Ukrainian, Iranian communities coming together to protest war and oppression
Iranian- and Ukrainian-Canadians gathered outside the Russian embassy in Ottawa Saturday afternoon, to protest the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the oppression of the Iranian people by the government of Iran.
More than 100 protesters took to the street and drivers honked horns in support as they went by.
Arina Esmaelopour joined the protest to sing with others for peace. The Iranian-Canadian says she hopes Canada and Canadians take a harder line on Iran.
“We want our voice to be heard. We can use our democracy here to be their voice because people are being killed,” Esmaelopour said. “Iran sends them (Russia) drones and things that help them to kill Ukrainian people and they (Russia) supports the regime of Iran.”
Ihor Michalchyshyn, of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, says coming together for a common cause will help focus the public’s attention. He hopes events like this will push the government of Canada to do more to pressure other countries to take a harder line on Russia and Iran.
“We are starting to work together because unfortunately our communities are both seeing the terrible consequences of the genocidal war Russia is waging and Iran is waging war on its own citizens,” Michalchyshyn said. “We are united by the horrific events in our homelands.”
Ukrainian and Iranian protesters agree they have the same goal: freedom for their homelands one day.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Saskatchewan households will continue to receive carbon tax rebate: Trudeau
Households in Saskatchewan will continue to receive Canada Carbon Rebate payments, despite the province refusing to remit the federal carbon price on natural gas, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday.
'It's just so hard to let it go': Umar Zameer still haunted by death of Toronto police officer
'We hoped for this day, but we were scared that it would not never ever come because it took so long.' That’s what Umar Zameer, the man recently acquitted in the death of a Toronto police officer, told CTV News Toronto in a sit-down interview on Tuesday.
Senate expenses climbed to $7.2 million in 2023, up nearly 30%
Senators in Canada claimed $7.2 million in expenses in 2023, a nearly 30 per cent increase over the previous year.
Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko won't play in Game 2
The Vancouver Canucks will be without all-star goalie Thatcher Demko when they face the Nashville Predators in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series.
Pedestrian, baby injured after stroller struck and dragged by vehicle in Squamish, B.C.
Police say a baby and a pedestrian suffered non-life-threatening injuries after a vehicle struck a baby stroller and dragged it for two blocks before stopping in Squamish, B.C.