XPost: can.politics, bc.politics, ont.politics   
   From: ConsRCons@govt.cda   
      
   Does the man not realize what a mess he has in his own country, under   
   his own government? . . .   
      
   - One scandal after another - if not monetary frauds, ethical lapses and   
   covered lies   
   - Growing country debt   
   - High unemployment numbers   
   - Squabbles between his government and the provinces   
   - Spying scandals involving foreign governments   
   - And, overall, his government's falling numbers in the polls   
      
   And yet he sees fit to send his bulldog, John Baird, to the UKRAINE to   
   meddle in THEIR political affairs?   
      
   One has to stop and think and then come to the realization that treks to   
   other countries are fun for the Harper Cons because they're paid for by   
   the taxpayers.   
   And by moving the spotlight from Canada to the Ukraine, he's likely   
   hoping we won't notice his ducking and weaving around the growing unrest   
   amongst Canadian voters.   
      
   You can run, but you can't hide, Harper . . . .  election in less than   
   18 months and we, the people, are not happy.   
   ________________________________   
      
   February 25, 2014   
      
   Baird to lead Canadian mission to help Ukraine tilt toward West   
      
   Foreign Affairs Minister to lead Canadian delegation to support   
   country's transition to a more pro-Western interim government   
      
   Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird is headed to Ukraine to throw   
   Canada's support behind Kiev's transition from its ousted pro-Russian   
   president to an interim government charting a more pro-Western course.   
      
   Ukraine's parliament recently chose interim leaders, after President   
   Viktor Yanukovych fled following scores of deaths in protests last week.   
   But parliamentarians postponed the formation of a unity government until   
   Thursday, and formal elections aren't scheduled until May.   
      
   Mr. Baird will lead a Canadian delegation to Ukraine beginning Friday   
   and is slated to hold meetings with the "anticipated Ukrainian   
   transitional government and civil society," the Prime Minister's Office   
   said. "I think it's very important, given that the situation is still   
   fluid, that we in the West – and certainly we who are friends of   
   Ukrainian freedom – show as quickly as we can, and right on the   
   ground, our support for what the Ukrainian people have achieved thus   
   far," Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Tuesday.   
      
   The tumult in Ukraine has set up a diplomatic tug-of-war between the   
   West, which has expressed support for the demonstrators, and Moscow,   
   which has questioned the legitimacy of the interim government, saying it   
   will find it difficult to work with "Kalashnikov-toting people in black   
   masks."   
      
   Ottawa has a long-standing and special relationship with Ukraine, dating   
   back to 1991 when Canada became the first Western nation to recognize   
   its independence. This country is also home to more than 1.2 million   
   Canadians who claim Ukrainian heritage, the largest number outside the   
   boundaries of the former Soviet Union.   
      
   Just as Ottawa is throwing itself more squarely into the global   
   conversation about Ukraine's murky future, Russia's ambassador to Canada   
   on Tuesday implied Western nations are meddling in Ukrainian affairs.   
      
   "Our foremost goal is not to play any kind of geopolitical games, but to   
   help our brotherly Ukrainian people get through this rough patch ...   
   without, of course, interfering into their domestic affairs like some   
   other countries unfortunately afford themselves to do," Georgiy Mamedov   
   told reporters hours before Mr. Harper's announcement, adding Russia has   
   no plans for military intervention in Ukraine.   
      
   He went on to warn that countries involving themselves in Ukraine's   
   political transition should remember the saying, "If you break it, you   
   own it," suggesting they should be prepared to assist Kiev over the long   
   term.   
      
   [- - - ]   
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        “It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to   
   save the environment.”    ― Ansel Adams   
      
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   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)