This Christmas season my thoughts are with my constituents of Edmonton Griesbach and all Albertans that have been negatively impacted by the growing jobs crisis.
I’ll continue to urge the Liberal government to deliver real solutions to help get Albertans back to work.
Statement on the defeat of Bill C-306 from the Canadian Association of Crimean Tatars:
Dec. 14, 2016
OTTAWA, ON – Kerry Diotte, Member of Parliament for Edmonton Griesbach is deeply disappointed the majority of Liberals voted to scuttle a bill to recognize an act of genocide against the indigenous people of Ukraine.
Diotte’s Private Member’s Bill proposed to condemn the Soviet Union’s 1944 deportation of 200,000 Crimean Tatars as a genocide to be commemorated every May 18.
It gained widespread support but was defeated Dec. 13 at second reading in the House of Commons when almost all Liberals voted against it.
“Justin Trudeau and the Liberals confirmed that they care more about making friends with Vladimir Putin than standing up for Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars,” said Diotte.
In 1944, Josef Stalin ordered the entire Crimean Tatar nation deported to Central Asia. The Crimean Tatars were dragged from their homes in the dead of night, packed into cattle cars, and shipped thousands of kilometres away.
They were left without food, water or shelter. Thousands died, and the survivors were banned from speaking their language, practising their Muslim faith, or passing their culture to their children. Despite this brutal oppression, the Crimean Tatars persevered in exile, resisted the Soviet regime, and returned home to the Ukrainian region of Crimea after the USSR collapsed in 1991.
Under Putin’s illegal military occupation of Crimea since 2014, the Crimean Tatars face renewed peril. Dozens have been arrested, abducted or murdered, and the community faces a relentless assault on their freedom of assembly, freedom of speech and freedom of worship.
“We can’t separate the deportations of 1944 from Putin’s illegal annexation of Crimea today,” said Diotte. “The same evil ideology is at work in both the Soviet regime that tore 200,000 people from their homes and left them in the middle of Asia, and Putin’s unprovoked attack on a peaceful neighbour.”
During the debate on Diotte’s bill, Liberal government representatives denied that a genocide took place against the Crimean Tatars, and even claimed that Stalin didn’t intend to destroy them as a nation.
“It was especially sad to see some Liberals who claim to be a friend of Ukraine not have the courage to stand up and be counted,” said Diotte.
“Most of these Liberal members didn’t have the courage to go against their party line that denies the Crimean Tatar genocide,” he said. “It’s shameful and hypocritical.”
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Kerry Diotte, MP
Edmonton Griesbach
613-992-3821
I had the pleasure of continuing the debate on my private member’s bill, Bill C-306 at Second Reading.
The history of 1944 is clear. Josef Stalin signed an order that sent the Crimean Tatars into exile in Central Asia. The Soviet Union tore innocent people from their homes, packed them into cattle cars, and sent them to perish. They were erased from history, denied their language, culture and faith. These events constitute genocide.
After officially declaring the deportations of 1944 a genocide, Ukraine has issued a call to rest of the world to respond.
As close friend, Canada needs to respond to that call. I urge all Members of Parliament to support Bill c-306.
Dec. 8, 2016
“Yesterday, the House of Commons debated my Bill, C-306, at second reading.
I was pleased to hear statements of support from all corners of the House.
However, during the debate, we learned that Justin Trudeau’s government has caved to pressure from Vladimir Putin’s regime, and embraced denial of the Crimean Tatar genocide.
Trudeau’s Liberal government opposes passing Bill C-306, and is against recognizing the deportations of 1944 as genocide.
Not only does the Liberal government believe that Canada should not recognize historical acts of genocide unless the United Nations permits them to, which is a break with Canada’s traditional position in support of the victims of genocide, but they have also denied that there is a historical consensus on the nature of the events of 1944.
The history of 1944 is clear. Josef Stalin signed an order that sent the Crimean Tatars into exile in Central Asia. The Soviet Union tore innocent people from their homes, packed them into cattle cars, and sent them to perish. They were erased from history, denied their language, culture and faith. That constitutes genocide.
Today, the Crimean Tatars face renewed peril at the hands of Vladimir Putin. Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government does not want to stand up for them.
I urge them to abandon this shameful position.
Below is a link to a short video detailing the Soviet atrocity to the Crimean Tatars.”
https://kerrydiotte.com/2016/12/watch-this-poignant-video-on-the-1944-deportation-of-crimean-tatars/
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Kerry Diotte, MP
Edmonton Griesbach
613-992-3821
I’m so pleased that the all-party Canada-Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Group has endorsed my bill, C-306.
Bill C-306 condemns a dark chapter in history and renews Canada’s principled stance in support of freedom, democracy and the rule of law.
Read the full text of Bill C-306 here: http://www.parl.gc.ca/content/hoc/Bills/421/Private/C-306/C-306_1/C-306_1.PDF
By KERRY DIOTTE
We’ve heard a lot about carbon taxes lately.
In Ottawa, the Liberal government and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have enthusiastically touted imposing a carbon tax nationwide as a way to actually create scores of new jobs (believe it or not).
In reality, a carbon tax will cripple our economy and lead to job losses.
My Conservative colleagues and I are fighting tooth and nail to stop this ill-conceived tax grab.
Here are my Top 10 good reasons Canada’s federal government shouldn’t impose a carbon tax.
What are your thoughts on this issue? I want to hear them. E-mail [email protected].
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.
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.
