Some Chatham-Kent councilors have been heard from mayors in Ukraine while that country is in the midst of a Russian military invasion.
In July 2019, Chatham-Kent was one of two Canadian communities to play host to a delegation of Ukrainian mayors interested in learning about local governance and the municipal infrastructure.
As Chatham-Kent’s council meeting ended on Monday, Mayor Darren Canniff said he sent out letters on behalf of council to the Ukrainian mayors who visited, to let the know their country is in the thoughts of local residents.
Canniff said he’s been getting some responses back and he shared excerpts from a letter received from Mayor Olha Mishchenko.
In thanking Canniff for reaching out to offer support “during these dark times,” Mishchenko wrote: “It was indeed a remarkable time during our visit to your city, and the memories from Chatham-Kent, yours and your colleagues’ hospitality are always in my heart as well as our mayors.
“It had a very lasting impact on our delegates, they were very inspired by what they have seen and learned in Canada and it made them feel that they are on the right path, that what they are trying to do in their communities will eventually bring results,” she added. “And they achieved so many!”
Mishchenko wrote that is why Ukraine is so fiercely resisting Russia’s invasion, “because we know what we are defending.
She said these days since Russia invaded “are like one dreadful nightmare but I can’t wake up.”
Mishchenko described the horror of the Russian military invasion.
“While our army repels them from the ground, they switched their tactics to terror by launching air strikes on people’s houses, hospitals, schools, kindergartens,” she said. “They ruin our cities, causing a humanitarian catastrophe – people can’t have electricity, gas, medical treatment, food or water.
“In some places the situation is more than critical – it’s very hard to get out for people trying to evacuate as occupiers’ shoot at peaceful residents, they fire on rescue workers and ambulances, they don’t allow humanitarian assistance…” she added.
“As we talk about our issues here, we really have to appreciate there’s some significant issues going on elsewhere in the world,” Canniff said.
count. Anthony Ceccacci has been communicating with Andrii Portnyi a young mayor he made a connection with during the 2019 visit.
Noting he’s been checking on his friend to see how he’s doing, Ceccacci said, “The fight in him and his people’s heart is just astronomical.”
He praised Portnyi’s leadership, noting he is doing what he can to help.
“It’s sure pretty sad to see … all the things that have been happening over there,” Ceccacci said.
A memory of the visit by the Ukrainian mayors that stands out for the local councilor is: “How much they wanted to learn to bring back to their community to make it a democratic and as sovereign a nation as possible.”
Recalling the giving nature of the Ukrainians and how much they appreciated being hosted by Chatham-Kent, Ceccacci said, “It was actually one of my best experiences in the summer of 2019.”
count. Clare Latimer said she’s been contacted by a constituent asking if Chatham-Kent will have an opportunity to sponsor refugees from Ukraine or doing something to help those in the war-torn country.
“To date, we have not received any specific requests to provide any specific assistance to Ukrainians,” said Audrey Ansell, Chatham-Kent’s director of community attraction and promotion.
But, Ansell added she has a call scheduled about that topic this week with the Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
Meanwhile, Canniff outlined four ways Mishchenko said local residents can help Ukraine.
- Support Ukraine’s appeal to enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine: address the government, the parliament;
- sign a respective petition.
- hold a rally in support of Ukraine in your city with a demand to close the sky over Ukraine. “This is a matter of our people’s survival.”
- Boycott Russian goods and services not to support the aggressor’s economy. “Any business ties with Russia are a sponsorship for the Russian troops to kill more of our children.”
- Share the truth about Russia’s war against Ukraine as much as you can. “It is the war against the whole world – everyone should know what Russia is doing, so they can’t hide their crimes or lie about it.”
- Send financial or humanitarian support to help with the survival of Ukraine’s citizens.