“We must be united in our full support for the people of Ukraine. All options must be on the table.”
REGINA - In light of today’s escalation against civilian targets and human rights atrocities committed by Russian forces, Official Opposition Critic for Finance Trent Wotherspoon called on the Government of Saskatchewan to maximize economic pressure on the Putin regime and increase supports to urgently resettle Ukrainian refugees.
“At times like these, we must be united in our full support for the people of Ukraine. All options must be on the table,” said Wotherspoon. “This is not a time for political divisions or partisan politics. It’s this simple - this is about good versus evil.”
Last week, the Official Opposition sent the Government of Saskatchewan a letter calling for a united response to Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked attack against Ukraine. The letter requested coordinating calls for the federal government to expedite the settlement process for those fleeing violence in Ukraine and to provide expanded resources and support to settlement agencies supporting newcomers in Saskatchewan.
“We should be using every tool at our disposal to maximize pressure on the Russian government to peacefully exit Ukraine,” said Wotherspoon. “That includes leveraging our trade offices, trade missions, and organizations like the Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership to pressure countries relying on Russian potash, grains, and energy to hamstring Putin’s ability to finance his invasion.”
The Official Opposition is calling for:
- Saskatchewan trade offices, organizations like STEP, and missions to offer economic alternatives to nations reliant on Russian potash, grains, and energy.
- Increased supports for refugee resettlement programs and continued calls for the Federal Government to expedite visa applications for those fleeing Ukraine.
- Join efforts to raise funds with the Canada-Ukraine Foundation by matching donations to help them reach their goal of $5 million to provide assistance to Ukrainians in need and to address any further aggression by Russia.
- Expanding the mandate and membership of the Saskatchewan-Ukraine Relations Advisory Committee (SURAC) to include members of the Legislative Assembly from both sides of the aisle.
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