XPost: can.politics, ont.politics, bc.politics   
   XPost: ab.politics   
   From: ConzRconz@YOW.ca   
      
   They certainly are beating the war drums from the PMO's office, aren't   
   they?  Seems they smell a new customer for Canadian oil and gas and will   
   stop at nothing to lie about and diminish Russia in the process.   
      
   It's nothing less than disgusting - and more along the lines of   
   warmongering.   
   ______________________________________   
   CBC News Posted: Mar 03, 2014   
      
      
   John Baird compares Russia's actions in Ukraine to Nazi invasion of   
   Czechoslovakia   
      
   Russian troop presence in Crimea compared to what Germans did in   
   Sudetenland in 1938   
      
      
   Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird has compared Russia's troop presence   
   in Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula to Hitler's invasion of Sudetenland, a   
   part of the former Czechoslovakia, in 1938.   
      
   Baird, speaking to host Evan Solomon on CBC News Network's Power &   
   Politics, accused Russia of invading and occupying Crimea, a part of   
   Ukraine. "If it's not war, it's akin to war," he said.   
      
   At first, Baird said the situation was "right out of the Cold War." When   
   Solomon pointed out Putin claims he is protecting Russian rights in   
   Crimea, which has a majority of Russian-speaking citizens, Baird said,   
   "The Sudetenland had a majority of Germans. That gave Germany no right   
   to do this in the late 1930s."   
      
   Asked by Solomon if he was making a comparison to the Nazis, Baird   
   replied, "When you have one country invading one of its neighbours, and   
   using this type of outrageous and ludicrous rhetoric, it's hard not to."   
      
   Baird noted that no Russian in Crimea has been killed during the   
   protests in Ukraine.   
   Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird 20140128   
      
   Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird accused Russia of invading and   
   occupying Crimea, a part of Ukraine. "If it's not war, it's akin to   
   war," he said. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)   
      
   In 1938, Hitler sent in troops to occupy Sudetenland, a region on   
   Germany's border populated largely by Sudeten Germans. The takeover was   
   one of the precursors of the Second World War.   
   Government monitors Ukraine crisis   
      
   Baird's comments came after a series of events that show the Canadian   
   government is actively monitoring the crisis in Ukraine, with Prime   
   Minister Stephen Harper speaking to Arseniy Yatsenyuk, the interim prime   
   minister of Ukraine, this morning.   
      
   The Prime Minister's Office released a statement about Harper's phone   
   conversation. "He expressed to Prime Minister Yatsenyuk that Ukraine’s   
   sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected and that the   
   Ukrainian people must be free to determine their own future."   
      
   Harper was referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to   
   send Russian troops to Crimea, part of Ukraine, and surround its   
   military bases.   
      
   Pointedly referring to the G7, rather than the G8, which includes   
   Russia, the statement said Harper assured Yatsenyuk, "Canada is working   
   closely with partners and allies and drew attention to the strong   
   statement issued by G7 leaders on March 2 on this matter. He reiterated   
   Canada's continuing offers of assistance to Ukraine during this   
   important period of transition, including related to the upcoming   
   elections."   
   Harper on phone with interim Ukraine prime minister   
      
   Prime Minister Stephen Harper spoke by telephone with Arseniy Yatsenyuk,   
   the interim prime minster of Ukraine, Monday morning. (Prime Minister's   
   Office)   
      
   Elections are scheduled in Ukraine for May 27.   
      
   Meanwhile, Canada is considering taking part in a special observer   
   mission to Ukraine to determine whether Russia's claims that Ukrainians   
   are at risk there are actually true, according to a Canadian Press report.   
      
   Moscow has insisted that Ukrainians want Russian troops present in the   
   Crimea for their protection. The claim has been used to justify the   
   massing of Russian soldiers in the mainly Russian-speaking and   
   semi-autonomous region.   
      
   But Ukrainian Ambassador Vadym Prystaiko told the Canadian Press that   
   Canada is in talks to examine the situation in Crimea and "take this   
   pretext from the Russians."   
      
   At a mining conference in Toronto Monday afternoon, Harper talked   
   briefly about Ukraine before sitting down for an interview with a   
   conference spokesperson about the economy.   
      
   "Canada has suspended our engagement in preparations for the G8 summit   
   planned in Sochi. We have also recalled our ambassador to Russia. [We]   
   cancelled any government representation at the Paralympic Games and I've   
   instructed officials to review all planned bilateral interaction with   
   Russia," Harper announced.   
      
   Harper has also spoken to U.S. President Barack Obama and British Prime   
   Minister David Cameron, but has not yet had a conversation with Putin.   
   'Does a G8 actually exist?'   
      
   In question period Monday, Liberal House leader Ralph Goodale asked   
   about the status of Russia in the G8. "Does a G8 actually exist at this   
   time?"   
      
   The parliamentary secretary for foreign affairs, Deepak Obhrai, did not   
   directly answer. When deputy NDP leader Megan Leslie asked about what   
   the government is doing to help Canadian citizens in Ukraine, Obhrai   
   said they are being asked to contact the embassy to ensure their safety.   
      
   Conservative MP Ted Opitz introduced a motion in the House of Commons,   
   jointly supported by Goodale and NDP MP Peggy Nash, condemning Putin's   
   actions in Ukraine and supporting the government's recall of the   
   Canadian ambassador in Russia. The motion was adopted unanimously.   
      
   In the foyer of the House of Commons, Opitz, whose background is Polish   
   but whose Toronto riding of Etobicoke Centre is heavily populated with   
   Ukrainian-Canadians, said "there are other embassies on the ground,"   
   when asked by reporters whether it would be useful to retain an   
   ambassador in Moscow to gather information.   
      
   Opitz said Putin's actions are "all out of the old Soviet playbook,"   
   dismissing Putin's claim of protecting Russian minority rights in Ukraine.   
      
   Opitz has just returned from Ukraine, where he was part of a delegation   
   accompanying Foreign Minister John Baird. The Liberal Party has just   
   sent MP Chrystia Freeland to Ukraine, where she will attempt to meet   
   with members of the transitional government.   
      
   Freeland, who speaks Ukrainian and Russian, plans to stay with her uncle   
   in Kyiv.   
   Harper consults with NDP's Tom Mulcair   
      
   Harper also called Opposition leader Tom Mulcair about his decision to   
   recall Canada's ambassador and pull out of  the G8 summit. On Sunday,   
   speaking in Toronto, Mulcair described his conversation with the prime   
   minister.   
      
   "He called me and gave me a very detailed briefing on the current   
   situation.  We're of one mind.  The world community has to come together   
   and use whatever diplomatic tools at our disposal to show Russia that   
   this is not an acceptable form of behaviour."   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)