Edmonton’s Liberal Infrastructure Minister Amarjeet Sohi talks a good game but he’s failing to deliver the goods on his promised projects.
Only one of 127 infrastructure projects announced by the Liberals has started construction.
Nothing has started in Edmonton.
In the House of Commons, I demanded to know why. Sohi evaded the question.
The MP Youth Award is an opportunity to recognize students who have shown outstanding leadership in their school or community.
The award is open to outstanding young leaders from schools in our riding of Edmonton Griesbach. Students can be nominated in the following three categories: Grades K-6, Grades 7-9 and Grades 10-12.
To nominate an outstanding young leader, please complete this nomination form or contact my office for more information.
Nominations will be accepted until May 15, 2017.
Don’t forget the extended deadline for the Canada Summer Jobs program is February 3, 2017.
This initiative supports local employers, while also providing valuable work experience for students across Canada.
Visit here for more information.
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.
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
This heartrending video on the 1944 deportation of Crimean Tatars was created by survivors and their descendants in Ukraine.
Today in the House of Commons, my Private Member’s Bill, C-306, the Crimean Tatar Deportation (“Sürgünlik”) Memorial Day Act will be debated. Visit here to see the full text of my bill.
Canada’s formal recognition of this genocidal act will bring Canadians, Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars closer together, and in this spirit I am hoping to have the support of all Members of Parliament.
On this solemn occasion, we remember all the victims of the Holodomor and stand with Ukrainian-Canadians and Ukrainians worldwide to share in your grief and hope.
Vichnaya Pamyat
I’m pleased to receive the support of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress for my Bill, C-306.
