Commentary
Justin Trudeau needs to step up or stand aside. He has hidden behind NATO’s paralysis, Joe Biden’s tentative fear, and Germany’s and France’s frailty. He now has to decide: Step up and defend Ukraine with all Canada can offer—money, arms, heavy weapons, international credibility, and advocacy—or step aside and let someone else lead Canada’s support for Ukraine.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland is the clear choice to do so if he cannot. She’s attempted to tackle every other problem he has created. She can certainly address the needs of Ukraine with the same determination and ability she has shown to date: renegotiating NAFTA, meeting the financial challenge of COVID, leading the transition to a net-zero economy. Her deep ties to Ukraine, knowledge of the history and region, and determined nature all lend themselves to a more robust approach to helping Ukraine in its dire time of need.
…