OTTAWA — Former Ontario premier Mike Harris and Saskatchewan Tory Sen. Raynell Andreychuk will lead a Canadian delegation of election observers to Ukraine for the May 25 vote.
Andreychuk led previous missions to Ukraine in 2010 and 2012 and is recognized as a leader in the Ukrainian-Canadian community, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement Tuesday.
Harris served as Conservative premier of Canada's largest province for seven years until 2002 and has expertise in the democratic process, the PMO said.
Canada is sending 500 observers to monitor Sunday's presidential vote and a second round of balloting if needed in June.
The election was called after Viktor Yanukovich was ousted in February after reneging on a pledge to forge greater ties with Europe — a decision that led to bloody battles in Kiev and sparked protests and gun battles in eastern Ukraine between pro-Russian separatists and government forces.
Mike Harris to lead election delegation in Ukraine | Canada | News | Toronto Sun
Andreychuk led previous missions to Ukraine in 2010 and 2012 and is recognized as a leader in the Ukrainian-Canadian community, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement Tuesday.
Harris served as Conservative premier of Canada's largest province for seven years until 2002 and has expertise in the democratic process, the PMO said.
Canada is sending 500 observers to monitor Sunday's presidential vote and a second round of balloting if needed in June.
The election was called after Viktor Yanukovich was ousted in February after reneging on a pledge to forge greater ties with Europe — a decision that led to bloody battles in Kiev and sparked protests and gun battles in eastern Ukraine between pro-Russian separatists and government forces.
Mike Harris to lead election delegation in Ukraine | Canada | News | Toronto Sun