Wednesday, July 06, 2005

From a Ukranian/Canadian Newsletter:

Canada's relationship with Ukraine this year began on a sour note, after Canada's Foreign Affairs Ministry sent Ukraine's vice-consul in Toronto, Oleksander Yushko, home on December 24, 1996.

The 32-year-old diplomat was declared persona non grata after he was charged with impaired driving, possession of stolen property, offering a bribe to a police officer, and allegedly trying to lure two teenage girls into his car with the intent of administering a noxious substance (a handkerchief soaked with the anaesthetic solvent, xylene). Compounding Mr. Yushko's troubles was the fact he had no official diplomatic identification when Metropolitan Toronto Police arrested him.

On a brighter note, a group of Ukrainian Canadian bands from Toronto released a CD titled "I Am Alive" in mid-January, with proceeds from the disc's sale going to the Help Us Help the Children fund.