The Canada-Ukraine Parliamentary Program.

• Author: Salo, Nataliya

In the spring of 2004 twenty-five students came to Canada as part of the Canada-Ukraine Parliamentary Program (CUPP) to observe and study the Canadian election and electoral system. In the fall of 2004 another twenty-seven students came to Canada to participate in the traditional CUPP program and complete an internship in the office of a Canadian Member of Parliament. This article looks at the development of the Canada Ukraine Parliamentary Program.

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The story of the Canada-Ukraine Parliamentary Program (CUPP) begins in 1991 with the proclamation of Ukraine as a free and independent state. This freedom from the Soviet Empire brought new hopes and aspirations for a prosperous future. That year was also special in Canada, as Canadians of Ukrainian heritage celebrated the Centennial of Ukrainian group immigration to Canada.

To mark this Centennial, organizations planned programs and projects to celebrate this milestone. The Chair of the Ukrainian Studies Foundation of Toronto decided to establish a program for undergraduate university students from Ukraine. Its goal was to promote and assist the democratisation process in Ukraine.

The CUPP was established as a Parliamentary Democracy and Comparative Political Studies Internship Semester in the Canadian House of Commons. The internship now lasts on average 10 weeks and takes place in the spring of each year in Canada's Parliament in Ottawa.

The CUPP aims to give university students from Ukraine and now from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, an opportunity to work with a Member of Parliament and his or her staff, attend Question Period, attend meetings of parliamentary committees, research and prepare questions for question period, work on the newsletter to the constituents, research questions and issues raised by the constituents and in the debates in the House, perform administrative functions, research government and party policies, attend meetings and conferences of educational organizations, become acquainted with and use the research facilities of the House of Commons and its library, and carry out general office duties.

The CUPP also gives us the chance to learn about and share Canadian culture, point of view and current trends in a country where both English and French are spoken, as well as Chinese, Italian, Indian, Pakistani, and so many other languages. CUPP gives us the opportunity to develop and practice certain diplomatic skills by acting as representatives of our universities, our society and our country. Coming to study and live in Canada broadens our horizons and gives many of us our first opportunity of living in a western society.

The first CUPP program brought only 3 students to Canada but after fourteen years there are now more than 300 alumni representing all regions of Ukraine. There are graduates currently studying and working in a variety of professional fields including political science, medicine, engineering, law and education. It is hard to imagine how fast-developing, multifaceted, and popular CUPP has become.

Candidates for CUPP are selected, based of academic excellence, volunteer work in the community, leadership potential, recommendations of their teachers, and fluency in English or French, and Ukrainian. However, most CUPP interns speak more than Ukrainian, English or French. In fact, among the students of 2004 Program, there is a number who also speak Arabic, Armenian, Byelorussian, German, Georgian, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, Russian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, and Turkish.

Canada Live: A Report from the 2004 Interns

The 2004 Spring internship turned out to be very special for all participants. From May to June for the second time in our history, twenty-five students completed their internship during a Federal election campaign, thereby acquiring knowledge about how a democratic, fair, and transparent election process works.

The Fall 2004 group was the first one in fourteen years of the program's existence to witness and work under conditions of a Minority government, learning how to negotiate on controversial issues, search compromise, and how the government and the opposition can complement each other for the sake of working for the good of the country. These unique experiences were gained through direct work in the offices of Members of Parliament. This is without a doubt the most important part of the CUPP internship.

Before they start interns attend an in-depth...