Goldring calls for election observers
November 20, 2009
Ottawa – Peter Goldring, Member of Parliament for Edmonton East, and Vice-Chair of the Canada-Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Group, says it is important Canada send observers to monitor the January presidential election in Ukraine.“I was in Ukraine before and during the entire 2004 Orange Revolution,” Mr. Goldring says. I know first-hand the importance of having impartial observers who can tell the world that the electoral process has been free and fair. Given some of the turmoil in politics in Ukraine in recent years I feel it is especially important for Canada to again send observers to monitor this election, which will have a long-lasting effect on Ukraine’s future.”
“I will be speaking with the Honourable Bev Oda, the Minister of International Cooperation, to see what Canada can do,” Mr. Goldring says. “I also intend to speak with the Honourable Steven Fletcher, Minister of State (Democratic Reform) about Canadian Government involvement. Our Government has a commitment to promoting democracy worldwide, and it would seem important we do so with one of our most valued partners, Ukraine.”
Mr. Goldring recently met in Ottawa with Mr. Yaroslav Davydovych, former Chief Electoral Officer of Ukraine, to talk about the January presidential election. Mr. Davydovych emphasized the need for as many election monitors as possible.
Peter Golding was the only Canadian Member of Parliament to remain in Ukraine after the November 2004 run-off presidential election that sparked the Orange Revolution. He returned to Ukraine for the December vote and has now served as an election monitor in Ukraine on four occasions and in Georgia twice.