Wrzesnewskyj condemns cuts at Kyiv Embassy

OTTAWA - Liberal M.P. Borys Wrzesnewskyj on October 5 condemned Conservative cuts to the Canadian Embassy in Kyiv. Since July of this year, the Conservative government of Stephen Harper has cut three positions at the immigration section of Canada's Embassy in Kyiv, Mr. Wrzesnewskyj pointed out.

"This summer I was receiving increasing numbers of calls and e-mails from frustrated constituents and Canadians across the country who were unable to get their relatives and friends to come to Canada for family visits, weddings, christenings and, regrettably, even funerals," the member of Parliament said. "It turns out that this is a consequence of aggressive cuts to the staff at Canada's Embassy in Ukraine by Stephen Harper's Conservative government. In July and September 2006, three positions, or 30 percent of the immigration section in Kyiv have been eliminated, leaving a skeletal staff of seven.

"With tens of thousands of family ties between our two countries this creates unnecessary aggravations. At a time when Portugal has accepted over 250,000 hard-working immigrants from Ukraine, the cutting of three immigration officers further demonstrates Immigration Minister Solberg's attitude when it comes to potential immigration from Ukraine," stated Wrzesnewskyj.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, October 22, 2006, No. 43, Vol. LXXIV

| Home Page |