SASKATCHEWAN-UKRAINE ADVISORY COMMITTEE BEGINS SECOND TERM

Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs Minister Berny Wiens today

announced the renewal of the Saskatchewan-Ukraine Advisory Committee

for a second term.



"The work of this committee has led to significant activity by

Saskatchewan's private sector in Ukraine," Wiens said. "This activity

has been encouraged by Saskatchewan's Ukrainian Canadian community.

Roughly 13 per cent of our province's population is of Ukrainian

origin and these people have taken an interest in Ukraine's democratic

and economic reforms since its independence in 1991."



In 1995, the province signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with Ukraine

which formalized intergovernmental relations. Highlights of

activities under that agreement include:



the proposed participation of two Saskatchewan energy companies

in oil field development projects in Ukraine;



SaskPower Commercial's $3.5 million CIDA contract to provide

technical and managerial assistance for the rehabilitation of one

of Ukraine's major thermal power plants;



the Saskatchewan-Ukraine Demonstration Farm Project which has

resulted in sales of Saskatchewan agricultural machinery and

seeds; and,



the development of numerous successful joint ventures in film

production, television and book publishing involving

Saskatchewan's cultural industries.



The community-based advisory committee, under the chairmanship of

Dr. Dmytro Cipwynyk of Saskatoon, will continue to provide a

focal point for community input into government and private

sector activities with Ukraine. It will also monitor the

progress of the 1995 Saskatchewan-Ukraine Memorandum of

Cooperation. This Memorandum resulted in a commercial, technical

and cultural Plan of Action with Ukraine that the first advisory

committee helped develop.



"I am confident that the knowledge and experience of the members

of the new advisory committee will make a valuable contribution

to the continued development of Saskatchewan-Ukraine relations,"

Wiens said. "I look forward to the committee's advice and

recommendations on expansion and consolidation of the province's

intergovernmental, cultural and commercial ties with Ukraine."



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For more information, contact:



Debra Hartung

Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs

Regina

Phone: (306) 787-7855