Canadian government criticizes Ukrainian election

Ukraine’s parliamentary election held on Oct. 28 didn’t meet international, democratic standards, said a Nov. 11 statement issued by Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird and International Cooperation Minister Julian Fantino. The post-election vote tabulation process was characterized by a lack of openness, transparency and timeliness, the statement said.

Zenon Zawada: The Canadian governmen became the first Western government to condemn the Oct. 28 parliamentary vote, and it may not be the last. No statement has yet to arrive from an EU official or institution, which will be critical in determining whether a (FTA) Free Trade Area agreement will be signed. That’s widely viewed as the last lifeline that’s keeping Ukraine from drifting into the Eurasian sphere of influence.