When the war in Ukraine started, grassroots movements across Canada sprung up to assist refugees come here, to Saskatchewan. Brian Crossman, columnist with Pipeline Online, recounts how the Sunflower Network, a small group of volunteers, has done their part to help out. So far, the ground has helped over 20 families to come to southeast Saskatchewan and another 20 to Saskatoon area.
Thanks. Nice story. A bit of light is appreciated every now and then.
If all the “Ukrainians” leave Ukraine … what’s left of Ukraine? What is it?
I am sure you would be much happier if they ended up in a Siberian gulag instead.
That’s Russia’s intent – clear Ukraine of Ukrainians. Those who stay are fair game. Is this the start of a genocide? Is it just war? Russia’s ultimate goal appears to be take control of Ukraine, and if they don’t want to be part of greater Russia, well, they can just go away – either somewhere else, or to another form of existence.
Huh? Seems as though many millions of Ukrainians VOLUNTEERED to leave (rather than stay and defend the home country). JUMPED at the chance to relocate to The West … and to Freedom. Free at last! Free at Last! God Almighty … they’re Free at Last! Slava no more.
There is no Ukraine if the best and the brightest have fled. If all the children have fled. They’re just making it EASY if Russia has population “replacement” in mind.
Women and children left. Men actually went back. And guess what else, Poland took about 2M of them and enjoys below 5% unemployment. Also, your mental state seems to be deteriorating rapidly.
My own grandfather was born a Ukrainian refugee in 1917. He came here the year before Stalin decided Ukrainians didn’t need food, and something like 6-10 million died of starvation. I wouldn’t be so quick to judge.
I’m glad your grandfather got out.
Putin isn’t Stalin
Russia isn’t The USSR
I’m not quick to draw any parallels
In all honesty. What do your new friends think of Zelensky.. Knowing of course they are being looked after, by an alleged Zelensky backed country, and our personal snake Arsehollio!
Tell that to the residents of Bucha, Irpin etc. You’re so blinded by your justified hate of Brandon Alzheimer, that it has driven you nuts and you have lost all perspective.
The above was to Kenji.
“Putin isn’t Stalin”
Sure, because comrade Sralin had enough common sense to be reasonably successful (in a thuggish way), while pathetic old Poo went nuts and is already a failure.
“Russia isn’t The USSR”
Obviouly, it has smaller territory, much fewer people in its sway and is based around a different ideology (it was communism for the USSR and now Russischeschweinism for Russia, also known as “Russian World”). It has, however, a nearly identical political system (uniparty rule with no opposition).
As far as I can see, the Russians want the Russian parts of Ukraine to develop as part of national Russia, and since after a generation the Ukrainians were not respecting the national rights of the Russians in the Russian districts, then they decided to incorporate those districts directly into Russia. They attacked the wider Ukraine only to make more feasible their plans in Russian Ukraine. What have I missedL
“What have I missed.”
The fact that there is no such thing as “russian parts of Ukraine” and that russia cannot exist without conquest.
So … you missed ALL the History lessons, and ALL the map changes throughout ALL of history. And you’re asserting … like a “Palestinian” … that Israel is an illegitimate State … carved out of Palestinian Lands. Sheesh. Ohhhhhh … it’s OK when the UN sanctions it (then).
You must be a proud graduate from the Cathy Newman School of Argument.
Colon. the Ukraine was part of Russia for hundreds of f****** years.
Ugh, nope, but russia has been a part of Mongol Empire “for hundreds of f****** years.” … and it shows.
So, all it takes to be Ukrainian is to be physically present on territory claimed by the Ukrainian government? So much for the famous distinctive Ukrainian national identity, eh? And of course, Russia would still exist even if Robert Conquest had never written that book about them. Facts? I’ve seen more impressive facts playing checkers!
You can’t just say “so” and then say something completely irrelevant. Irrelevant is opposite to “so”. Also what you said is stupid.
So, waffles are vindictive! Hmm, turns out to be quite easy to say “so” and then something irrelevant. You don’t undertsand that, so it must be stupid!
Thanks Brian, great work has been done by volunteers around the world helping Ukrainians whose livelihood has been destroyed by the Siberian junta.
Very inspiring story, and a reminder of how caring and generous many Canadians are. The messaging from the Trudeau government has obscured our intrinsically caring and positive heritage. We are not the “genociders” and “racists” that recent rewriting of history has claimed. Maybe we will find ourselves again when Trudeau is gone.
I was struck by how positive these people were in describing their homeland before the war. And so why exactly was there a political coup in 2014 and the urgent need to join NATO (Putin’s line in the sand)? I believe this war has been instigated by bad actors on both sides. Canada and other Western nations have no business contributing to the mayhem.
