By Justin Goulet (LethbridgeNewsNow)

Alberta donating over $5 million to support Ukraine

Mar 4, 2022 | 5:02 PM

CALGARY, AB – Alberta is providing more support for Ukraine.

Amid the ongoing situation between Russia and Ukraine, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney announced Friday that the province will be donating $5 million to the Canada-Ukraine Foundation.

Alberta had previously donated $1 million to the Canada-Ukraine Foundation in support of humanitarian relief efforts on the eve of Russian’s invasion of Ukraine.

According to the 2016 federal census, Alberta was home to 369,090 people of Ukrainian descent. Support for Ukraine has been shown across the province, including in Lethbridge, where a rally was held on Saturday, February 26.

Kenney added, “we [the provincial government] will also provide $5 million of funding to the World Ukrainian Congress’ United with Ukraine campaign to provide desperately needed defensive military equipment for the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces.”

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“These are largely civilians who are being trained and equipped to assist the Ukrainian army in defending their country and innocent civilians. This $5 million contribution will help to equip 5,000 members of the Ukrainian Territorial Defence Forces with critical defensive equipment including flak jackets, helmets, bulletproof vests, first aid kits, night vision goggles, communications equipment and essential fuel.”

Kenney said both organizations will help ensure the responsible and prompt delivery of the equipment. Additionally, the province will be donating $350,000 to the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Alberta Provincial Council for their Alberta Stands with Ukraine campaign. The Premier noted that money will “help coordinate supportive efforts here in Alberta.”

“We are working with them actively to support their Fill a Plane for Ukraine campaign. In fact, I believe we’ve helped them to secure air cargo transport for the first aid and defensive equipment that they are assembling here in Alberta urgently to ship that to Poland and then into Ukraine.”

Kenney said “ultimately, these are, in the scale of things, relatively modest measures but I think [they] demonstrate in a very meaningful way, the solidarity of the people of Alberta with Ukraine.”

The Premier added that he has heard of “acts of hatred and xenophobia being directed at Albertans of Russian origin” and wants to maintain solidarity with those Albertans.

He said, “one of the Russian Orthodox Churches here in Calgary was defaced and vandalized last week. I’ll be visiting that church later today [March 4] just to express our solidarity with the community of Albertans of Russian origin at this time.”

“I am confident that the vast majority of Canadians of Russian origin are appalled by the unlawful and brutal aggression of Vladimir Putin and in no way should Canadians of Russian origin be blamed or scapegoated for what is happening in Ukraine today.”

Kenney concluded, “we need to remember the lessons of our own sad experience, for example in the Second World War, when Canadians of Japanese origin were caught up in a wave of sentiment and anger. Let’s not repeat those mistakes. Let’s move forward together in support of the people of Ukraine during this difficult time.”