Tagged with: Kerry Diotte MP
This week is Veterans week.
It’s an opportunity to pause and remember the men and women who have served Canada with great distinction.
Their willingness to defend freedom, democracy and the rule of law is the reason that we as Canadians continue to live in peace and security.
This Remembrance Day, I hope you will join me in honouring and remembering the bravery and sacrifice of Canada’s Veterans.
Here’s a list of just some of the local ceremonies happening on Remembrance Day:
Beverly Memorial Cenotaph
Service starts at Maranatha Church at 9:30 a.m., followed by a parade to the Beverly Memorial Cenotaph. The ceremony at the Cenotaph begins at 11 a.m.
Calder Cenotaph
Service starts at the Northwest Seniors Centre at 10 a.m., followed by a parade to the Calder Cenotaph. The ceremony at the Cenotaph begins at 10:50 a.m.
Patricia Park in Griesbach
Service starts at 10:45 a.m. at Patricia Park in Griesbach. The ceremony is hosted by Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry.
ANAVETS Sir Winston Churchill Unit Three
Parade starts at the top of the Shaw Center (on Jasper Ave.) and will march to the Cenotaph on the West Side of the Shaw Center. The parade will start at 10:30 a.m. All are welcome and Veterans are invited to join the march.
My colleague, Rachel Harder and I hosted a Youth Jobs Roundtable at NAIT in Edmonton.
We got important feedback from students and young professionals on today’s job climate. We heard some horror stories about how the economy is hurting youth employment opportunities. But there were also some solid solutions suggested by our roundtable participants including: urging governments to support more paid internships, controlling federal spending and pushing to see carbon taxes stopped.
Thanks to all the participants. Rachel and I really value your opinions and solutions.
Alberta is facing some of the highest job losses in Canada but the Liberal government has not put forward a jobs plan.
Our Conservative caucus launched the Alberta Jobs Taskforce to address the growing jobs crisis in Alberta. We want to hear from everyday Albertans like you. Share your story here.
Today, I had the honour to begin the debate in the House of Commons on my Private Member’s Bill, Bill C-306 – the Crimean Tatar Deportation (“Sürgünlik”) Memorial Day Act.
This Act would recognize the mass deportations of Crimean Tatars in 1944 by the Soviet regime as genocide and establish May 18 as a day of commemoration.
In 2015, the Parliament of Ukraine officially recognized the deportations of 1944 as genocide. Subsequently, they called on other countries to join them in recognizing this atrocity as genocide.
Canada has long-been a defender of human rights and the rule of law. As a loyal friend to Ukraine, now is the time to respond to that call.
This Bill is important today because we cannot separate the deportations of 1944 and Russia’s theft of Crimea from Ukraine 70 years later.
Today, I was honoured to pay tribute to D-Day veteran Paul Lefaivre in the House of Commons.
Canada’s veterans have served our country with great distinction and we are forever indebted to them.
To all of Canada’s Veterans and today’s men and women in uniform – thank you for your service.
The Liberal government delivered their Fall Economic Update and it confirmed that Canadians are paying the price for their failed plans.
One of my favourite things to do is visit people door-to-door and hear what’s important to folks in our riding of Edmonton Griesbach.
It was a chilly day Saturday, Oct. 15 in Edmonton but our team got a great reception and heard some of the issues that are important to you.
By far, the biggest worry on their minds is the Liberals’ promised carbon tax that will make life costlier for all of us in Canada and have a negligible effect combating greenhouse gases.
One senior citizen I talked to said she feared it could increase costs on her to the point she wouldn’t be able to stay in her home.
I assured her our Conservative Official Opposition would continue to fight that on her behalf and she was very pleased.
Thanks to the volunteers who joined me door knocking and to all the nice residents of Edmonton Griesbach.
As your Member of Parliament, I always want to hear what’s important to you.
As you celebrate this season of harvest, remember to appreciate all that you have to be thankful for in your life.
Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving weekend!
I was delighted to stand in the House and take the Liberals to task for their latest folly regarding infrastructure. They want to put all federal-funded projects though a green screen. If a project isn’t deemed green enough it might be gased.
Canadians need jobs not more unnecessary red tape.
This is an opportunity to celebrate and recognize Canada’s seniors who have helped build our country and continue to contribute to our communities.
Don’t forget to take the time today to celebrate the seniors who have impacted your life.
Happy National Seniors Day!
For Immediate Release
September 29, 2016
(OTTAWA, ONTARIO) — Kerry Diotte has introduced his first Private Members’ Bill (PMB) in the House of Commons. The bill is titled An Act to establish a Crimean Tatar Deportation (“Sürgünlik”) Memorial Day and to recognize the mass deportation of the Crimean Tatars in 1944 as an act of genocide.
“My Bill condemns a dark chapter in history and takes a principled stand in support of freedom, democracy and the rule of law,” said Diotte, who was elected on Oct. 19, 2015.
If passed, this Act will recognize the mass deportations of Crimean Tatars in 1944 by the Soviet regime as genocide and establish May 18 as a day of commemoration.
“In 1944, the Soviet regime under Josef Stalin ripped hundreds of thousands of innocent men, women and children from their homes in Crimea and sent them into permanent exile simply on the basis of their nationality,” he said.
“They were denied their freedom of movement, freedom of expression and freedom of worship until the Soviet Union ceased to exist. It constitutes a great crime against humanity.”
In 2014, Russia invaded Ukraine, and illegally annexed Crimea after staging a sham referendum in the region.
“We cannot separate the deportations of 1944 from Russia’s theft of Crimea from Ukraine seventy years later.”
“The same evil ideology and disregard for the fundamental rights and freedoms of every man and woman is at work in both a regime that would tear 200,000 people from their homes and drop them in a remote part of Central Asia; and in starting a war with a peaceful neighboring country in order to steal territory.”
This Bill is especially important because Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea has placed the Crimean Tatars under threat once again. Today, they face renewed attacks on their representative bodies, places of worship, and independent media outlets.
In 2015, the Parliament of Ukraine officially recognized the deportations of 1944 as genocide, the first country in the world to do so. Subsequently, the Ukrainian Parliament called on other countries to join them in recognizing this atrocity as genocide.
“Canada has always been a steadfast and loyal friend to Ukraine, and we need to show our leadership once again,” said Diotte.
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For media enquiries, please contact:
Kerry Diotte
Member of Parliament
Edmonton Griesbach
(613) 992-3821