” I believe this war has been instigated by bad actors on both sides. Canada and other Western nations have no business contributing to the mayhem.”
CBC has a story today where they casually thrown in the “unprovoked invasion by Russia” line. I just laughed.
Idiot’s shallow empty laugh.
Where’s Allan S?
Who am I to know? Your mother?
you are absolutely right……..It’s also a money laundering scheme by Zelensky and we are all supporting it with no questions asked?…….who really knows what is going on down there……all I know is there are a lot of bad actors that keep pushing ammo, tanks, missiles and anything to keep this war going……….over a year ……..so far
Oh please, you’re pathetic trying to twist this, in 2014 they tried to turn towards western world. There was no coup, a Pootin’s puppet was ousted. Between 2014 and 2022 a new generation matured, a generation that rejected russian mir wholesale. Canada and all civilized world have every business contributing to freeing Ukraine from the Siberian Mongols and in neutering the horde.
“Canada and all civilized world have every business contributing to freeing Ukraine”
I totally disagree. Western powers are contributing to the complete destruction of the Ukraine and potentially inciting a much bigger war. The Ukraine is being used as a pawn as the West seeks to destroy Russia – – and many rogue characters get rich. There is no morality in this war. Ukraine will be the biggest loser.
On the odd chance that you’re genuine about your absurd statement. Do you understand that Pootin wants Ukraine erased? Any sense of Ukrainian nationhood gone? For Ukrainians to be forever absorbed into the kettle of shit called russia? Do you know what it means for people to be sentenced to this? Why do you think they are fighting their desperate fight? Why do you think they’re willing to sacrifice so much? Does the right of civilized people to be free from the Siberian Mongol horde matters at all to you?
Also, why is destroying russia wrong? Destroying russia would be akin to successful global chemotherapy. There is nothing worth preserving in russia. If they could get the Carthage treatment, salt and all, it would be the greatest humanitarian development in history.
Scratch a leftist, find a sociopath. Leftists always want to destroy some country or ethnic group for the greater good, and then accuse you of being a stupid bigot if you don’t agree.
“Why do you think they are fighting their desperate fight? ” I honestly do not know. I think those who are willingly fighting are essentially motivated by hatred, though I do not believe most Ukrainians sought or want to continue this fight. Certainly your comments are mired in hate. Your anti- Russia arguments are offensive, rather than persuasive. You completely ignore the role of the US and the West in provoking this fight.
“Certainly your comments are mired in hate.”
What more do they have to do for you to hate them? Serious question. I honestly can’t understand how they cannot be hated by rational people.
As for the Western role, it has been marginal in shaping Ukrainian decision to free themselves from russia. And it has been in the right direction. I applaud it but don’t care much for it as it has not been instrumental. The obsession with western role in Ukraine making the right decision is a distraction. Most often it is disingenuous smokescreen.
You don’t know what motivates Ukrainians to fight? The same thing that motivated Texans in 1835. Mariopul has been no different that Thermopile, Alamo, Wizna or the Swiss Guard in 1537. What more do they have to do to convince you?
Why don’t you read, watch or listen to what Ukrainians have to say? Why are they always pawns with no agenda in your eyes?
“The Ukraine is being used as a pawn as the West seeks to destroy Russia – – and many rogue characters get rich. There is no morality in this war. Ukraine will be the biggest loser.”
There’s very little point in trying to ‘reason’ with him, Linda…his sick bloodlust apparently cannot be satiated.
(from behind the safety and security of his keyboard, of course…)
Colon
“…Canada and all civilized world have every business contributing to freeing Ukraine from the Siberian Mongols and in neutering the horde…”
NOPE.
We have Zero Business being involved.
Your posts are like listening to Joseph Goebbels…
“Neutering the horde eh”…?
“Neutering the horde eh”
Deus vult.
History does love its re-runs and remakes. Lots of Ukrainians and other Eastern Europeans fled over here both during and after WWII to escape both the war and the advance of the Soviet Empire.
Sadly the nation of Ukraine has been used like a rented mule by the US and its allies to provoke a war with Russia. Sadly Ukraine and by extension the US will lose this war and the American Hegemony will cease. Russia will remain along with its ally – China. Such a bad outcome from such a stupid war. Fortunately the refugees are safe here in Canada for the moment. Sadly Canada is heading toward a dictatorship as well so the refugees should not bother unpacking their bags.
“Sadly the nation of Ukraine has been used like a rented mule by the US and its allies to provoke a war with Russia. ”
Funny, orcs do not recognize Ukrainian’s right to exist as a nation and yet you’re blaming West.
