PROGRAMME PARLEMENTAIRE CANADA-LKRAINE PARUAMENTARY PROGRAM ISSUE 3, JULY 1997 TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT, WHAT YOU REALLY REALLY WANT... Participation in CUPP allows us to meet in a peaceful way since 1991. Nations of the Canadian students, members of Parliament, world have accepted the fact that Ukraine is now members of tfie Provincial Parliament, an independent state, and that it stands for candidates in tfie elections and ordinary democracy. It is striving to bring in reforms in its Canadians. During tfiose meetings, people often economic and social life. There is an amazing ask questions such as "How do you like opportunity for us students to take part in this Canada?" and "Would you like to live in process. There is huge potential for development Canada?" and I believe that someday Ukraine will be as good a country to live in as Canada or any other Canada is an amazing country. It has wonderful Western state. So the answer is that yes, I love people, beautiful scenery and a rich economy. Canada and I am returning home to do as much This is not just my opinion but is the opinion of as I can in order to make true my prediction that the United Nations which has considered Canada someday soon Ukraine will be as good a country to be the best country in the world to live in, for as Canada to live in and we'll both be No. 1. the fourth year in a row. But I love Ukraine. I like its people and its traditions. I like the mountains in the west, the Natalie Mylenko forests in the north, the steppes in the east and Zaporizhia Technical University the seas in the south. Of course we have Management 4th Year problems at the present time. It takes time to My MPP: Mario Sergio change a society. It is impossible to rebuild a My Team: Arctic state in five years. Yet we have achieved a lot, CUPP students with the Mayor of Toronto Ms. Barbara Hall CANADA-UKRAINE PARUAMENTARY PROGRAM PAGE 2 LET THE FUTURE BEGIN This optimistic statement are highlighted by its questions asked of him by was the motto for all PC opponents. The governing Canadians, along the bus candidates during the last party defends itself in order tour. At the conclusion of federal election. I was a to hold on to power and asks his speeches, we cheered keen observer of the PC the voters for understanding loudly for the PC leader in campaign in Ottawa West and a bit more time to fulfil its order to boost his image as Nepean and adopted the mandate. Election time is a rising star on the political also a time of interesting stage. motto for myself as well. events and meetings This opportunity to observe The bus tour was only one of organized by each of the the 1997 federal elections the experiences during the parties. I had an opportunity was a unique privilege for election campaign. I was to participate in one such CUPP students. also able to observe and event with the PC Leader, participate in the campaign Election campaigns are a Jean Charest. I joined the of Ottawa-West PC time of passionate PC bus campaign and candidate Margret Kopala. speeches, partisan crisscrossed a good part of During this campaign, confrontations, endless Ontario with other students observing the telephone arguments and inflammatory from many Canadian canvas, the lawn sign statements. During the universities. Jean Charest, campaign, the distribution of campaign, the governing the youngest leader in this campaign literature, I party is bombarded with campaign, spoke realized that campaigning in accusations, allegations of passionately about Canadian a multicultural riding is hard wrong-doing and its failures unity and responded to all work. The task of CAiSlAOArUKRAINtE PARLIAMENTARY PROGRAM PAGE 3 campaigning becomes dislike of Brian Mulroney's the future" was not even more burdensome government. This fear convincing enough. when you are running increased when the press Hopefully, in the next against a strong incumbent reported that Jean Charest election, the PC's will be who has represented the considered that he had a able to convince Canadians riding during the past two son-to-father relationship that their platform for a elections. In spite of this, with Brian Mulroney. strong, united and Margret Kopala's prosperous Canada is the The PC's are the party ttiat campaign workers worked one that the country needs, Ontarians have been voting unselfishly and almost till and which in fact will let the in provincial elections for exhaustion day and night future begin. This slogan much of this century. With until election day. may be the appropriate one this reality, unfortunately the in the year 2001 when, in The outcome of the June success of the PC's in the new millennium, the 2nd election was Atlantic Canada and Jean future can really begin. unpredictable as many Charest's popularity in people remained Quebec were not enough to undecided until voting day. produce a Tory victory in Tetyana Skvortsova Concerned about Ontario. I believe that the Luhansk Pedagogical important issues such as PC's must re-think their ties Institute unemployment, tax cuts with the Mulroney 4th Year Student of and health care, most government and work on Ukrainian and English voters went though erasing some negative My MPP: David Turn bull process of reflection and stereotypes. It appears that My Team: St. Laurent assessment about which the PC's offer of "hope for party will best carry out its promises. Although the PC's addressed all of the important issues in their campaign program, they faced several challenges during the campaign. The most important one was the ghost of the last PC government, that of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, which haunted the PC candidates in this election. No matter how inviting and sincere Jean Charest's promises were, they could not placate some people's fears and Team Ctiarest CANADA-UKRAINE PARLIAMENTARY PROGRAM PAGE 4 STANDING UP FOR YOU, OR WHAT CANADIAN ELECTIONS ARE ALL ABOUT As a microcosm of Canada, Kings Road, I could feel the Standing up for you, the title for the federal riding of Pickering- electricity in the air, the this article, is the motto of Dan Ajax-Uxbridge in the Greater operation of the campaign McTeague's, of which he is Toronto Area became an machine and the everyday proud. At one time, Dan went interesting political battle activities of candidate Dan against his own party, ground leading up to the June McTeague or Dan as we defending the interests of his 2nd election. Sitting MP Dan called him. His enthusiasm constituents. He voluntarily McTeague faced a strong and rich humour cheered gave up his pension and challenge from the PC and everyone up in the campaign, introduced a number of private Reform candidates in his bid even at moments when members' bills, two of which for re-election. As a student of everyone was completely became law. law, I would suggest that the tired. Accompanied by his The campaign was very election process is the corner• assistants and volunteers, competitive with sign wars, stone of democracy, and in Glen Bradbury, Luch Durante, public debates, vigorous observing the canvasses and election process many other one can judge the activities. About level of that 40,000 people society's de• were contacted velopment as a and more than civil and demo• 15,000 doors were cratic country. And knocked on during I can say that all in the personal all, what I canvass. A very observed was a interesting real democracy in moment in the action. The campaign was the chance to observe visit to the riding of or take part in a PC Leader, Jean campaign, is equal Charest. It was to years of interesting to studying the observe the electoral process reaction to the visit from books. I am by both the therefore very Liberals and happy for myself and for my Frank, Mark, Matt, Bern, Reform Parties. In order to colleagues in CUPP '97 Sindy and many other terrific describe the campaign in because we were fortunate people, Dan was running not detail, I would have to write a enough to participate in this only for re-election, but for novel and maybe one day I instructive exercise. convincing victory over his will, but for the present, what I can say is that this was an At the very beginning of the competitors. And I was very outstanding experience for campaign, upon entering the glad to be, if only for a short me. I will remember the campaign headquarters on period of time, a member of this campaign team. CANADA-UKRAINE PARLIAMENTARY PROGRAM PAGE 5 campaign for a very long time. June 2nd turned out to be a late night and a fantastic victory party. Dan McTeague and many, many of his friends celebrated Dan's victory in the election where he received 53% of all votes. At present, I am working in the offices of my MP Dan McTeague in the House of Commons. This is the continuation of my experiences of last year as a member of CUPP'96 and yet there are some new and interesting things I have learned. It was very exciting for me to meet the staff of my MP from last year, to meet some old friends and to feel something of a deja vu | L-R Dan McTeague, Boris Kormich. Mrs. & Mr. McTeague, Glen Bradbury walking through the halls of much better known in Canada gained from the CUPP parliament.