A first-hand account of Ukraines thirst for freedom in 1990 – Toronto Star

In late 1990, I was part of a group of Canadians recruited by a professor from McMaster University and funded by Canadas department of External Affairs to go to the recently independent country of Ukraine to teach political operatives about political parties in a democracy. The curriculum included fundraising, community organization. advertising. media relations, E-day organization, strategy, etc.

The Berlin Wall had fallen one year earlier on Nov. 9, 1989 and the thirst for freedom shone brightly in our Ukraine classroom. Approximately 150 individuals, representing 30 or 40 political parties, showed up to attend two weeks of lectures from our group.

Howard Aster, a political science professor from McMaster, recruited a multi-party group of instructors including, as I recall, Jim Coutts and Martin Goldfarb from the Liberals, myself and others from the PC Party and several from the NDP and a variety of advertising and media buy companies. We represented political parties from across the political spectrum from the Green Party to the Communist Party of Ukraine.

There were some unusual aspects to the logistics to our trip. Aster had to bring a huge crate of toilet paper from Toronto because that was not available in Kyiv. Once that basic comfort was provided for, I remember sleeping on a wooden bunk bed with a thin mattress in the building that a year earlier had been the Communist Party headquarters. It was quite surreal.

I came away from that experience with a positive feeling about the future prospect for democracy in Ukraine. The people we met were eager and thirsty for freedom and it seemed to me prepared to work hard to achieve that end.

It reinforced my only other experience with Ukraine politics. In 1988, I learned of the hard work and courage shown by a young Torontonian of Ukrainian descent, Borys Wrzesnewskyj, who drove a crate containing a printing press and three million pieces of paper in a transport truck from St. Petersburg in Russia to Kyiv and then prepared political pamphlets urging the breakup of the U.S.S.R. and freedom for the people of Ukraine. (Wrzesnewskyj later became a Liberal MP for Etobicoke Centre). The address on the crate was Shakespeare-Kyiv.

I have seen many media clips describing the courage of Ukraine leadership and its citizens in these early days of Putins violent assault on their country. The words of Ukranian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy I dont need a ride, I need ammunition will be etched in the history books alongside those of Winston Churchill when people google the words political courage.

The events of this week pose a serious threat to democracy and freedom in Ukraine. However, the strong resolve, defiance and courage exhibited thus far suggest that it may take more than Putin counted on to extinguish the thirst for freedom in Kyiv and Zelenskyy, the comedian turned politician, may have the last laugh.

John Laschinger is a veteran political organizer best known for organizing election campaigns and party leadership bids for a variety of candidates.

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A first-hand account of Ukraines thirst for freedom in 1990 - Toronto Star