Together with federal politicians, the bishops have appealed for peace in Ukraine.

When Parliament resumed after a winter break Jan. 27, MPs passed a motion condemning the “draconian” anti-protest law “that severely limits the right of Ukrainians to peacefully organize, assemble or protest,” recognizing the law “undermines freedom and democracy in Ukraine.”

The motion “condemns the Ukrainian government’s use of violence and threats of legal action against the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church for helping peaceful protesters” and calls upon Canada to consider possible sanctions against Ukraine.

Canada’s Catholic bishops wrote Ukrainian Catholic Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk Jan. 24, assuring him of their prayers.

“We plead for the guarantee of all rights and liberties in Ukraine, particularly the right to life and dignity, freedom of conscience and religion, and liberty of expression and self-government,” wrote Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops’ president Archbishop Paul-André Durocher. “We urge both police and demonstrators there to remain peaceful and avoid bloodshed.”

Ambassador of Religious Freedom Andrew Bennett was in Ukraine to investigate following threats to religious freedom there.

“The new laws passed by President Viktor Yanukovych give the Ukrainian government, police and security services harsh new powers that severely limit individual rights and freedoms,” said Bennett. “This is fundamentally inconsistent with democratic practice and of grave concern to all who are committed to a free and democratic Ukraine.”

MPs also held an emergency debate Jan. 27 on Ukraine that lasted until midnight.