Here here! Well deserved. And at a time when the Conservatives are riding high in the polls at 43% with a 16 point lead over the Liberals and in majority territory. Would you like to know another Conservative prime minister who went from a minority government to a majority and received the same award? Dief!
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Quick history... last year, Viktor Yanukovych won the Ukrainian election and became president. In the previous election, Viktor Yushchenko supposedly lost to Yanukovych, but as the people knew of the widespread electoral corruption emanating from Yanukovych, the Orange Revolution was born, combining the forces of Yushchenko and Yulia Tymoshenko's parties. Yushchenko, a dashing, handsome man, was then poisoned, supposedly by operatives from Yanukovych, causing his face to deform. With mass sit ins and peaceful protests by thousands of Ukrainians in Kiev, a revote occurred, with Yushchenko winning the presidency.
Yushchenko then appointed Tymoshenko as prime minister, but after much infighting, in a bizarre move, he fired her and put Yanukovych in as prime minister. Then once Yanukovych became president, he put second place Tymoshenko as prime minister.
Last year after the election, Prime Minister Harper's visit to Ukraine and meeting the Ukrainian president was marked with much of his own subtle symbolism. With all the formalities, the ongoing and underlying issue remains the recognition of Holodymor, the mass starvation of Ukrainians by Stalinist Russia in the 1930's. No such recognition from Yanukovych, but Harper's visit to a memorial in the Western Ukrainian city of L'viv, certainly showed Canada's memory.
Ukraine is becoming a more divided nation and perhaps it is mere geography between the West and East, but there is no doubt that Russian influence continues to encroach with it being the dominant language in the East, and where the current president gets most of his support from. Having Yanukovych as president does no wonders for democracy and Ukraine's destiny as a truly independent country, tied to the West and distinguished from Russia.
Ukraine remains Canada's top European aid recipient for judicial and electoral programs. But the country of 45 million continues to have governmental corruption amongst the ranks. Ukraine is a key and central democratic country and an affront to the rising power of Russia and Vladimir Putin's influence. In a way, it is much like Israel in the Middle East and why Canada should continue to have influence.
But what happens to that influence when Yanukovych wins another term, Putin gets back in as Russian president and extends the terms to 6 years, allowing him to rule for 12 years?
What's the saying?
Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Completely unrelated to politics, but being that I'm from Edmonton and Ukrainian Orthodox, I thought I'd share this news.
"A thief broke into the home of a priest with St. Herman's Orthodox Church, on 167 St., in the middle of the night last week, said Archpriest Phillip Eriksson. The thief took the relic, a wallet and the keys to the priest's truck in which he made his escape. After a frantic call to police, officers began a street to street search. They found the truck just over three hours later about 10 blocks away. The relic was with the truck, still inside its ornate box....
...Squadron 8 asked the church if it can claim St. Vladimir as their patron saint and the church has agreed."
U of A history and classics professor David Marples has written extensively on Ukraine for many years and I try to read everything he writes. We are lucky in Edmonton to have such an astute academic providing occasional journalism on a country that means a lot to many Canadians of Ukrainian descent.
Prime Minister Harper's recent visit to Ukraine was important and timely. Professor Marples has written an excellent synopsis of Ukrainian politics under newly elected president, Viktor Yanukovych, who is deemed as pro-Russian, compared to his pro-Western predecessor, Viktor Yushchenko.
If my Grandfather were still alive today, he'd be 110 years old. That's right, he was born in 1900, and in a small village Southwest Ukraine. He was 45 when my dad was born and he was alive for over 16 years of my life, passing away in January of 1989 from prostate cancer. I'm named after him.
He lived through much turmoil. In WWI, at 17, he was forced to fight for the Austrio-Hungrian army on the Italian front, a period he talked little of. On his return, he found out that the Polish army had taken his dad prisoner where he later died from typhous. I can't imagine the feeling of not being able to say goodbye.
He soon joined the Ukrainian Army, fighting the Russian Bolsheviks who were trying to take over Ukraine. Then out of the blue, in his mid-20's he left for Canada, and ended up in Edmonton, speaking no English. Thinking about that journey alone by ship makes my comfortable airline trips to the States seem trivial.
Upon arriving in Edmonton, he got a job working in construction and due to his hard work, gained the trust of his boss, and was able to have that boss secure a business loan for him to open the Home Meat Market. It became a staple of the best koubassa in town and my Grandfather became well known in the Ukrainian community, volunteering on councils and community groups. You can find the shop on West side of 101 Street and 108 Avenue. Seriously, the koubassa is outstanding! He was able to help bring over a family member to Canada--his brother, John, who fought valiantly in WWII for Canada and then settled in Winnipeg.
I remember the family dinners. He didn't say much, but when he did, everyone listened. He was one of the best checkers players around, and wow, could he snore! I remember being babysat by my grandparents at their home which he built. I remember the family vacation in Fairmont, BC, and I remember his car, a Buick Wildcat, in immaculate condition. I remember their 50th wedding anniversary at our church hall. There were a lot of people there, and I remember saying how my Baba was such a good cook. You see, I hardly knew my Grandfather, because he spoke so little, yet he was always there for the family. That was until I remember at one family wedding in Winnipeg where he and I spoke for quite a while about cars and music, while he tapped his feet as we watched everyone dance. There's a picture of us and it was one of the first real bonding moments with him for me.
My Grandfather just missed the fall of the Berlin Wall and most especially, Ukrainian Independence in 1991. Since then, Ukraine has had its up and downs as it get pulled from East to West. I wonder what my Grandfather would think about what's happening there now and what the future lay in store for it. The new president, Victor Yanukovich, is quickly taking the country toward more Russian influence, which is not accepted by Western Ukrainians by any means. Not long ago, coming off the Orange Revolution, the future of Ukraine looked promising--possibly joining NATO or the EU. Putin wouldn't have it though. Now the future looks bleak, it becoming more and more influenced by Putin. Please have a read of this blog post about the situation there. It really churns my stomach.
The last time I saw my Grandfather alive, I was at his bedside at the extended care hospital in Edmonton (only 7 blocks from my home today) where a few days later, he would pass. He was very sick and had difficulty speaking, so he took my right hand, squeezed it, shook it with all the love one could feel, and he wouldn't let go.
And neither will I.
Happy Birthday, Dido.
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