CANADA’S PERCEPTION OF DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT IN INDEPENDENT UKRAINE

The article is devoted to a general overview of Canada's attitudes to the democratic development of post-Soviet Ukraine. The article examines the position and opinion of both official and diasporas’ Canada on the development of democracy in Ukraine. It is determined that Ukraine's independence was a kind of signal to the beginning of intensive Canadian cooperation and support for the Ukraine’s transition from a command-administrative economy to a free market. Another important area of support was the building of democratic institutions and civil society. Official Canadian assistance came through a number of channels, but the main institution was the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). Another powerful force and initiator of many projects and support programs was the Ukrainian Diaspora in Canada. We can talk about three main events that contributed to the revival of attention from official Canada to Ukraine: the declaration of Independence in 1991, the Orange Revolution in 2004 and Euromaidan and the Revolution of Dignity in late 2013. Each of these events was positively assessed by Canada (as official and diasporas’), and was interpreted as an impetus for potential progress towards democracy. Despite the positive attitude to the development of transit to democracy in post-Soviet Ukraine, Canada is critical of the pace of this transit and the quality of transformation processes. At the same time, representatives of the Diaspora are more outspoken in their criticism of the problems in Ukraine. Among the main obstacles on this path we can name corruption, inhibition of reforms, institutional weakness, confrontation between supporters and opponents of reforms and regional clans since 2014. After the annexation of Crimea by Russia the external factor is also considered. Canada is helping Ukraine strongly in the fight against Russian aggression by providing technical, financial and diplomatic assistance.

Teaching in China

As part of a Canadian International Development Agency funded project working with rural teachers in central China, recent graduates Lebans and Radigan spent a month teaching in Chinese schools. The primary purpose of the project is to work with members of the Sichuan Provincial Teacher Training Centre and rural teachers from Wenchuan County develop a professional development plan in response to China’s current focus on education reform. This article is a synthesis of Lebans’ and Radigan’s experiences.

Race, Gender and "Difference": Representations of "Third World Women" in International Development

This paper analyses images of international development through a study of the ways in which development representations produce and circulate “difference” with respect to women and the developing world. Through both overt and subtle narratives, representations of women as “different,” “distant” and “other” construct both the object and subject of development. The paper discusses the process by which racialization operates in development through gender as a signifying practice. Based on a doctoral study of communication materials of Women in Development (WID) images produced by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the paper analyses images of women of the developing world in communication materials attached to major campaigns during the Women in Development (WID) period. WID represents an important legacy of today’s prevalent images of women in development. The paper situates this legacy within the colonial roots of development and its representations, which include historical constructions of the "third world woman" that intricately reproduce a range of colonial images and practices. Images of "third world women" have become development’s most eminent symbol, yet many continue to communicate static and predictable views about the developing world.

Youth at risk in the Russian Federation: problems of social protection

This study is a part of pilot project under aegis of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and with assistance of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) for improving services to Youth at Risk (YAR services) in the Russian Federation. The project was performed from October 2006 to March 2007in six regions of Russia – Bryansk Oblast, South–Western Administrative Okrug (Moscow), Rostov Oblast, Republic of Chuvashia, Stavropol Territory, Mozhaisk District (Moscow Oblast), – where a number of models are being validated for supporting youth who experience difficult life situation. Data received during the study will be used as a basis for analysis of objective conditions in which project are implemented in order to make them more effective and dynamic.

Tuberculosis Control in Ecuador: Unforeseen Problems, Unanticipated Strengths

Ecuador is among the eight countries with the highest tuberculosis (TB) prevalences in the Americas (the World Health Organization estimates 141 new cases/100,000 population in 2002) and has had a poorly functioning TB control program. As described in an earlier editorial (1), the Canadian Lung Association, with funding from the Canadian International Development Agency, has been involved for four years in supporting Ecuador?s National TB Program. The initial phase of the project has just been completed, but the experience has already provided many valuable lessons, some quite unexpected.