OTTAWA - MP Marcus Powlowski was honoured to host the former President of the International Criminal Court this past week. Several MPs in Ottawa met to discuss Russia’s war against Ukraine and Canada’s role in bringing Russian President Vladimir Putin to justice. The event was well-received on Parliament Hill and was attended by prominent MPs from all four major parties.
Back in February, the world was stunned when Vladimir Putin Russian military began its assault on Ukraine because Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic, two self-proclaimed statelets in Ukraine, were controlled by pro-Russian separatists.
The invasion has been widely condemned internationally as an act of aggression. The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution which demanded a complete withdrawal of Russian forces. The International Court of Justice ordered Russia to suspend military operations, and the Council of Europe expelled Russia entirely. Many countries imposed new sanctions, which have affected the economies of Russia and the world, and provided humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine.
However, here in Canada, the prices for food and gas are affected departmentally. Imported foods from Ukraine, such as wheat, vegetable oil, corn, and grains, have sky-rocketed, threatening a worldwide food shortage. Additionally, the war put the financial market in turmoil, causing increases in oil prices to go up.
At the International Criminal Court meeting, Powlowski stressed that Canada’s response to Russia’s illegal war was not something Northwestern Ontario could ignore.
Powlowski states that “Russia’s war against Ukraine has horrified many people in my riding due to its cost in human life and fears that it could turn into a larger global conflict. However, the war is also having a more direct impact on Northwestern Ontario in the prices we see every day at the pump and grocery store. Our supply chains run all over the world. When a dictator like Vladimir Putin starts an illegal war, these chains get disrupted, prices for everyday goods go up, and regular families feel the pinch. This is just one of the many reasons why Canada needs to work with its international partners to hold criminals like Putin to account. If we can show these leaders that there is a personal price to pay for their crimes, we can hopefully prevent these wars – and their economic impact – in the future.”
The MP also stressed that a robust system of international law was preferable to a world where militarily strong countries do as they please—pointing to Northwestern Ontario’s role in both World Wars.
Powlowski states, “Most of us weren't around in World War I or II, but there were times not that long ago when almost every house in Northwestern Ontario knew someone killed in combat. I do not want to see in my lifetime my sons, or any other young Canadian men, be forced to defend Canada on the battlefield in another World War. If international law can help bring peace and order to our world, we would be wrong to ignore it.”
