Canada to send 500 observers for December 26 run-off vote (12/12/04)

Canada to send 500 observers for December 26 run-off vote

OTTAWA - Etobicoke Center Liberal MP Borys Wrzesnewskyj welcomed the December 6 announcement by Canada to send 500 election observers to the December 26 presidential election in Ukraine. This represents more than a tenfold increase in size from its previous observer teams.

Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew and the Minister of International Cooperation, Aileen Carroll, made the announcement. This observer project is being co-ordinated with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC), and a majority of the observers will be Ukrainian Canadians," explained Mr. Wrzesnewskyj.

"Sending 500 official Canadian observers is unprecedented in terms of the number of people being sent and the dedication of resources," noted Mr. Wrzesnewskyj. Even more importantly, however, is the leading role that Canada has taken within the international community in supporting free, transparent and democratic elections in Ukraine. Clearly Canada has not only stepped up to the plate in a very big way, it has also issued a serious challenge to our allies. The United States and the European Union each have 10 times the resources that Canada does, and they can both afford to make a commitment of a proportionate nature. This is particularly true of the countries of the European Union; with their proximity to Ukraine, I don't see how the EU can now stand on the sidelines," stated Wrzesnewskyj.

This is not the first time that Canada has taken the lead in supporting Ukraine in its quest to join the democratic community of nations. Following Ukraine's independence referendum on December 1, 1991, Canada was the first western nation to recognize the country's independence.

On September 21, Andrew Robinson, Canada's ambassador to Ukraine, spoke out on behalf of the Canadian government when he warned that "the presidential election in the country will fail to meet democratic standards."

On November 25, after an emergency debate the night before, the House of Commons passed a unanimous motion, put forward by MP Wrzesnewskyj, condemning the fraudulent election, rejecting its results and warning of consequences should the situation not be remedied.

Just last week Prime Minister Paul Martin sent a strong message - the first by any Western leader - that the will of the Ukrainian people must be respected and that there must not be interference by Russia.

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