(OTTAWA) Speaker of the House of Commons Anthony Rota on Friday night authorized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to address the Canadian Parliament on Tuesday.
Posted at 8:05 a.m.
Government House Leader Mark Holland made the request on Thursday, after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was able to speak with Zelensky the day before.
The Ukrainian president had accepted an invitation to speak to MPs and senators during his telephone conversation with Mr. Trudeau on Wednesday.
The speech will finally take place next Tuesday at 11:15 am, as suggested by Mr. Holland. Friday evening, Anthony Rota said he had the “honor” to accept the proposal.
Prime Minister Trudeau will speak first in this special session, before Mr. Zelensky. Following, in that order, are Senate President George Furey, Mr. Rota, Official Opposition Leader John Brassard, Bloc Québécois Leader Alain Therrien, NDP Leader Peter Julian, and Green Party MP Elizabeth May.
Mr. Holland said this session will give Canadians a chance to hear directly from Mr. Zelensky about the “urgent and dire” situation in his country, which was invaded by Russia just over two weeks ago.
The House of Commons and Senate were not due to sit again until March 21 and Mr Holland had claimed that MPs were unable to pass a motion regarding Mr Zelensky’s speech before the start of the two week break.