You are too much of a partizan to have a civilized discussion with. My post has nothing to do with the right of Ukraine to exist and neither does this war. This is a proxy war by the US against Russia and the US is losing it very very badly. The US has been trying to start this war since at least 2014 and finally succeeded when Russia could no longer stand by and allow Ukrainian nazis to slaughter ethnic Russians in East Ukraine. Combine that with the US ignoring the Minsk Accords and you have a recipe for war. A war I don’t support. In the mean time Ukraine is being decimated because of stupid politics, Europe is decimated economically thanks to Nord Stream, and the US is losing its empire as it flails about trying to start another diversionary war. Sadly Russia has all the aces. It has an alliance with China and the middle east. China and Russia are making moves in Africa and South America. China already owns Canada and the US is out of ammunition and arms. It is promising Ukraine weapons that won’t be built for another 3 + years even as it is drawing down its own stockpile thus weakening itself should China decide to make a move in the China sea. In the mean time Russia is using weapons that are decimating the Ukrainian forces. Drone guided artillery and missiles are slaughtering thousands of Ukrainians a month. Sue for peace while peace may still be found. Sadly Ukraine will never recover as a nation state. The losses it has suffered through military loss and people fleeing the country make that impossible. This was likely the most foolish war ever started by the US and as the old saying goes ‘Elections have consequences’. The installation of Biden to allow the deep state to run amok has destroyed Ukraine. I take no solace in that.
Joe
Profoundly one of the best comments on this issue I have ever read.
SPOT On sir..!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4bftQ4xxFc
Literarily that.
Kiev and Moscow are conjoined twins and have been for thousands of years. Their history is intertwined. Back and forth ebb and flow.
Corrupt to the bone.
“Kiev and Moscow are conjoined twins ”
How’s the weather in St Petersburg?
Same as it is in Kiev
We have a sacred commitment to the defense of a nation where Christianity has been outlawed.
No it hasn’t. Are you a Kremlin bot or a gulilbe idiot?
Ukraine is worth arming. Russia is weakened, China is deterred. Only the Russian parts of Ukraine are destroyed.
You’re delusional.
CIA much?
So a nice gesture.
A small good in a sea of ugly.
How does this end?
Do these refugees get to become Canadian Citizens and enjoy our peace?
Or
Are we once again importing some other countries conflict?
Where the refugee children,raised on second hand hate,grow up to commit acts of terrorism against Canadian Citizens?
Like our good comrades out of Vancouver,who spread a whole bunch of innocent people across Lockerbie Scotland.
Bingo. Nobody leaves their ancient hatreds behind. Nobody.
They need to go back.
Did your ancestors by any chance leave the old world for the new? Did they flee conflict or war, or were they simply looking for a better life?
Are you on perhaps your way to move back to your ancestral country?
My neighbour’s relatives left at the start of the war. I don’t know how the husband got out, but he’s here as well. She tells me they’re settled here, learning English, both have jobs & their young daughter is in school. They’re never going back. She’d been encouraging them to emigrate for years and 2022 was the final straw. BTW, she’s from Kiev and no fan of Z.
I can’t believe some of the comments on here. Ukraine was invaded by another country. The free world must step up and stop this. There is no possible justification for Russia actions. Ukraine people should always be welcomed in Canada .
Yeah, why not. Everybody else is, and I’m quite happy to see them in Estevan. I’ve seen it – better them than me.
Harvey
Oh my god man…wake the F up & stop listening to Main Stream Media NEWS…you are being LIED TO 24/7.
Go back and read Joe the Albertans comment…you just might learn something….and for the record, I have zero issue with any Ukrainian folks coming here..NONE.!!
Most decent people, I think, would generally speaking welcome Ukrainians to Canada. (After all they are culturally much closer to Canada’s founding peoples than most other immigrants are these days.)
How to react to the Russian invasion of Ukraine is a different topic, one in which reasonable people can have different opinions. (And I do not consider the “Russians are evii orcs” people, nor the “Ukrainians are Nazis” people, as reasonable.)
Have you ever heard of Stepan Bandera? He never spoke for all Ukrainians but there he still has some cache with a certain segment within Ukraine. The Azov battalion was a real thing and yest it was doing ethnic cleansing in Eastern Ukraine. This is not a reflection on Ukraine as a whole but to deny that the ethnic cleansing was happening is a denial of reality itself. Sadly Ukraine will likely never recover from this war that could have been avoided had the Americans been honest and honorable. They aren’t.
“The Azov battalion was a real thing and yest it was doing ethnic cleansing in Eastern Ukraine. ”
Nonsense, also irrelevant. There was not ethnic cleansing by Azov ever. There was no ethnic cleansing in Ukraine. Ethnic cleansing is occurring right now under russian occupation.
