In the past three years, Canada has done very well to offer Ukrainians moral and material support in many different areas but it is falling short in its responsibility to point out and address the blatant and repeated breaches of basic human rights and disregard of fundamental democratic principles in the policies and actions of the President of Ukraine - those of his administration, as well as the legislature and judiciary, which are unconstitutionally under his influence and/or control to a great extent.
Will Canada finally stop simply slapping the wrists of the corrupt Yanukovych regime, with what mostly appears to be a series of quiet warnings and soft incentives, and start putting the anti-democratic authoritarian oligarchy on notice to clean up its act?
In Ottawa, on January 28th of 2013, Vadym Prystaiko - Ukraine's recently-appointed Ambassador to Canada - met with Canadian Members of Parliament, who also happen to be part of the Canada-Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Group: Robert Sopuck (Chair), James Bezan, Ted Opitz, Ed Komarnicki and Stella Ambler.
While smiles, courtesy and diplomacy were probably on the on the agenda - well ahead of substance, policy and aid - Canadians and Ukrainians require an effective plan of action to be devised and implemented by Canada's MPs to guide the House of Commons and the Prime Minister's Office in helping to restore democracy and freedom in Ukraine.
A summary of the meeting was issued by Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the form of a media release. Here is an reiteration of the points in that release:
1) Participants in the meeting had a sincere exchange of thoughts on a large scope of issues in Ukraine:
- social;
- economic;
- political development of its foreign policy;
- foreign policy priorities;
- perspectives of Ukraine-Canada bilateral relations.
2) The Ambassador highly appreciated Canada’s practical assistance to Ukraine through the programs of the Canadian International Development Agency:
- helping small and medium businesses;
- reforming the public sector;
- reforming judicial power;
- reforming local governance.
3) While discussing Ukraine's democratic development, he called on MPs to advocate for the beginning of interaction between Ukrainian and Canadian experts with the purpose of improving the Ukrainian electoral process.
4) There was consensus that trade between Ukraine and Canada, which stands at several hundred million dollars, is not in line with the potential of the two economies
5) It was expressed with confidence that the future Ukraine-Canada Free Trade Agreement will promote Ukrainian and Canadian businesses.
6) The Ambassador raised the issue of liberalizing the visa regime between the two countries, having expressed the hope for reciprocal steps from Canada in response to unilateral elimination of Ukrainian visas for Canadians back in 2005.
7) The Ambassador informed MPs about the main priorities of Ukraine's Chairmanship of the OSCE in 2013.
8) He also expressed readiness to actively promote contact between Ukrainian and Canadian Members of Parliament in order to foster relationships.
These points are indeed positive. However, they lack the necessary details to give Canadians and Ukrainians hope for change in Ukraine. Perhaps the near future will bring these details from the Ukrainian Embassy and the C-UPFG. A follow up to this first meeting is in order and the release of a detailed communique - joint or separate - regarding any developments is necessary.
Canadians and Ukrainians are patiently waiting.
Note: the original media release from Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the meeting with C-UPFG can be found online via this link ...
http://canada.mfa.gov.ua/en/press-center/news/10001-posol-vadim-pristajko-zustrivsya-z-golovoju-kanadsyko-ukrajinsykoji-parlamentsykoji-grupi-druzhbi-robertom-sopakom-a-takozh-chlenami-grupi-druzhbi--deputatami-dzhejmsom-bezanom-tedom-opicom-jedom-komarniki-ta-steloju-ambler
(Photo courtesy of http://canada.mfa.gov.ua)
