Liberals accuse Conservatives of playing politics with Ukraine after caucus rejects trade deal
Conservatives voted against updated Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement because it includes carbon pricing
The Liberal government accused Conservatives on Wednesday of abandoning Ukraine by voting overwhelmingly against an updated free trade deal that promotes carbon pricing.
Most of the Conservative caucus voted nay on the deal in the House of Commons at second reading Tuesday, triggering a chorus of heckling from the government benches.
The issue surfaced again during question period on Wednesday, with the Conservatives and Liberals exchanging blows and accusing each other of betraying Ukraine.
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was just trying to score "small political points" at the expense of supporting Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.
"We're seeing how much Ukrainians are on the battlefields defending their freedom and fighting for ours, and now you see Poilievre playing shenanigans," Joly said after a Liberal caucus meeting.
"This is absurd."
Poilievre defended his party's decision, saying that while the Conservatives support free trade with Ukraine, they can't back any deal that involves a price on carbon.
"I really think it speaks to how pathologically obsessed Trudeau is with the carbon tax that he, while the knife is at the throat of Ukrainians, would use that to impose his carbon tax ideology on those poor people," Poilievre said Wednesday.
"The last thing they need is a carbon tax when they're trying to rebuild from war — from this illegal invasion by Russia."
Legislation passes despite opposition
The updated Canada-Ukraine free trade deal commits both countries to promoting carbon pricing and measures to mitigate carbon leakage risks.
The deal does not impose a carbon tax.
Ukraine already signed onto carbon pricing, which it needs in order to one day become a member of the European Union and avoid tariffs.
Poilievre said a Conservative government led by him would continue free trade with Ukraine, which was negotiated under former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper's government. Poilievre said he would remove any reference to carbon pricing from the agreement.
"The argument that Poilievre is using about the carbon tax and the agreement is a red herring," said Liberal MP Yvan Baker on Wednesday.
Baker, chair of the Canada-Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Group, said Canada's existing free trade agreement with Ukraine only covers goods. The updated version includes services and investment, things Baker said are essential for Ukraine to rebuild.
Baker argued the Conservatives' vote is part of a larger pattern of behaviour contributing to waning public support for Ukraine.
"[Poilievre] argues that the war doesn't affect inflation, when we know the war is the primary reason for food and energy price inflation around the world, including here at home," Baker said.
"It's very clear yesterday's vote is just another example that the Pierre Poilievre Conservatives don't support Ukraine."
The revised Canada-Ukraine trade treaty was signed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his September visit to Ottawa.
Bill C-57, an Act to Implement the 2023 Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Ukraine, is now headed to a committee for study after passing the Commons by a vote of 205 to 109 with support from the NDP, Greens, Bloc Québécois and the governing Liberals.
Head of Canada-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce disappointed
Zenon Potichny, president of the Canada-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce, expected the vote to get unanimous consent.
"It was disappointing," Potichny said in an interview with CBC News.
"It sort of sends a bad signal, first of all, to Ukraine.… Why would you block it when you know your Canadian companies also will get more contracts, more jobs, more involvement in Ukraine?"
Canada is expected to spend $816 million in the current budget year in military assistance to Ukraine, with major declines forecast in the following years, according to the Fall Economic Statement.
Baker defended the spending and said Canada needs to continue to support Ukraine.
"We either pay a small price now by helping the Ukrainians win this war decisively, or we pay a much bigger price later and much higher inflation, much greater security risks in the years to come," Baker said.
Shachi Kurl, president of the Angus Reid Institute, said past Conservative voters are most likely to say Canada has been offering too much support for Ukraine and that Canada should stay out of the conflict all together.
"Conservative voters, in general, are more likely to profess higher support for focusing on domestic affairs and less support for Canada having a large intervening role in crises or conflicts around the world," Kurl said.
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