lack of leadership doesn’t stop there. Earlier this month, The Globe and Mail revealed that Global Affairs Canada bureaucrats asked diplomats in Kyiv to withhold information from Ukrainian personnel who could be targeted by the Russians in the event of an invasion. As Canadian diplomats evacuated themselves and their pets, Global Affairs rejected a request by Ukrainian officials to relocate to safer ground in Lviv or Poland. This lack of resolve by the Trudeau government has tarnished Canada’s reputation among Ukrainians here and also among members of the Ukrainian community in Canada. Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly’s efforts to smooth over the embassy evacuation debacle did little to help. Using carefully parsed language, her insistence that Ottawa exercised a duty of care in Kyiv scored about as high on the smell test as Trudeau explaining his relationship with the Kielburger brothers in the WE Charity scandal. That said, it is difficult to understand how Ms Joly could be completely ignorant of her department’s decision regarding the treatment of local staff in Kyiv – men and women who have served with the highest standards of professionalism for many years. Other diplomatic missions, such as the European Union, evacuated local staff. August 15 marks one year since the fall of Kabul. There, too, Global Affairs failed the Canadian embassy’s Afghan staff, who were left behind or forced into hiding. As early as 2012 they had requested a special immigration program “in recognition of the risks they face in Kabul as a result of their employment with the Government of Canada in Afghanistan.” Ms Jolly claims the safety and security of local staff “is of the utmost importance”. But the cowardice and indifference shown towards them by Global Affairs in both Kabul and Kyiv could make it very difficult for Ottawa to attract highly skilled local staff in the future. Ahead of Aug. 24, there is one tangible way Mr. Trudeau can show, in his words, that Canada “stands shoulder to shoulder” with Ukraine. I visited the embassy in Kyiv last week, and despite Mr. Trudeau saying it reopened in May, it remains firmly closed. A sign directs visitors to call Ottawa for help. Other embassies here have been fully operational for some time. US Ambassador Bridget Brink will meet with members of government and civil society, so there is no obvious reason for Canada’s position to remain closed. Ms Jolie said “you can’t negotiate when you have a gun to your head”. While that may be true, Ottawa’s over-reliance on sanctions to deter Russia, followed by its decision to impose its own sanctions, is like sending an ally into a war zone armed with a knife. As Russia’s violent invasion of Ukraine nears its end of the semester, it is now time for the Trudeau government to remove any ambiguity in its relationship with Kyiv. A first decisive move would be to fully reopen the embassy – including foot traffic for both Ukrainians and the growing number of Canadians returning to the country to continue business and humanitarian work. This would show the world that in its time of need, Canada truly stands by Ukraine. Keep your views clear and informed. Get the opinion newsletter. Sign up today.
