Hope Springs Eternal

By Oksana Bashuk Hepburn

“It’s difficult to concentrate on paska blessing when it’s 90 degrees”, says Uncle Ilko when I visit him after his Velykden Easter Holiday in Florida.  “But I tell you, every other person was in a vyshyvanka, especially the children. Wonderful!  But that’s not why I asked you to come.”

I have no clue as to this session’s agenda of “mental callisthenics”, Vujko’s term for discussions pertinent to Ukrainian issues.  It’s not the recently past Easter traditions.  Could it be the Middle East turmoil?  The ongoing battle for equal treatment at the CMHR? The taking out of Osama Bin Laden?  The Conservative’s victory in the recent federal election?  The NDP surge?

“It’s the red flags for May Day.”

Aha!  Uncle is referring to the heated discussion in Ukraine about flying the red - read Communist “Hammer and Sickle” - flags on the anniversary of the Bolshevik thunder in Ukraine.

“But Uncle, the leader of one of the opposition parties condemned this ‘Back-to-the-USSR’ aberration and Rada voted to have both the Ukrainian national and the Communist flags flying.”

“That’s what I want to talk about.  I saw Arseniy Yatsenyuk on YouTube.  He was great.  He told those Party of Region Russia lackeys who don’t love their country to give up their Ukrainian passport and leave.  He actually said idit het; banish them.”

The former Foreign Minister, now party leader of Front for Change, and probable presidential candidate in 2012, Yatsenyuk demanded that Ukrainian flags fly during any and all national celebrations.  But the vote in the Verkhovna Rada - Parliament preferred a compromise: both flags will fly.  Uncle Ilko continues.

“Ukrainian politicians are all about compromise.  Look what they did with the free trade zone proposed by Russia, which now includes Kazakhstan and Belarus.  Ukraine declined; at least for now.  They prefer the European zone.”

I suspect Ukraine would prefer to trade with both.  However, they’re between a rock and a hard place.  If they side with Russia, their European option is compromised; if they decline, will Russia simply take the snub?  In my global travels, I had spoken with Ukraine’s diplomats who said that the pressure Russia puts on them to submit to its will is nearly intolerable.  Each time Ukraine resists Russia turns the screw.  Ukraine is holding; but for how long?

“It’s Ukraine’s ongoing balancing act: move to the West and sashay to Russia.  Former President Viktor Yushchenko was a master shuffler offering genocide status for Holodomor, the recognition of Stefan Bandera and Roman Shukhevych (Taras Chuprynka) as national heroes.  Ultimately, however, Yushchenko vykonav nakaz, obeyed orders and delivered the last presidential elections to Viktor Yanukovych.”

Vujko is right.  Few patriotic Ukrainians can forgive Yushchenko for ensuring Yulia

Tymoshenko’s loss of the presidency by lobbying for the “vote for no one” scenario.  She didn’t.  And the rest, as the saying goes, is history.  Yes, orders were obeyed.

 “Politics is the art of the possible.  Something for the nationalists, something for the Reds.  And a lot for the politician’s own pockets.  So what to do?”

 I have to deliver my 12-year old nephew to his soccer match, but I never miss Vujko’s “what to dos.”

 “We have a strengthened conservative government here.  Prime Minister Harper has performed very well for our community.  There is a need to get back to basics: trade.  Get Canada excited about doing business in Ukraine.  I know it’s hard; been there!  But Canada’s interest in Ukraine depends primarily on self-interest.  The Canada Ukraine Chamber of Commerce will find a way of leading here.  Their job is to sniff out good business opportunities and don’t tell me all have been explored.  Look, first of all there’s agriculture.  Who better than Canada to offer partnership here?  And it’s Harper’s priority.  Then there’s energy?  Who better than us to work with Ukraine on diversification, transportation, refining and managing?  Let the CUCC create working groups to explore this.  Ask the Embassy of Ukraine in Canada to engage Canada in this. We hear a lot about the cultural events with the diaspora, the handing out of awards to community workers with limited impact on things that matter.  Tell me, is it still necessary to be sending used clothing to Ukraine.  But what about trade?”

Uncle Ilko is flying.

“Vujku, you’re optimistic about Ukraine; a rarity these days.”

 “You know, I look at some of its people - great kids those Shpylyasti Bandurysty for instance - five strapping young bucks breaking the mould of folk music and offering a new style.  I read blogs full of superb political analyses.  The election in Ukraine of one of the youngest hierarchs in the Catholic Church makes my heart sing.  And how can one not feel positive about the fact that the energy agreement with Russia is on hold?

“Today I’m hopeful.  Yulia Tymoshenko's lawsuit against that sleek oil tycoon Dmytro Firtash has been accepted by a U.S. court. But more is needed. Ukraine needs to get its Constitution right and the judiciary cleaned up.  Canada can help and we, the community, must ensure this help.  Putin claims the Russians won WWII without the Ukrainians.  He’s a fool.  Ukrainians won then, and when the USSR collapsed on Russia, and will win again; because we endure and persevere.  Slava Ukrajini.”

“I Kanadi!”, I add.

“Exactly,” says Vujko.