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Canadian Group for Democracy in Ukraine | 02Sep2015 | Oksana Bashuk Hepburn
http://cg4du.blogspot.ca/
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MEDIA RELEASE

TEN QUESTIONS to your CANDIDATE: Federal Election 2015

Elections are a key expression of citizens’ direction for Canada. The Canadian Group for Democracy in Ukraine has put together critical questions to ask your candidate. It’s important to know ahead of time how the next government will deal with the issues Canadians care about. The questions below deal with peace and security; Putin’s war on democracy and his terror on the citizens Ukraine.

Please ask these -- and make up your own -- at candidates’ meetings. Also, use social media, emails or telephone the candidates for answers. (It’s okay for them to call you back; not okay not to!)

Please share the questions as widely as possible. Place them on the candidates’ website, send them to your local print, radio and TV outlets: write or speak to the issues in the print and internet media, with neighbours and friends.

This is your way of defending the freedoms we enjoy in Canada and helping Ukraine. If you don’t do this who will?

Here are the questions:

1/ Russia's aggression is not only of concern to Ukraine but to the entire world. Russia wants to break the European Union and in its place impose its own authoritarian, corrupt, oligarchic system of government. Ukraine is the only country fighting him in a real -- not cold -- war in defence of the democratic way of life against President Putin’s return to the 'Dark Ages' of might is right and mafia criminality.

If elected, how will your party help Ukraine win for all of us?

2/ How does your party envisage operating in a world where Vladimir Putin’s criminal regime -- together with dictator-partners in Iran, Syria and others -- destroys the international rule of law in order to gain global supremacy?

3/ The cost of Russia’s 18 months of terror in south-eastern Ukraine is estimated at some 7,000 dead, 6,000 soldiers, civilians and children missing -- children are a particular target for kidnapping and removal to Russia to fill its population gap -- and over 1.4 million displaced.

Despite dictating the terms of the Minsk peace agreements Russia has never adhered to them. Under your leadership, how will Canada deal with Russia’s aggression?

4/ The Conservative government has been in the forefront of assisting Ukraine as a way of protecting our own peace and security. How will your party do better for democracy?

5/ President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly defied the Minsk agreements and accelerated the war on sovereign Ukraine. Will your government put him, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and others on Canada’s sanction list? Also, their families?

6/ It is estimated that Ukraine’s oligarchs – businessmen-politicians who use state assets to enrich themselves -- have hidden billions of dollars in the EU and other global safe havens. Thus, instead of Ukraine’s natural resources and industries supporting the state, it’s the IMF, world democracies -- including Canada -- that are assisting Ukraine.

How will your government ensure that the oligarchs’ assets, which rightfully belong to Ukraine, will be repatriated?

7/ We know from past experience that, too often, international aid falls into corrupt hands. How will your party ensure that assistance to Ukraine will be used as intended?

8/ What policy changes will Canada press for NATO vis a vis Ukraine?

9/ Considering the ominous implications to global peace and security by Russia and its partners -- Iran, Syria and others -- will your party stand up to Russia in defence of democratic values by increasing its commitment to Ukraine's military?

10/ Putin’s regime has abducted and imprisoned several prominent Ukrainians among them are film producer Oleh Sentsov who received 20 years and Oleksander Kolchenko -- political activists from Crimea -- 10 years. Military pilot Nadia Savchenko may get as much as 25 years as her condemnation of Russia’s criminality angers Putin.

How does your party propose to deal with Russia, a signatory of international agreements, and its disregard for international law and human rights, and its return to Stalin’s show trials?

Put briefly, the reason for asking the questions is to find out whether your candidate supports a murderer and intends to turn a blind eye to criminality and thereby threaten Canada in the name of doing business with Russia.

Or, will your candidate and his/her party punish Russia’s President Putin?

Ask the tough questions: it’s your right.

Please contact us at [email protected]

The Canadian Group for Democracy in Ukraine is dedicated to the furthering of democracy in Ukraine.
- 30 –
Oksana Bashuk Hepburn
613 769 5996
Myroslava Oleksiuk
416-471-5675
Irene Teliszewsky
613-228-1028