OPENING REMARKS
FOR
THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT
HONOURABLE OMAR ALGHABRA
TO
THE HOUSE OF COMMONS STANDING COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITIES
REGARDING
MEASURES CANADA HAS TAKEN TO RESTRICT AND RESPOND TO RUSSIAN CRAFT IN CANADIAN WATERS, PORTS AND AIRSPACE
OTTAWA, ONTARIO
March 21, 2022
495 words (approx. 4.5 minutes)
Check against Delivery
Thank you, Mr. Chair, for inviting me to meet with the Committee today.
I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am [speaking / joining you] from the traditional territory of the Algonquin and Anishinaabe Peoples.
I am pleased to be joined by:
- Michael Keenan, the Deputy Minister of Transport,
- Julie Gascon, Director General of Marine Safety and Security
- Marc-Yves Bertin, Director General of Marine Policy, and
- Nicholas Robinson, Director General of Civil Aviation
Mr. Chair, I will be speaking today about measures Canada has taken to restrict and respond to Russian craft in Canadian waters, ports, and airspace.
As Minister of Transport, I am dedicated to making Canada’s transportation system safer and more secure.
This includes during times of crisis, as we are witnessing with Russia’s attacks on Ukraine.
Canadians are outraged by these acts of aggression.
This violation of Ukraine’s independence has caused unnecessary loss of life, a massive refugee displacement, and incredible hardship for the Ukrainian people.
In response to the onslaught of unprovoked attacks, the Government of Canada has taken strong and decisive action.
[Air space]
On February 27, we announced the closure of Canada’s territorial airspace to all Russian aircraft.
On March 16, we also announced the closure of Canada’s territorial airspace to all Belarusian aircraft.
This means we prohibited the operation of Russian or Belarusian-owned, chartered, or operated aircraft over Canada, including in the airspace above Canada’s territorial waters.
A few days after our announcement, the United States followed suit and closed its airspace to Russia, which essentially rendered transatlantic service by Russian airlines non-viable.
As of today, approximately forty countries have suspended Russian air access.
These measures are not merely theoretical. In fact, on the same day that Canada closed its territorial airspace to Russian aircraft, Russian Aeroflot flight 111 entered Canadian airspace while enroute from Miami to Moscow, and just a few days after that a private aircraft carrying two Russian Nationals landed in Yellowknife.
While the investigation of Aeroflot is ongoing, Transport Canada’s investigation found that the aircraft that landed in Yellowknife operated against restrictions.
The department then issued 24 thousand dollars in fines to those responsible.
The department takes these incidents very seriously and will not hesitate to take immediate enforcement action should further incidents of non-compliance with the restrictions occur.
[Ports and Waters]
I also announced that we have banned Russian-owned or registered vessels in Canadian internal waters and at our ports.
As with our airspace restrictions, we will not hesitate to enforce any breaches of these measures.
In addition, we have strongly condemned Russia’s actions at the International Civil Aviation Organization and the International Maritime Organization.
We will continue to call out any actions that are not in-line with international obligations and undermine the rules-based international order.
[Conclusion]
By closing our airspace, ports, and waters to Russian and Belarusian-owned or controlled aircraft and Russian and Belarusian-owned or controlled vessels, we have acted quickly to find ways to hold Russia accountable.
We have already shown that we will take swift action to punish those who violate these measures.
Beyond action against Russia and Belarus, we are also taking measures to support Ukraine. We have developed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ukraine to recognize their certificates of competency issued in accordance with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers. This will permit an Ukrainian seafarer with a Canadian work permit to serve onboard a Canadian flagged vessel.
And we will continue to stand with Ukraine.
I would like to thank the Committee for its ongoing input on transportation issues, and I look forward to continuing our work together.
With that, Mr. Chair, I conclude my opening remarks.
If the Committee has any questions, I would be happy to answer them.