UNF Ottawa-Gatineau Branch Meets Ambassador of Ukraine Prystaiko

By Olya Korzachenko

On April 9, 2013, members of the Ukrainian National Federation in the National Capital Region had the pleasure of being invited to the Embassy of Ukraine for an evening with His Excellency Ambassador Vadym Prystaiko and Mrs. Inna Prystaiko. Members of the Ukrainian Canadian Business and Professional Association of Ottawa were also guests at the event, attended altogether by some 50 people.

The Ambassador, originally from Odesa, spoke briefly in perfect English about his career, which includes diplomatic postings in Australia and in Washington DC as well as a previous posting to Canada in 2002 to 2006. He spoke about the current state of Canada-Ukraine relations and his wish to see an expansion in bilateral ties, and an increase in trade and investment in Ukraine by Canadians. Ukraine is among the 20 countries of focus for Canadian technical assistance. Only 0.03 % of Canada’s trade is with Ukraine and the Ambassador would like to see this increased significantly.

Ukraine’s participation in international activities was another area of focus of the Ambassador’s talk, including active involvement in the global war on terrorism and anti-pirating programs. Ukraine, once considered the breadbasket of Europe, has recently increased its production and export of wheat significantly, and it continues to feed much of the world. Ukraine’s government is also focusing on reforms leading towards eventual integration into the European Union, although these reforms are not happening quickly enough for many critics.

The Ambassador also called for a deepening of cooperation between the Embassy and the two organizations present, as well as the diaspora in general. When asked about his goals, the Ambassador mentioned specifically his desire to see the elimination of visas for Ukrainian visitors to Canada, and an expansion of youth and student exchange programs, with more Canadian students and youth participating in Ukraine.

An open dialogue followed, with participants expressing their concerns about the deteriorating economic situation in Ukraine, the selective application of justice, and the global perception of Ukraine. There was also discussion about the role of the Canadian-Ukrainian diaspora in promoting the expansion of democracy and the rule of law in Ukraine, and increasing contacts between citizens of both countries.

A reception and informal discussions of the issues raised during the Ambassador’s talk continued well into the evening. Andriy Teliszewsky, one of the participants, summed up the opinion of many guests about the Ambassador having stated: “He is a breath of fresh air. He is very up front and amiable and his responses were not steeped in political rhetoric. The directness of his replies made us comfortable in knowing that he shares similar concerns with the state of Ukraine’s economy.”

Members of both UNF and UCPBA in Ottawa were pleased and honoured to have had the opportunity to meet the Ambassador and to see first-hand the lovely Embassy, decorated with artwork, crafts and traditional embroideries by Ukrainian artisans. We wish the Ambassador and his staff much success and look forward to working together with them.

Olya Korzachenko is Secretary of the UNF Ottawa-Gatineau Branch

PHOTO
L. to R.: Ron Sorobey, President of UCPBA Ottawa; Vicki Karpiak, VP UNF Ottawa-Gatineau, Vadym Prystaiko, Ambassador of Ukraine in Canada; Paul Migus, President of UNF Ottawa-Gatineau; Orest Dubas