Russia invades Ukraine

[wireframe]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

The number of Ukrainian nationals in Calgary right now blows my mind. Before the CUAET program, it was incredibly difficult for Ukrainians to get a visitor visa to even come visit. Pretty much the only path was either PR through sponsorship, or being well-off enough to afford the study route or invited to work. Personally I always thought it was unfair how high the rejection rate was, given how Canada likes to brag how many Canadians have Ukrainian ancestry. I honestly couldn't be more pleased (given the circumstances) that the government has really stepped up to make it easier for Ukrainians to come here. While there is an adjustment period obviously, they are integrating fairly well overall IMO

The visitors in my house have been here for 2 nights. During that time they already have an appointment to get their SIN tomorrow, have bank accounts set up, got stocked up on winter clothing, and today are testing out how transit works. I am helping them with their resumes and cover letters later and then all next week they are going out applying for jobs. They have been here only over the weekend are already super eager to get rolling.

Heck, yesterday we were chilling at home and I put on the Flames game as some background noise, thinking only I'd be paying attention. Instead, they both told me how much they loved hockey (!) and started asking questions about the team, arena and if "we are a good team".

Also interesting is just how many refugees are from Kherson city and region are in Calgary. They have a childhood friend who has been in Calgary for a few months and yesterday we met 9 other Ukrainians at a little gathering, all of them from Kherson. They estimate that they have met around 30 Ukrainians from Kherson. Doesn't seem like much, until you consider that most Calgarians likely had never heard of Kherson until now, and most Khersonians (?) had never heard of Calgary until now. Now we're all here together as one big happy family.

Crazy times.

I love that they asked if "we" are a good team. They are already part of the community.


We can't do much about the war as individuals in Canada but we can make those fleeing the war feel welcome here. You're doing something great, Huntingwhale.

[blankall]

Firstly, its's great to see Ukrainian people get to safety. It also, however, makes me very sad to see so many people forced to abandon their country. Ukraine has a rapidly shrinking population already, and if the country gets abandoned, Russia wins.

[FlamesAddiction]

My girlfriend's family homed an Albanian couple with a child back in 1999-2000 during the Kosovo War (I was living with them at the time too). They did however go back when things settled down. It's a very rewarding thing to do. I wish I was in a position to that now for some of the Ukrainians fleeing.

[FlameOn]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Russia is indeed abandoning Kherson, the anger on Z twitter/telegram is palpable. The deputy head of the Ru administration there also died in a "traffic" accident today. Apparently flew out of a car window or something.

In this case, the guy might have just been an idiot and it was really an accident. Look at the modifications he did to his car.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1590332546931249153

[burn_this_city]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1590450308119158786

[Kasi]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...8fe3aefe68701c

So apparently one of the G20 leaders told Putin they would slap him in the face. Any guesses to which? Apparently enough to make Putin chicken out.

[cam_wmh]

Albanese

[nik-]

Probably more worried he'll be overthrown while out of the country. Of course it would be by a hardliner and things would get worse.

[FireGilbert]

If I had a nickel for every time a G20 leader threatened to attack Putin at a G20 I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot but it's weird that it happened twice.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-...in-g20/5811502

[burn_this_city]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1590561772083154944

[Hemi-Cuda]

Leaving a wife and young daughter to go fight on the other side of the world seems like a pretty selfish move. Hope making his daughter have to grow up without a father was worth it to feel like a hero for a few months

[OutOfTheCube]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

Leaving a wife and young daughter to go fight on the other side of the world seems like a pretty selfish move. Hope making his daughter have to grow up without a father was worth it to feel like a hero for a few months

Yikes dude. Someone volunteering to serve for another country's war and dying in battle isn't what I'd call selfish.

I don't think this post is going to go over well for you, especially this time of year. Good luck...

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by wireframe

I love that they asked if "we" are a good team. They are already part of the community.


We can't do much about the war as individuals in Canada but we can make those fleeing the war feel welcome here. You're doing something great, Huntingwhale.

We just wanted to help where we can. Not much we can do from the comfort of our own home when it comes to changing what happens on the battlefield, or sticking it to the Russian government. But definitely worth helping those who need it. This war is obviously very personal for my wife and I , so it's the least we can do.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

Leaving a wife and young daughter to go fight on the other side of the world seems like a pretty selfish move. Hope making his daughter have to grow up without a father was worth it to feel like a hero for a few months

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

Yikes dude. Someone volunteering to serve for another country's war and dying in battle isn't what I'd call selfish.

I don't think this post is going to go over well for you, especially this time of year. Good luck...

I actually had the same thought as Hemi-Cuda. I'll be interested to hear other people chime in with their thoughts if this is indeed controversial, but I share his opinion that when you have young kids they should be your top priority over and above anything else to the extent that's possible. In this case, it was possible to not leave Canada and your role as a father. Fight wars before kids and after kids (if you still have the energy), but when you have a young family, you need to protect them first and foremost. You do that by being present.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

Leaving a wife and young daughter to go fight on the other side of the world seems like a pretty selfish move. Hope making his daughter have to grow up without a father was worth it to feel like a hero for a few months

Everyone has reasons. There will be many wives and daughters in Ukraine with no dads because they had no choice but to go to battle. Maybe he thought he could save a few Ukrainian dads with his combat experience. Maybe he has Ukrainian ancestry and felt the call of duty.

I would hardly call going to volunteer for a just cause selfish.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Everyone has reasons. There will be many wives and daughters in Ukraine with no dads because they had no choice but to go to battle. Maybe he thought he could save a few Ukrainian dads with his combat experience. Maybe he has Ukrainian ancestry and felt the call of duty.

I would hardly call going to volunteer for a just cause selfish.

No Ukrainian ancestry, just wanted to help apparently.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saska...rces-1.6644569

I don't see it as any different if he was killed in Afghanistan instead. Either way he would be volunteering. I think the same praises and criticisms could be made in either case. Actually, when I really think about, I think the Ukrainian war is more just to volunteer in.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

No Ukrainian ancestry, just wanted to help apparently.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saska...rces-1.6644569

I don't see it as any different if he was killed in Afghanistan instead. Either way he would be volunteering. I think the same praises and criticisms could be made in either case. Actually, when I really think about, I think the Ukrainian war is more just to volunteer in.

Did he have a daughter when he went to Afghanistan, though? That's the difference.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

No Ukrainian ancestry, just wanted to help apparently.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saska...rces-1.6644569

I don't see it as any different if he was killed in Afghanistan instead. Either way he would be volunteering. I think the same praises and criticisms could be made in either case. Actually, when I really think about, I think the Ukrainian war is more just to volunteer in.

There is a difference to me in that serving in Afghanistan was a job that he was paid to do, with a much more extensive support network in place for Canadian soldiers. And they were there for the most part to protect innocent civilians from the Taliban, which as we've seen since we left are even more brutal than the Russians are, so I don't see how you can argue that it wasn't as just

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Did he have a daughter when he went to Afghanistan, though? That's the difference.

There are upwards of 1500 Canadian volunteers in Ukraine, most would have family and loved ones who would be devastated if they got killed.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

There are upwards of 1500 Canadian volunteers in Ukraine, most would have family and loved ones who would be devastated if they got killed.

Of course. I'm making a distinction between loved ones and dependent children, though.