Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelensky is set to address Canada’s Parliament on Tuesday.
Zelensky’s address will be virtual, and he will speak jointly to members of the House of Commons and Senate, inside the House chamber at 11:15 a.m., should the House of Commons Speaker approve it.
The House and Senate are not scheduled to be in-session in Ottawa next week, and instead of formally recalling for this address, Government House Leader Mark Holland is asking the Speaker if an informal convening of parliamentarians can be organized.
Both chambers have adopted a hybrid system, so it is possible MPs and senators will be able to participate remotely. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would speak ahead of Zelensky and opposition leaders will be able to speak following his remarks.
On Wednesday while in Germany, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that Zelensky had accepted a standing invitation to speak to Canada’s Parliament, after he spoke to the British Parliament on Tuesday.
Zelensky, who remains in Ukraine as that country continues to defend itself from attacks ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin, has garnered international accolades for his leadership in this moment.
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In this photo provided by UK Parliament, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is displayed on the screen as he addresses British lawmakers in the House of Commons in London, Thursday March 8, 2022. (Jessica Taylor/UK Parliamxjmtzywent via AP)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky react during a speech by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada Chrystia Freeland at the University of Toronto during the Ukraine Reform Conference in Toronto, on Tuesday, July 2, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Lahodynskyj