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Venezuelan Crisis: Canada Has to Say 'We Aren't Going to Deal With This Anymore'

Canada is one of the last countries in the Americas that haven't expressed its position with the crisis in Venezuela. Meanwhile, the Venezuelan community is looking to the Canadian government to see what position it will take.
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FILE - In this Dec. 15, 2012, file photo, a worker weighs a bag of government subsidized food for a customer at a state-run market, one day before state elections for governors and legislators, in Caracas, Venezuela. Venezuela's government has launched on Monday, Jan. 14, 2013, a crackdown on businesses accused of causing shortages by hoarding food and selling products at inflated prices. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano, file)
AP
FILE - In this Dec. 15, 2012, file photo, a worker weighs a bag of government subsidized food for a customer at a state-run market, one day before state elections for governors and legislators, in Caracas, Venezuela. Venezuela's government has launched on Monday, Jan. 14, 2013, a crackdown on businesses accused of causing shortages by hoarding food and selling products at inflated prices. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano, file)

Liberal multicultural critic Jim Karygiannis will introduce a motion to the House Of Commons calling for an emergency debate on how to deal with the situation in Venezuela that could occur the first week of February.

"We have a democracy in crisis and yet the Canadian government hasn't acted," said Karygiannis in a phone interview.

Canada is one of the last countries in the Americas that haven't expressed its position with the crisis in Venezuela.

"Why are we not talking about this in Parliament?" asked Karygiannis. Canada can't act like an "ostrich" and "stick the head inside a hole and say that there are no problems."

"This is where Canada has to say to the rest of the world that in Venezuela they are not respecting the rules," said Karygiannis.

"We are the only country on the world with the unique position to be an honest broker in human right, and democracy and we have failed so far."

Meanwhile, the Venezuelan community is looking to the Canadian government to see what position it will take.

"We don't have an instrument in the house common to say if democracy fails what we do with the Venezuelans in Canada to support them," said Karygiannis.

For Karygiannis, it should be key the government work with the Venezuelan community to find an effective solution to the situation in Venezuela. However, "the voice of the diaspora in Canada is not being heard.

"We need to make sure that this is brought to parlament and discuss."

The community has to sit down with members of external affairs and see how to move forward to make sure that there is a sustainable democracy in Venezuela.

"We must have a robust external foreign affair working with the national diaspora," said Karyaginnis.

"Canada has to take an effective position... and we have to be in the forefront."

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