Also, Azov exists to this day, they are full brigade strength now, the battalion valiantly defending Mariupol has been rebuilt. Azov elements are currently fighting in the north of Bahmut. They have again proven to be very valuable, highly motivated and trained unit.
Slava Azov!
Colonialista
There are none so blind as those who won’t see because they have their blinkers on. Azov is a real thing and it has been killing ethnic Russians. It is also the enforcer Zelenski relies on to keep everyone in line in the rest of Ukraine. Have a nice oblivion. Your cheerleading reflects very badly on you.
Nonsense again. You’re regurgitating Kremlin propaganda. Blindly. If you looked their story up, you would know I am right.
Colonialista You really must get out more. You have done nothing but spout American/Ukrainian propaganda since the beginning of this post. Sad little fact is that there are two sides to this story and to throw all your weight behind either side is foolish in the extreme. If you go back you will never see me endorsing this war. I don’t endorse any war for any reason. However I am not so stupid as to think the Russia did not have its reasons for invasion. I was talking to a Ukrainian whose ethnicity is Russian a number of years ago and she was telling me about the danger posed by the Bandera’s followers. It was news to me. I had never heard of Bandara before. I didn’t follow events in Ukraine or Russia even though my ancestors left the area in the late 1800s. Sadly the US has the world on the verge of WWIII and there is very limited opportunity to back down from the American foolishness. Russia and China have formed a trade pact with a side helping of military aid. Add in the economic block entered into by the BRICS partners with more wanting to join. Unless the US resorts to nukes it has been reduced to a shadow of its former glory and stature. You can cheerlead until the world comes to an end but the facts are the facts. The US has painted itself into a corner and it will not get out of it anytime soon.
I get that you believe this nonsense but it is still nonsense. You think that you found a Holly Grail because a russian who was living in Ukraine told you about Bandera who you have never heard off before. Yay. I heard about Bandera when I was a teenager growing up behind the Iron Curtain. You got nothing on me. And you heard bits off him and made up your mind. He was much more complicated than that. A tragic figure. Desperate for Ukrainian nationhood, making deals with the devil and then refusing to make more. Are you aware that he spent time in a Nazi concentration (not extermination) camp? Are you aware that two of his brothers died in Auschwitz?
His greatest crimes were against Poles. Except that they weren’t really his crimes but that of his organization, while he had no direct control over it. Have you read of Volhynian massacres? Have you read about revenge ethnic cleansing of Ukrainians by Polish authorities post war (Operacja Wisla)? I could go on and on and on. It is corner of the world that you do not understand and have only casually briefly glanced at and then built theories that fit your perception of the world in general.
There is one constant in that corner, a constant that was always evil, and that is Muscovy. That afterbirth of Mongol Empire has always been cancerous. A foreign culture, always expanding, always parasitic, always delusional about its grandeur, never able to sustain itself without conquest. Never free as people. Read Richard Pipes “Russia under the Old Regime.”
They come into the picture of what today is Ukraine following the Khmelnytsky Uprising and they stay evil. They are evil during Catherine the Dog F***er’s delusions of New Greece. During the destruction of first the ever Mooselimb democracy. During ethnic cleansing of Crimean Tatars. During the Holodomor, etc etc etc.
You want to begin to understand Ukraine and that corner of the world, read “Bloodlands” by Timothy Snyder and whatever was translated into English by Grzegorz Motyka.
Bottom line is, that your russian friend in Ukraine experienced enormous amount of generosity and goodwill by being allowed to be russian in Ukraine. Being russian in Ukraine was akin to being a Nazi in Israel, and that before 2020 and before 2014. Russians should have been loaded on cattle cars and expelled to russia from Ukraine, Baltics, Moldova, Georgia decades ago. Offer them a choice of joining a superior civilized culture or be send back to russia. The only reason they are that far south is because of forced resettlements and ethnic cleansing anyway. Just ask Circassians, ops you probably can’t. Find out why. Hint: because russia.
Also BRICS is going nowhere. But that is a separate matter.
