I was reading through the Vancouver Sun when I came across this, I thought it might be interesting to share.

Canadian election observers get emotional send-off from Ukrainian ambassador

Tuesday, December 21, 2004

OTTAWA (CP) - The 500 Canadian observers who will monitor Sunday's election in Ukraine got an emotional send-off Tuesday from Ambassador Mykola Maimeskul.
"I am overwhelmed," he said. The Ukrainian diplomat told them they will witness a turning point in his country's history. "I envy you," he said with a catch in his voice. "You will be witnessing the critical moment in the history of my nation, the birth of a new Ukraine."
He thanked them for giving up their Christmas to help promote democracy in a country far away.
All members of the delegation were scheduled to leave Canada on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Ukraine's presidential election enters an unprecedented third round with the rerun vote Sunday. The country's Supreme Court ordered the new vote after annulling the fraud-marred Nov. 21 run-off which was allegedly won by Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych.
Opposition Leader Viktor Yushchenko accuses Yanukovych of stealing millions of votes in last month's run-off.
Maimeskul noted that many of the Canadian observers have Ukrainian roots. "But you all are Canadian."
He said he welcomed Canadian professionalism and impartiality .
The observers gave him a standing ovation as he finished his trilingual speech - English, French, Ukrainian.
John Turner, the former prime minister who is leading the Canadian mission, spoke to the observers on video tape. He was in Toronto preparing to leave for Ukraine.
"This is a crusade for democracy," he said.
He urged them to remember they must be impartial, no matter what the outcome.
"The people of Ukraine are entrusting us with an important responsibility," he said.
Aileen Carroll, minister for international co-operation, noted that the mission to Ukraine is the first deployment of Canada Corps, an umbrella organization set up to co-ordinate Canadian efforts to promote democracy and good governance abroad.
She said later she is confident that all possible measures have been taken to ensure the safety of the Canadian observers.
There were incidents of physical intimidation and beatings during the Nov. 21 vote.
"One is always concerned when you are going into a situation such as the one in Ukraine, but I have a high comfort level that all that could possibly be done to prepare for a secure setting for our volunteers has been done.
"People know in going to Ukraine at this time that is not the same thing as travelling in Canada.
"I'm satisfied we could do no more than what we have done."



Ah.....

Canada, we are making new friends with other countries and strengthening relationships everyday.

   

Yeah, I have a friend that left yesterday to be an election observer in Ukraine...great guy, but he has no love for either candidate, and he can sometimes can be a little bit militant...I hope he doesn't inadvertently start a revolution over there...

   

I remember seeing on CNN that the guy was poisoned. I just briefly saw it and I thought it was him I was not to sure though. But, you can never trust what CNN tells you anyway. Can someone clarify this for me?


(If it was a poor country it would be a good idea to start a revolution, but it isn’t really that poor of a country so I don't believe he will do something like that. There are many people behind him at the moment like Canada so he will most likely never need to.)

   

Somebody put dioxin in Yushchenko's food at an official dinner, Stellar. Apparently that's an old Kremlin/KGB trick...using dioxin as poison. That's what made his face look all pock-marked.

   

Ok, now I remember.


He was actually quite a handsome man before he was poisoned.

He is going to recover however but I think what the poison does to him is somehow disturbs the internal organs and they start to swell up.