Does Ukraine Deserve Our Help?

By Volodymyr Kish

I have been asked to be moderator at an interesting panel discussion to be held at the UNF Toronto Community Centre on Evans Avenue on December 13 at 3 pm.  The theme of this forum is “Today’s Independent Ukraine…Can Our Community Continue Supporting The Cause?”

This forum is symptomatic of a growing malaise within the Ukrainian Community in Canada over the continuing lack of progress in Ukraine in virtual every sphere of its existence – political, social, economic, religious and cultural.  Coming up to almost twenty years after its independence, Ukraine is not the democratic, successful, Western-oriented civil society that we all dreamed of when the Soviet Union broke up.  In fact, in many ways things have gotten worse over the past decade, to the point where some are now characterizing Ukraine as a “failed state”.

Although I would not go quite so far myself, it is obvious that Ukraine seems to be stuck in a deep rut with no clear way forward.  This has hit home in the past few months with two more crises erupting in Ukraine as a result of which the Ukrainian community in Canada has once again been asked to provide aid and assistance.  The first and most dire of course has been the serious outbreak of the H1N1 flu virus in Ukraine which graphically exposed how unprepared and in what sad state is Ukraine’s health system.  The Canada Ukraine Foundation and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress have mounted a valiant emergency effort and shipped tons of much needed medical supplies.  Although there have been some generous donations of both funds and materials by individuals, private companies and organizations, it is also obvious that a certain amount of “contribution weariness” has set in.

This is also evident in the response to the second crisis which revolves around the upcoming presidential elections in Ukraine in January.  The fairness of the elections will depend a lot on the number of outside election observers that will be in Ukraine to ensure that no electoral hanky-panky takes place.  In previous elections going back to the Orange Revolution, large numbers of Ukrainian Canadians volunteered to go over as observers, often at their own expense.  So far this time around, the response has been underwhelming, though the stakes are just as high.  A common take on this is “Why bother…it doesn’t seem to make any difference…the politicians elected seem to be as corrupt and incompetent as ever”.

There is a growing feeling amongst many Ukrainian Canadians who have been active in helping Ukraine both here and over there, in that until Ukrainians themselves take a more active stand in resolving their own problems, we are just wasting our time and energy to no useful purpose.  Perhaps we should be focusing our efforts and funds more on maintaining and developing the Ukrainian community here.

It is a difficult issue with no easy answers, but one that bears some serious discussion and analysis.  Obviously as a community we have limitations in terms of our human and financial resources.  Should these be dedicated primarily to initiatives here in Canada rather than Ukraine?  If not, then what is the proper balance between what we should be doing here and how much help we should extend to Ukraine?  Do we have any reassurance that whatever aid we send to Ukraine actually does any good or even reaches the people it is intended to help?  How do we deal with the endemic corruption that seems to pervade all aspects of Ukrainian society?  Should we not just let Ukraine solve its own problems and concentrate on looking after our own domestic affairs here?

Since Ukraine became independent, Ukrainian organizations in Canada have made it a priority to do everything they can to help make Ukraine a modern, democratic and economically successful country based on a North American or European model.  Sadly, after some two decades of effort, the results have been deeply disappointing.  It is time we reassessed our relationship and strategy vis  vis Ukraine and took a look at different approaches and alternatives.