Weyburn's Mayor Debra Button will soon be visiting the troubled country Ukraine, as she will travel to the capital city of Kiev for a two-day conference on Sept. 10-11.
Weyburn's Mayor Debra Button will soon be visiting the troubled country Ukraine, as she will travel to the capital city of Kiev for a two-day conference on Sept. 10-11.
She is attending to represent the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), as she sits on the board representing Saskatchewan, as the president of SUMA (Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association). FCM, with funding from the federal government, has been putting on a program in Ukraine to help improve the democratic process in that country, and Mayor Button, as the gender representative, has been attending with the specific goal of helping improve the opportunities for women to be involved in the political process in Ukraine.
"To make changes there, we felt there has be to be a societal change," said Mayor Button, adding of her own situation, "I've always preached, I couldn't do the job I do without the support I get from home."
The conference is being hosted by the Association of Ukrainian Cities, and Mayor Button is involved with the women's equality committee of that association. She will be accompanied by Coun. Pam McConnell of the City of Toronto, the second time the two have travelled to Ukraine together.
"She has chaired the women's committee at FCM, and she's also a board member of FCM, so we'll be leaving together from Toronto," said Button.
Prior to the trip to Ukraine, the mayor and SUMA president will be in Saguenay, Que., for an FCM board meeting from Sept. 2-7.
As for the FCM program, it is coming to the end of its five-year span as originally proposed, and Mayor Button noted she will travel to Ukraine one last time in November to wrap it up. The program may be renewed, or may have a new direction and emphasis with new increased funding from the federal government in place for a six-year program.
"I feel a lot of changes have come about through the program; it's been one of the most successful programs FCM has ever delivered," said the mayor.
The meeting in Kiev will go from Sept. 10 to 11, and then her flight home isn't until Sept. 13, so she is hoping for some time to look around Kiev, and especially she is hoping for time to visit an orphanage, as she has been able to do on previous visits.
"It's something I've done on every trip," she said, adding that it's not for adopting orphans, as this is a convoluted process that is difficult to go through.
"There's a lot of red tape, and they don't allow children to be adopted out who are under five years of age," said the mayor, noting one trip she was able to do some fundraising for items, and was able to leave behind some Christmas presents for the orphans she visited, including some City of Weyburn frisbees and other toys.
"I don't know if they're planning anything like that for me; I hope there will be plans," said Button.
"I am interested to see what things have changed" around Kiev, said Button.
As far as her safety as she heads into a country where there is a lot of unrest, with a recent incursion of Russian troops in the eastern part of the country, Mayor Button said the troubles are not close to Kiev, where she will be spending her time.
"My friends in Kiev are saying it's quiet there and not to worry," said the mayor. "If there were issues of safety, FCM would be mindful of that."
Asked about the emphasis of this conference, Button noted that it's different every time.
"This time they've asked me to give advice for women politicians," she said, where she will be able to provide lessons and experiences from her time in politics. She noted that FCM is also always in touch with the Canadian embassy there to keep tabs on what is happening.
She chuckled as she pointed out her speeches take twice as long as in English, because she doesn't know Ukrainian, and an interpreter has to pass on each sentence before she goes on with her comments.
One of the things she enjoys about these trips to Ukraine is the high esteem held there for Canadians.
"We're always well-received as Canadians," she said, noting one incident in a market place where the merchants at first thought she was American - but their attitudes changed as soon as she told them she was a Canadian. "There's a real respect for Canadians," said the mayor.
If all goes well, Mayor Button plans one last trip there in November to wrap up this program. She hasn't yet decided on whether she will reapply to be part of the next program, or allow someone else to step in and have a turn.
