Bryson Woolsey is trading in his chef91裸聊视频檚 apron and the luxury of home for ammunition and danger to help people in Ukraine during their time of crisis.
The 33-year-old cook from Powell River, B.C., said he 91裸聊视频渄ropped the frying pan91裸聊视频� to answer Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy91裸聊视频檚 call for foreigners to join an 91裸聊视频渋nternational brigade91裸聊视频� to defeat Russia.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 not my desire to go into combat and just shoot people. That91裸聊视频檚 not the reason,91裸聊视频� he said in an interview. 91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 something happening right now, and I have the capacity to help in some way.91裸聊视频�
While heads of state hammer out sanctions to slow down and stop Russia91裸聊视频檚 invasion of Ukraine, people from all walks of life are answering Kyiv91裸聊视频檚 call to arms regardless of personal risk and training.
Yet while Ottawa has largely adopted a hands-off approach, saying the decision to fight is up to individuals, some are worried about the potential legal and national security questions of having a large number of Canadians head off to war.
Author and historian Tyler Wentzell, who has studied Canadians91裸聊视频� involvement in previous foreign conflicts, said it will be interesting to watch how people respond to this request for help considering Canada is home to the third-largest Ukrainian population.
91裸聊视频淔oreign volunteers have a way of making things seem a little bit less foreign,91裸聊视频� said Wentzell, who has written a book on Canadians fighting in the Spanish Civil War.
91裸聊视频淪o, if these volunteers go 91裸聊视频� we91裸聊视频檙e going to start to have Canadians sending back TikTok videos from the front lines. And I think that will fundamentally change how Canadians view the conflict.91裸聊视频�
But Wentzell also noted that there is a difference between the official Ukrainian Armed Forces and 91裸聊视频渁ny number of oddball militias that already exist or may emerge91裸聊视频� in such situations.
Some paramilitary units in Ukraine, and even certain segments of the Ukrainian military, have been linked to far-right extremism and hate, and even accused of past war crimes.
The Foreign Enlistment Act actually restricts when people can fight in a war that does not directly involve Canada. Passed in 1937, it was intended to keep Canada neutral during the Spanish Civil War and basically banned joining a foreign military to fight a country Canada considers 91裸聊视频渇riendly.91裸聊视频�
Wentzell, who has studied the act extensively, says he believes those going to fight for Ukraine would not be violating the law. The same might not be said for those who might join the Russian military, even though Canada and Russia are not at war.
At the same time, he said volunteers should be careful about joining Ukrainian paramilitary units as their conduct and affiliations with certain groups could put them afoul of Canadian law.
Kyiv has said anyone who wants to join the international brigade to contact the local Ukrainian Embassy. An email to the embassy in Ottawa asking for more information was answered Wednesday with a question about military and medical experience.
The federal government has not directly addressed the legality of Canadians fighting in Ukraine, or whether it supports those who want to do so. Federal ministers have instead couched the issue as a matter of personal risk.
91裸聊视频淚 will say that is an individual decision that Canadians are making for themselves, and our job as a government is to provide information about the severity of the situation on the ground in Ukraine,91裸聊视频� Defence Minister Anita Anand said Tuesday.
The call for international volunteers to fight in Ukraine has raised other questions and concerns for Stephanie Carvin, a former national security analyst who now teaches at Carleton University.
Carvin noted extremist groups in Canada and elsewhere are always looking for ways to get military training, experience and credibility. Volunteering to fight in Ukraine could offer all three.
91裸聊视频淭here are national security implications to large numbers of Canadians going overseas and getting military experience by forces we don91裸聊视频檛 know,91裸聊视频� she said.
91裸聊视频淏ecause they may end up with the Ukrainian army, or they could end up with other factions there. And we do know the factions exist, and that could cause problems down the road.91裸聊视频�
Woolsey noted Canada said that those who want to volunteer to fight for Ukraine are welcome to do it, adding that he91裸聊视频檚 aware of some other countries that have warned their citizens against it.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday warned those in his country against going to fight in Ukraine after his foreign secretary over the weekend got into hot water for voicing her support.
91裸聊视频淚t is clear that the people of Ukraine have right on their side and I can understand why people feel as they do,91裸聊视频� Johnson said during a visit to Estonia. 91裸聊视频淏ut we have laws in our country about international conflicts and how they must be conducted.91裸聊视频�
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has also advised people against going to Ukraine to fight citing legal logistics and informal militias that might mushroom in such situations.
91裸聊视频淥ne: don91裸聊视频檛 do it, don91裸聊视频檛 do it,91裸聊视频� he said during a news conference. 91裸聊视频淪econdly, the legal position at best is unclear. At best is unclear. And as a result, we would not be encouraging people to join in those efforts.91裸聊视频�
Australian law prohibits its citizens, residents, and visa holders from 91裸聊视频渆ngaging in hostile activities91裸聊视频� overseas unless serving in the armed forces of a foreign country, said a statement from the Department of Home Affairs.
91裸聊视频淔oreign fighters who have returned to Australia who are suspected of committing a criminal offence will be investigated by law enforcement and security agencies,91裸聊视频� it said.
The Australian government also has measures in place to proactively identify and take action against non-citizens who have engaged in criminal activity and behaviour of concern, it added.
However, U.S. President Joe Biden91裸聊视频檚 administration has taken a similar approach to Canada.
91裸聊视频淥ur travel advisory remains U.S. citizens should not travel to Ukraine,91裸聊视频� White House deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday.
She added that 91裸聊视频渢he State Department has issued travel advisories and warnings to help Americans make the most informed decisions about their safety, so that91裸聊视频檚 what I would refer you to.91裸聊视频�
While Carvin didn91裸聊视频檛 want to suggest most Canadians want to do anything but help Ukraine and its people, she worried the government wasn91裸聊视频檛 being clear enough in its own position 91裸聊视频� or about the potential dangers.
Joshua Robertson of Barriere, B.C., whose grandfather came to Canada in the 1930s from Ukraine, said his connection to that country is 91裸聊视频渟o deep91裸聊视频� that it can91裸聊视频檛 be explained.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 just something that91裸聊视频檚 calling me back home,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚 need to go and help.91裸聊视频�
The 31-year-old who is hoping to go to Ukraine by mid-March said he has no military experience and is pretty scared. But it91裸聊视频檚 something that needs to be done, he added.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e ready to fight,91裸聊视频� Robertson said. 91裸聊视频淲e will lay down our lives.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频擧ina Alam and Lee Berthiaume, The Canadian Press
