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Julie Dzerowicz Member of Parliament
Davenport

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Davenport friends & neighbours:

Happy New Year!  We are only 9 days into a new year, and it is already a historic one. What a beginning to 2026!  

I am going to focus my comments this week on the events of this week responding to many of the calls and emails I have received and I will also say a few words about misinformation and disinformation. 

Let’s start with Venezuela. Our Prime Minister was clear in calling for the respect of international law, sovereignty and human rights. He also had a call with Nobel Peace Prize Winner and Venezuela Opposition Leader Maria Corina Machado to affirm Canada’s support for “peaceful, negotiated, Venezuela-led transition process” respecting “democratic will of the Venezuelan people”.     It is also interesting to note that yesterday (Jan 8), the US Senate advanced resolution 52-47 to block Trump from using U.S. armed forces in/against Venezuela without congressional authorization.  This resolution still needs to pass Congress before it gets to President Trump but it’s an important  development. 

There was worry among some Davenport residents that Trump’s plan to develop oil will negatively impact Canadian oil exports. Our PM Carney has said he is not  worried about increased Venezuelan oil production challenging Canada’s energy exports because Canadian oil is cheaper, cleaner, and lower-risk.

On the subject of Greenland.  The actions of the US President in Venezuela have  ratched up fears that Trump wants to take over Greenland.  It is understandable given his quote that he would use “military force to control Greenland.” 

PM Carney, after meeting with the Prime Minister of Denmark (this week in France), responded saying that Canada unequivocally supports Denmark’s sovereignty and that the  “future of Greenland be decided solely by the people of Denmark and Greenland”.  Note that in February, there will be a visit by Governor General Mary Simon and Foreign Minister Anita Anand to open a consulate in Nuuk. Again our Prime Minister  emphasized that international law must be respected.

The battle in Ukraine continues to escalate.  Despite the Ukraine Peace Negotiations in Paris this past week – today PM Carney condemned Russia for using the Oreshnik missile on  Ukraine.

I have been very proud of all the ways that Canada has shown leadership and has worked relentlessly with our allies to secure some kind of just and lasting peace.  

In December we provided over $1.6 billion more in loan guarantees to support the Ukrainian economy.  On Jan 6, 2026  Canada co-signed a commitment to “politically and legally binding guarantees” for Ukraine once a ceasefire came into force. After our PM met with NATO Sec Gen Rutte, Rutte praised Canada’s leadership and extraordinary support for Ukraine and lauded Canada’s  leadership role in the  defence of the High North and Arctic region where Russia/China are active.  

The fight for democracy and for rules based international order where “might is not right” continues – and Ukraine is at the forefront of that fight.  We are determined to work with our allies and to do all we can to help find a just and lasting peace.  It feels so difficult right now and it’s hard to find what the path forward will be but we will not stop trying. 

In the coming days and weeks … and in order to diversify trade away from the US, PM Carney is set to travel to China and Qatar as well as Davos for the World Economic Forum.  Canada is determined to double our non-US exports over the next decade!

Staying Informed, Staying Strong – Tackling Misinformation & Disinformation

In these uncertain times, one of the most important things we can do as Canadians is stay engaged—with each other, with our communities, and with what’s happening in our country and the world. But I’ll be honest: it’s getting harder to know what to believe, especially online. Misinformation and disinformation are real threats to our democracy, and they thrive when we’re overwhelmed, divided, or tuned out.

That’s why I believe the federal government has an important role to play. We need to support fact-based Canadian journalism—not just the CBC, but the full ecosystem of credible outlets like Canadian Press, iPolitics, and local news sources that hold power to account. We need to invest in media literacy so Canadians of all ages have the tools to evaluate what they’re reading and sharing. And we should be learning from what’s working in other countries—collecting best practices and bringing those lessons home.

But the government can only do so much. The government does not control  the free flow of information in a democracy. Ultimately, it is up to us  to arm ourselves with knowledge. Seek out multiple sources. Ask questions. Be skeptical of content designed to provoke outrage rather than inform. The truth is worth the effort—and our democracy depends on citizens who are willing to do the work to find it.

Have a wonderful weekend Davenport!  As always, it is a true honour and pleasure to serve you.

With gratitude and warm regards,