QUESTION PERIOD — Ministry of National Defence
Support for Ukraine
November 1, 2023
Welcome, minister. With everything going on geopolitically, we can’t lose sight of the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine. My question today has to do with Canada’s continued support for Ukraine, specifically the donation of clothing and equipment you announced on October 11.
At that time, you announced 2,000 uniforms for women Ukrainian soldiers, and this was a welcome announcement. However, there are approximately 40,000 women in the Ukrainian army, with many fighting on the front lines in this grinding war of attrition, and they need to stay in the fight. We know these women are short of properly fitting uniforms and gender accommodating personal protective equipment, such as body armour.
Canada’s experience in combat has shown us that properly fitting equipment saves lives. But, frankly, 2,000 uniforms are a drop in the bucket of what women soldiers actually need. In your announcement, there was no mention of other personal protective equipment.
Minister, will you commit to engage with your officials and with industry to investigate providing full combat kits, which are desperately needed for those Ukrainian women soldiers?
Thank you, senator. I remain absolutely committed to doing everything we can. I met have with Minister Umerov, who is the Ukrainian defence minister, and President Zelenskyy three times in the last two months. We are part of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and have been responding, in every case, to what they have asked of us. One of the conversations I had with Minister Umerov was about having proper winter equipment because they knew they were going into a winter campaign. We were able to quickly respond with $25 million in winter equipment, including uniforms, sleeping bags, tents and boots, which is what they said they needed.
We also talked to them about making sure they were properly fitting uniforms. When we talked about that, we made a commitment of 2,000 uniforms. They will need more, but there are a number of different needs that Canada has been responding to. I would also point out that just a few weeks ago we announced that we were making a commitment of $650 million for light armoured vehicles, and specifically, the Ukrainians told us they needed armoured medevac vehicles, so we have included those as well.
The challenge I face is that the Canadian Armed Forces need that equipment, too. They need those light armoured vehicles and those investments. On the one hand, I remain resolute in our commitment to support Ukraine, and on the other hand, I have to continue to support the Canadian Armed Forces.
When you are engaging with your departmental officials and the ministry and armed forces in Ukraine on proper equipment for women soldiers, would you also investigate what Canada can do to support other gender and sex-specific considerations to keep those Ukrainian women soldiers in the fight? I’m talking about military considerations to maintain women’s health in the field. We have an expertise in that area.
I agree, I believe we do have an expertise in that area that we can share. The Canadian Armed Forces has been involved since 2015 in Operation UNIFIER in training and supporting the Ukrainian armed forces. Some of that training is directly attributable to some of the success — there are challenges — that they have been able to achieve in their fight against Russia’s illegal invasion. We continue to work closely with them. There is a strong collaboration between the Canadian Armed Forces and the Ukrainian forces. We work very closely with their defence minister. We have expertise that we have offered in other areas, and we will continue to do it there as well because I think there is a significant contribution that we can make. Thank you.
