From Twitter @UANews4ENMedia ... Oct. 21, 2012
Prime Minister's Office statement regarding Canada's support to the electoral process in #Ukraine #450ua #450en #ua t.co/xe3GgqhC
TAXPAYERS OF CANADA: whether you like it or not, 10 MILLION DOLLARS of federal government money (that includes some taxpayer money) is being spent in a just, noble and honourable way, which deserves mainstream media attention - for many good reasons ...
Get the word out - to your favourite blogs, newspapers, magazines, radio stations and television networks - that CANADA is spending over 10 MILLION DOLLARS on:
1) 500 election observers to go to Ukraine, and
2) programs and services to promote a fair and effective democratic electoral process in Ukraine.
The data comes straight from the Prime Minister's Office. The mainstream media should feel obligated to the citizens of Canada to cover this news and all events surrounding the election in Ukraine, most importantly the vote itself on Sunday, October 28th !!!
Let the media know you want Ukraine's October 28th election covered FULLY !!!
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Canada's support to the electoral process in Ukraine - highlights:
1) Canada and the international community have identified the elections as a key benchmark for Ukraine's democratic development, given growing concerns about Ukraine’s commitment to international standards of human rights, democracy and rule of law.
2) "Mission Canada-Ukraine Elections 2012" is a short-term observer mission that Senator Raynell Andreychuk will lead.
3) Canada is sending a total of 500 election observers to Ukraine:
- 420 observers = Mission Canada-Ukraine Elections 2012, and will be implemented by CANADEM, an Ottawa based non-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO) established in 1996, with its main purpose being to bolster peace, order, and good governance efforts through connecting international agencies to civilian experts.
- 80 observers = part of Europe's OSCE & PACE election observation missions.
4) The $8.9 million cost is jointly funded by the Dept. of Foreign Affairs & International Trade (DFAIT) & the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
5) Canada has also contributed almost $2.5 million to:
- CIDA projects: raising voters' awareness of electoral procedures, supporting local election monitoring and providing unbiased information on any instances of electoral fraud and misconduct.
- DFAIT project: aimed at increasing the transparency and efficiency of the State Voter List.
6) Mission Canada-Ukraine Elections 2012 observers will receive three days of training. On election day, the observers will provide coverage of a representative sampling of Ukraine’s 33,540 polling stations.
[ source ... http://www.pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?id=5113 ]
FULL STORY …
Canada's support to the electoral process in Ukraine
October 19, 2012 … Gatineau, Quebec
The Government of Canada is committed to strengthening democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Ukraine.
On October 28, 2012, Ukraine will be holding parliamentary elections. Canada and the international community have identified these elections as a key benchmark for Ukraine's democratic development, given growing concerns about Ukraine’s commitment to international standards of human rights, democracy and rule of law.
On October 19, 2012, Prime Minister Harper attended the launch of the Mission Canada-Ukraine Elections 2012 short-term observer mission at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Quebec. During the launch, the Prime Minister announced that Senator Raynell Andreychuk will head Canada’s electoral observation mission. Having led a previous electoral observation mission to Ukraine in 2010, she has significant experience in this area, and is also an active member of the Ukrainian Canadian community.
Canada has a proud history of supporting the democratic process in Ukraine through electoral observation missions. Since 2004, Canada has sent observers to four sets of Ukrainian elections, including over 300 observers to monitor Ukraine’s 2010 presidential election.
This year, Canada is sending a total of 500 election observers to Ukraine: 420 of the observers will form part of Canada’s independent international observation mission, Mission Canada-Ukraine Elections 2012, and will be implemented by CANADEM. The remaining 80 observers will participate as part of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly observation missions.
The $8.9 million cost for Canada’s observation of the elections will be jointly funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
Canada has also contributed almost $2.5 million to a set of four local capacity-building initiatives in advance of the Ukrainian elections this fall. This includes three CIDA projects focused on raising voters' awareness of electoral procedures, supporting local election monitoring and providing unbiased information on any instances of electoral fraud and misconduct. Additionally, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade is funding a project aimed at increasing the transparency and efficiency of the State Voter List.
Mission Canada-Ukraine Elections 2012
Upon their arrival in Kyiv, Ukraine, election observers will receive three days of observer training. On election day, the observers will provide coverage of a representative sampling of Ukraine’s 33,540 polling stations.
The selection of candidates for election observation was administered by CANADEM in accordance with its established criteria. The criteria include previous experience as an election observer, work experience in Ukraine and/or the region, knowledge of the Ukrainian or Russian languages, professional background and domestic electoral experience.
http://www.pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?id=5113
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