Quebec National Assembly commemorates two years of war in Ukraine

An overall view of the national assembly, during question period, at the legislature in Quebec City, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023. (The Canadian Press / Jacques Boissinot)

The Quebec National Assembly commemorated two years of the war in Ukraine by adopting a motion in support of the country on Thursday.

February 24, 2022, Russia's forces launched an offensive to quickly seize Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, and overthrow the Ukrainian government. Since then, the conflict has left hundreds of thousands dead, wounded and missing.

Québec solidaire (QS), for its part, deplored the precarious status of Ukrainians welcomed here, who are left in limbo.

"There are a lot of Ukrainians in Quebec right now who are afraid to renew their work permits, and Ukrainians who want to join their community here in Quebec are afraid that the door will close," said QS parliamentary leader Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois in his address.

"The federal sponsorship program ends in a few days. It's causing enormous uncertainty for the future. I think we have to look at it."

Tabled by Premier François Legault, the motion, adopted unanimously, reaffirmed Quebec's solidarity with Ukraine and "the inalienable right of the Ukrainian people to their territorial integrity", i.e. to recover the entirety of their territory occupied by Russia.

"Peace is a fundamental value for our nation. From the very beginning, Quebec has condemned the war waged by Vladimir Putin's regime to swallow Ukraine," said Legault.

"The Ukrainians have been fighting for two years, with the support of their allies [...] The war has now claimed hundreds of thousands of lives," he continued, paying tribute to the victims and their loved ones.

The National Assembly observed a minute's silence in their memory.

 This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Feb. 22, 2024.