Langford mayor, former fire chief return from aid mission to Ukraine
The mayor of Langford, B.C., and the city's retired fire chief are back in Canada after making a journey to Ukraine to provide humanitarian aid to people suffering amid the ongoing Russian invasion.
Mayor Stew Young and former fire chief Bob Beckett were part of an aid mission with charitable groups GlobalMedic and GlobalFire near the city of Lutsk in northwestern Ukraine.
The volunteers brought food aid to the region and hired displaced Ukrainians to prepare and distribute meals to those in need. They also laid the groundwork to provide much-needed firefighting gear to the region, including pallets of equipment that are now on the way overseas, according to the City of Langford.
The city says the volunteers met with municipal leaders, emergency responders and school officials to gain firsthand knowledge of the region's needs as the charities plan to expand their Ukrainian aid work.
"Participating in this humanitarian aid mission has been one of the most impactful experiences of my life," Young said in a statement Monday.
"It has demonstrated to me that not only are our humanitarian efforts critical, but everything needs to be done to resolve this conflict and provide for everlasting peace."
Langford says it has signed sister-city agreements with four municipalities in the Lutsk region.
"The agreements will help tie Langford with the Lutsk region for years to come – through the war, through rebuilding and regional recovery," the city said.
"Every place we visited, everyone we spoke to, reinforced for me that throughout the world we all want the same for our families and communities. A roof over everyone’s head, food on the table, a future for our children and to live in peace," said Beckett. "With stocks diminishing and winter looming, and despite their future looking bleak, the peoples' resolve to defend their families, their country and sovereignty has not waivered."
The Langford-GlobalMedic Ukraine Humanitarian Project is funded entirely through donations, according to the city.
Anyone wishing to help support the ongoing efforts in the region can donate here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.