Calgarians #StandWithUkraine for rally at the Peace Bridge
A rally of about 20 people met at the Peace Bridge in Calgary on Saturday, calling on community leaders to join them to help raise awareness of the critical situation facing the Ukrainian people.
The Stand With Ukraine movement, which is supported by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC), is calling on Canadians coast-to-coast to recognize the Ukrainian people's freedom and right to peace in their land.
"For eight years, the Ukrainian people have bravely defended their country against brutal Russian aggression, as Russia once again seeks to colonize Ukraine," the group said in a release.
One of the participants, Kathy Bohdan, says she is worried about her family members who are still in Ukraine and is concerned about Russia's intentions.
"I think they just want to get back to the old days - 30 to 40 years back - to the U.S.S.R. and they want to take over all the countries and do (that) again," she said. "Ukraine is a rich country."
Others say the pressure at the border has been around for years so everyone is scared, especially those who lived through the Soviet era.
Tensions in Ukraine have increased over the past week as Moscow has massed tens of thousands of troops at the border, leading to fears of an invasion. The West has rejected Moscow's main demands – promises from NATO that Ukraine will never be added as a member, that no alliance weapons will be deployed near Russian borders, and that it will pull back its forces from Central and Eastern Europe.
Canada has already agreed to loan the Ukrainian government $120 million to help stabilize the country and has promised to look for more ways to help.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, answering questions from the media on Friday, wouldn't go into further details on the plans but said if Russian troops entered Ukraine, it would be "unacceptable" and "met with a clear response."
(With files from CTVNews.ca's Rachel Aiello and the Associated Press)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Alice Munro, Nobel literature winner revered as short story master, dead at 92
Nobel laureate Alice Munro, the Canadian literary giant who became one of the world's most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history's most honoured short story writers, has died at age 92.
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
Attack on prison van in France kills 2 officers, inmate escapes
Armed assailants killed two French prison officers and seriously wounded three others in an attack on a convoy in Normandy on Tuesday and an inmate escaped, officials said.
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence for 10 years under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy licence bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
$1.6B parts plant for Honda electric vehicle batteries coming to Niagara Region
A Japanese company has announced it will build an approximately $1.6-billion plant in Ontario's Niagara Region that will make a key electric vehicle battery component as part of Honda's supply chain in the province.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Manitoba premier to visit areas impacted by wildfire
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew will get a close-up look at the devastation from a large wildfire burning in northern Manitoba Tuesday.
1 killed, 3 injured including toddler, after Hwy. 417 crash in Ottawa
Ontario Provincial Police are responding to a fatal collision involving two vehicles on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end on Tuesday morning.