Canadians remember with pride the role that our 1,000 observers and mission leader former Prime Minister John Turner played during the 2004 election in Ukraine.
In January 2010, the first presidential election since the Orange Revolution will take place. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress is asking for Canada to send 500 observers this time. The minister only announced 60. The Congress is disappointed. NGOs in Ukraine are worried…
Why has the government slashed Canada’s support by nearly 90%?
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“Unfortunately, Ukraine’s democracy is fragile and needs our support. Russian interference and threats coupled with economic challenges in Ukraine have strained democratic institutions in this country from which 1.2 million Canadians draw their origin. Under previous Canadian governments, Canada and Ukraine have established a ‘special relationship’ and Ukrainian Canadians have played a pivotal role in Ukraine’s path to independence and democracy. It is for these reasons that the Conservative government’s inadequate announcement of a contingent of 60 election observers is so disappointing. Compared to the 500-strong contingent of official election observers sent by the previous Liberal government, the Conservative government’s efforts can best be described as embarrassing,†– Borys Wrzesnewskyj.
Call to action
Contact your Member of Parliament, the Prime Minister and members of the Canada-Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Group:
- Mark Warawa, Chair
- Bonnie Crombie, MP
- Consiglio Di Nino, Senator
- Gerard Kennedy, MP
- Ed Komarnicki, MP
- David Smith, Senator
- Mike Wallace, MP
including those three members who did not support the motion to send 200 official Canadian election observers for the Ukrainian presidential election:
- Peter Goldring, Edmonton East
- Joy Smith, Kildonan-St.Paul
- Raynell Andreychuk, Senator
Below is the e-mail I have sent in hopes it will encourage you to write as well to everyone above:
To: Harper.S@parl.gc.ca, warawm7@parl.gc.ca, Crombie.B@parl.gc.ca, dininc@sen.parl.gc.ca, Kennedy.G@parl.gc.ca, KomarE@parl.gc.ca, smithd@sen.parl.gc.ca, WallaM@parl.gc.ca, GoldrP@parl.gc.ca, SmithJ@parl.gc.ca, andrer@sen.parl.gc.ca
Subject: Why has the government slashed Canada’s Ukrainian elections support by nearly 90%?
Ukraine’s democracy is fragile and needs our support. Russian interference and threats coupled with economic challenges in Ukraine have strained democratic institutions in this country from which 1.2 million Canadians draw their origin. Under previous Canadian governments, Canada and Ukraine have established a ‘special relationship’ and Ukrainian Canadians have played a pivotal role in Ukraine’s path to independence and democracy. It is for these reasons that the Conservative government’s inadequate announcement of a contingent of 60 election observers is so disappointing. Compared to the 500-strong contingent of official election observers sent by the previous Liberal government, the Conservative government’s efforts can best be described as embarrassing.