RE:CANADA’S STRONG LEADERSHIP IN SUPPORTING UKRAINE
CANADIAN COUNCIL IN SUPPORT OF UKRAINE(CCSU)
League of Ukrainian Canadians (LUC),
League of Ukrainian Canadian Women (LUCW)
Ukrainian Youth Association of Canada(CYM),
Society of Veterans of UPA
Homin Ukrainy/Ukrainian Echo
9 PLASTICS AVENUE,TORONTO, ON M8Z 4B6 CANADA
416-516-8223, luc@lucorg.com, www.lucorg.com
July 25, 2014
The Canadian Conference in Support of Ukraine(CCSU) and indeed the broader Ukrainian Canadian community are grateful for the support provided to Ukraine by the Government of Canada, in particular by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Cabinet, and by Members of Parliament James Bezan, Ted Opitz, Bob Dechert, Erin O’Toole and many others. From the very onset of the Ukraine crisis,Canada has led the international community in this challenging, yet very necessary endeavour.
Prime Minister Harper was the first G7 leader to visit Ukraine following the downfall of the Yanukovych regime, providing the transitional Government of Ukraine with strong political support when it was needed most.
Then, subsequent to Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the beginning of the Russia-sponsored terrorist activities in eastern Ukraine, the Government of Canada had adopted a step-by-step implementation of the toughest sanctions against Putin’s regime amongst our Western allies, the latest round announced yesterday being the strongest. This has brought about the political and economic isolation ofRussia. We believe that to a certain extent the result of these efforts byCanadaand its allies has led to the Putin regime’s decision not to conduct to date a full scale military occupation of the eastern regions ofUkraine. In this regard, we further encourageCanadaand its partners to continue applying increasingly harsher sanctions against the Russian Federation, until such time that Putin’s regime completely stops sending its mercenaries, weapons and financial support to eastern Ukraine, and Crimea is returned to Ukraine.
The CCSU also welcomes Prime Minister Harper’s announcement in March of this year to provide Ukraine with a $200 million financial support package. The Ukrainian government’s budget, mercilessly pillaged by the Yanukovych regime and now seriously constrained by the war effort and Russia’s economic sabotage, is in urgent need of this support in order for the social and humanitarian assistance programs to continue. Considering the seriousness of the situation in Ukraine, the recent high casualties, including many innocent civilians, the thousands of refugees and the overall unrest and stress caused by the Russia-instigated war, the frustration recently expressed by representatives of the Government of Ukraine and our community in Canada with regards to the length of time it takes for the Government of Canada to implement this financial commitment, are understandable and should not be taken out of context. Having said that, we fully comprehend that the Canadian taxpayers must be assured that this money will be spent wisely and transparently, and thus a proper process and due diligence must take place, which requires the necessary checks and balances that Canada and Ukraine are presently finalizing. In this regard, the CCSU looks forward to continuing to work with the Government of Canada in securing this financial support and assisting with its proper execution in Ukraine.
The CCSU also encourages Canada to closely work with the IMF and World Bank on further financial support for Ukraine.
Additionally, the CCSU strongly supports the Canadian government in providing Canadian military personnel and equipment as part of the NATO reassurance program for our European allies, as well as delivering training for Ukrainian military and civilian personnel through the Military Training Cooperation Program. We further strongly encourageCanada, once again, to take a leadership role in supplying Ukraine with military equipment requested by Ukraine from NATO countries.
Finally, the CCSU is very pleased with Canada’s recent Trade and Development mission to Ukraine led by the Minister of International Trade, Ed Fast, which was also attended by CCSU members. We sincerely hope that these efforts to further strengthen economic cooperation and create opportunities for Canada-Ukraine partnerships will soon culminate in the signing of a Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Ukraine to promote mutually beneficial economic growth and business development.
In conclusion, the CCSU greatly appreciates Prime Minister Harper’s and the Canadian government’s continued strong partnership with the Ukrainian Canadian community and with the new Government of Ukraine, and stands ready to assist in any way possible. These efforts will no doubt streamline the international community’s desire to assist the people of Ukraine during these challenging times, as they fight for the sovereignty and integrity of their homeland, democracy and the rule of law, all of which are our Canadian values. Furthermore, it will, no doubt, have a significant positive impact on a desired prompt resolution of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, thus preventing a further loss of life and leading to the stabilization of Ukraine,Europeand beyond.
The CCSU would also like to take this opportunity to express its gratitude to the opposition parties in the Parliament of Canada for their non-partisan approach on this issue and their steadfast support of the Government of Canada in assisting Ukraine.
Orest Steciw Roman Brytan
President League President Ukrainian
of Ukrainian Canadians Youth Association ofCanada
Lisa Shymko Mykola Koshyk
President League President
of Ukrainian Canadian Women Society of Veterans of UPA
