QUESTION PERIOD — Finance
Cost of Support to Ukraine
October 4, 2023
My question is for the Representative of the Government in the Senate.
Barely 10 days ago, the Prime Minister announced an additional $650 million in aid to help Ukraine in the war against Russia. That brings Canada’s assistance to Ukraine to $9.8 billion in less than two years.
My question relates to economics and is very specific. Does Canada have an unlimited budget for assisting Ukraine? Giving $10 billion to Ukraine, when the new President of the Treasury Board Secretariat is asking your government to trim its spending by $15 billion, is not inconsequential for anyone who knows how to count.
How can we ensure that Canadians are not ultimately deprived of government services because the Prime Minister wants to help Ukraine?
Thank you for your question.
First of all, Canada’s support for Ukraine is necessary to fight Russia’s invasion of Ukrainian territory. The battle is being fought not only for Ukrainians and their territory, but also for democracy and a society founded on the rule of law.
Second, the government needs to save money, and the National Defence budget is not excluded. In the current economy, however, this will be done carefully and responsibly.
I am not questioning our duty to Ukraine. However, when the government announces $1 billion in cuts to National Defence, even though Canada’s military is so poorly equipped, one has to wonder.
Did the Prime Minister forget to take a look at his own country before doling out taxpayers’ money around the world? Perhaps he’s still living in a dream world, where he can print all the money he needs to look good in the eyes of the international community.
Thank you for the question. A responsible government has an obligation to do many things at once, to balance our commitments to our allies and to democracy, which is at risk in Ukraine and elsewhere, while ensuring that we, here in Canada, have the resources to protect ourselves. That is what the government is trying to do with these two announcements.