Son there have been countless slaughters of humans over the centuries of human existence. Just a sad little fact of history. However you can’t go back and correct the tragedies of past slaughters. What you can do is stop the present one. People living in peace in the land of their birth should not have their lives extinguished because they speak a different language or practice a different religion or wear different clothes. Killing such people is a criminal activity and should be stopped by saner heads. Canada was justified in attacking Nazi Germany because of what Nazi Germany was doing to its citizens. So in this case Russia is justified in attacking Ukraine because Ukraine is slaughtering its own civilians. As for the Azov battalion sudden renewed strength. Wow but you are delusional. Ukraine’s forces have been decimated. Hundreds of thousands of dead wounded captured or missing people in uniform. The Russian artillery is devastatingly effective and Ukraine has no way to fight back. The French sent some artillery pieces to Ukraine and now the Russians are using it to shell Ukrainians. I’m not cheering for Russia or Ukraine. I am simply observing what is evident to anyone who tries to do an honest investigation apart from the US propaganda. Sadly there is no way for Ukraine to win this war even if the light cavalry approach of the Americans and Brits were employed with American and British troops Ukraine will still lose. Your hero Victoria Nuland and her fellow travellers like Lindsey Graham or Mitch McConnell may tell you otherwise but reality is not on your side.
“People living in peace in the land of their birth should not have their lives extinguished because they speak a different language or practice a different religion or wear different clothes. ”
Nobody was doing that. However people who work to undermine the state in the name of foreign power can be expelled. Especially given the track record of the foreign power. It did not happen, but should have happened.
“Canada was justified in attacking Nazi Germany because of what Nazi Germany was doing to its citizens. So in this case Russia is justified in attacking Ukraine because Ukraine is slaughtering its own civilians. ”
That is a a blatant lie. Ukrainians weren’t slaughtering anyone.
“As for the Azov battalion sudden renewed strength. Wow but you are
delusional. ”
No, that is a fact. And it is a brigade now. Their elements have been fighting effectively north of Bahmut few weeks ago. Look it up.
“Ukraine’s forces have been decimated.
Yeah, I have been hearing this for a year now. The longest three day war ever.
“Hundreds of thousands of dead wounded captured or missing people in uniform. ”
Nonsense. Ukrainian casualties are estimated at about 40K dead and another 100K wounded only some (about a quarter) permanently disabled. Russian loses are about four times as high with a higher proportion of wounded rendered samovar (look that one up).
“The Russian artillery is devastatingly effective and Ukraine has no way to fight back. ”
Half truth wrapped in lies. Yes russian arty is effective but its effectiveness has been gradually diminishing. They are moving towards older and older systems with shorter and shorter ranges. Their CAS is wholly ineffective. Ukrainian artillery is less numerous but longer ranged, much more accurate and enjoys much better recon. The use of advanced munitions is also much more common among Ukrainians.
“The French sent some artillery pieces to Ukraine and now the Russians are using it to shell Ukrainians.”
US, Poland, UK, France, Germany, Slovakia, Italy, Norway, Netherlands and others send multiple different systems and these have proven devastatingly effective. Don’t know what French guns are used by russians, possibly FH-70 or Ceasar have been captured in trace amounts. Or you’re confused about it. Ukrainians captured much more russian gear.
“I am simply observing what is evident to anyone who tries to do an honest investigation ”
You honestly have no clue what you’re talking about and your analysis is not even skin deep. You have offered nothing other than a blank statement that russians have arty (no kidding) and that they captured some French guns.
“apart from the US propaganda.”
I do not rely on US MSM sources at all. Majority of my sources are Polish, much more detailed and careful than anything presented by US MSM.
“Sadly there is no way for Ukraine to win this war even if the light cavalry approach of the Americans and Brits were employed with American and British troops Ukraine will still lose. ”
What “light cavalry”? What are you even talking about? Ukraine now has more heavy armor than they had at the beginning of the war (and that is counting the operational loses).
“I can’t believe some of the comments on here. Ukraine was invaded by another country. The free world must step up and stop this”
So, Canadian troops fighting *and dying* in Ukraine is what you want, then? Because that is the ONLY way this ends with the Ukraine ‘victory’….boots on the ground, head to head against Russian troops.
” There is no possible justification for Russia actions. ”
Except for all the deliberate provocations that led to this totally preventable war.
“Ukraine people should always be welcomed in Canada .”
Agreed.
“Because that is the ONLY way this ends with the Ukraine ‘victory’”
Crimean War, Russo Japanese War of 1904-05, 1920 Invasion of Poland, 1939 Invasion of Finland, Afghanistan in the 1980s, look them up, there were no Canadian boots on the ground and orcs lost them all.
“Except for all the deliberate provocations that led to this totally preventable war.”
There were no deliberate provocations. There were orcs occupying parts of Ukraine since 2014 though. Ukraine turning towards the West is not a provocation. Is a rational decision of sovereign people threatened by the afterbirth of Mongol Empire.
Joe.
As the world pushes closer to WWIII.
” It has, however, a nearly identical political system (uniparty rule with no opposition).”
Ah, so it’s just like Ukraine, then…