CALGARY EUROMAIDAN DECEMBER 1st Singleness of Purpose

Calgary November 23,2013

Soaring expectations for change fed by the Ukrainian government's negotiation with the European Union have whetted the appetite of Ukrainians everywhere! Months of anticipation spawned a civic awakening in Ukraine, an optimism dashed in the recent disappointing government refusal of the EU offer.  It seems these were pseudo negotiations, and today's social, economic and political situation in Ukraine has galvanized an invigorating civic awareness, leading citizens to press for the removal of their ruling elite. Today, extreme disappointment with political leadership, and hungry for political change, has led to hundreds of peaceful mass protests in Ukraine and her widely spread diaspora.  A pressure cooker of change is currently brewing.
The prognosis for the future of these protests is yet to be decided but hopeful.

Singleness of purpose is a gift that keeps giving.  Chasing the truth truth through history, archaeology, and literature is one thing.  But the burbling anger emerging from analysis of statistics is different.  Historical documents now proving the horrendous acts contributing to the Ukrainian Holodomor of the 1930's continue to shine light on uncomfortable truths. And as my daughter once said, "Once someone tells you who they truly are, believe them!" Former subjects of a regime, and now citizens of a baby democracy schooled in the social media age, Ukrainians cannot deny the false premises upon which their government has gained such access and opportunity for kleptocratic behaviour.  Public awareness is rising, but Ukraine has been denied so often, it's enemies are cunning and patient.

Anyone paying attention to the hot spots in social media this week recognizes the importance of the Euromaidan protests in Kyiv and elsewhere in the world.  Hundreds of thousands of people are watching in nervous anticipation. For a patient people, such exaggerated focus on the protests resulting from Ukraine's disappointing government refusal to sign the EU Association agreement is perhaps out of character. Other issues generally usurp everyone's attention, but for today this issue must be kept relentlessly in the foreground! Ukraine's opportunities to grow into a prosperous free and democratic nation have been been insidiously infected with parasites.  Given a choice, nobody has wanted to speak on such issues. But developing trends in politics, high stakes power struggles, machinations and clashing interests are subjects of public discourse in this young democracy. At the very core of this protest movement is the belief that Ukraine's biggest obstacle to her future prosperity is myopic, fearful denial of truth. A growing maturity of purpose is evident in the latest protest demonstrations in Ukraine.  Recognizing the risks, the Ukrainian people are hugely optimistic for the potential for change. Change is coming.  May it help the Ukrainian nation.

Supporters of this movement, Ukrainians and Canadians of good will are rallying together Sunday, December 1st at Olympic Plaza in Calgary at 3:30 PM!

CALGARY EUROMAIDAN DECEMBER 1, 2013