New Ukrainian Consulate
in Edmonton in
2008
Edmonton will soon have Ukraine’s only consulate in Western
Canada, from a December 19 announcement made by Edmonton East MP
Peter Goldring. Goldring who has pushed for the establishment of the consulate,
said he has received a letter from Foreign Affairs Minister Maxine Bernier
giving the federal government’s support for the office.
Bill Diachuk, a director of the Ukrainian-Canadian Congress Alberta
Council, stated “This is good news for all of Western
Canada. He said “It will help particularly with tourism, with
student exchange programs ... Alberta
has so much to offer, and Saskatchewan
was supportive of it, too.”
Alberta’s Ukrainian-Canadian
community has raised more than $28,000
towards the first year of operating costs of the new consulate, which is
expected to be open by the end of 2008. No consul has yet been named to be
joined by three or four staff from Ukraine and a Canadian support
staff member.