Majority of Canadians still support Ukraine’s ongoing fight: poll
Posted Feb 23, 2023 02:00:00 PM.
A new poll shows a majority of Canadians support Ukraine fighting on against the Russians, but a quarter of respondents say it’s time to reignite the peace negotiation process.
This Friday (Feb. 24) marks one year since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The poll by Angus Reid shows 55 per cent of Canadians say Ukraine should continue fighting. But there is a divide whether the goal should be the reclamation of its eastern provinces or all of its previous territory, including Crimea.
“It’s clear that the majority of Canadians, a vast majority of Canadians support Ukraine, and stand with Ukraine,” said Ihor Michalchyshyn, the executive director of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress.
“Really, the only way to end the war, and I think majority of Canadians understand and support this, is to have Russia lose, and leave Ukraine and have Ukraine as a free, sovereign and independent country.”
The war in Ukraine that began Feb. 24, 2022, has killed thousands, forced millions to flee their homes, reduced entire cities to rubble.
Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion, calling it a military operation aimed at demilitarizing Ukraine. It was met with instant condemnation from the West.
Initial peace talks took place between Russia and Ukraine in April 2022 but have not reignited since. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently said the path to ending the war is a full-scale Russian retreat.
Halyna Shtoyko, who has family and friends living in Ukraine, fully agrees. She says negotiating with Putin is not possible.
“It’s not a conflict. It’s not a dispute. It’s a clear and blatant violation of the borders of a sovereign country,” said Shtoyko. “It’s the murder and killing of people, civilians, children. And how do you negotiate with that.
“If we don’t stop this war, we will have another one. If we negotiate now, we will have more death and more destruction.”
Manitoban Chad McFarland is currently in Ukraine on a mission to deliver supplies to the frontlines in Kherson. He is seeing first-hand how the invasion is impacting Ukrainian lives every single day.
McFarland explains what the situation would look like at home if Canada was in Ukraine’s current position.
“Russia invades Canada. They’ve taken British Columbia and part of Alberta. What percentage of Canada should we give up to the Russians if they invade? That’s what it boils down to,” said McFarland, who started a humanitarian group known as the Canada EH Team.
“There’s not a peace to be had that doesn’t include Ukrainians losing their homes. I don’t understand where anyone thinks that the Russian genocide is an acceptable peace.”
The Canadian government has provided around $2 billion to Ukraine, mainly in military aid. In the last month alone, the feds announced the transfer of 200 armoured personnel carriers and $400 million surface-to-air missile defence system for the Leopard 2 tanks.
But Michalchyshyn is hoping to see more aid announcements from Ottawa in the coming days, including the possible transfer of fighter jets.
“It’s essential that we as Canada, and as the Canadian government has been doing, send military equipment to the Ukrainian armed forces, as well as train the Ukrainian armed forces in how to use that equipment and be a modern army,” said Michalchyshyn.
