Saskatchewan names Ukraine advisor (09/01/91)

Saskatchewan names Ukraine advisor

REGINA, Saskatchewan - Peter Woroby was appointed on July 24 as the first Special Advisor on relations between Saskatchewan and Ukraine, a post created to further ties between the province and the republic.

Saskatchewan is the first province in Canada to create such a position. Dr. Woroby. who will have an office in Kiev, will advise the Saskatchewan government and promote cultural, economic and social activities between the two areas.

"The dramatic changes currently taking place in that part of the world, coupled with the fact that Saskatchewan's Ukrainian community maintains strong cultural, economic and family ties to Ukraine provides our province with an ideal environment for improved relations," said Human Resources, Labor and Employment Minister Jack Klein. More than 60,000 Saskatchewan residents, or 6 percent of the population, are of Ukrainian heritage, he noted.

Born in western Ukraine, near Sokal in 1920, Dr. Woroby became a Canadian citizen in 1955. He taught economics from 1965 to 1988, and was a visiting scholar to Ukraine in 1990. In the past he has been the President of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, Regina Branch, a member of the Regina City Planning Commission, the Regina Welfare Council and other organizations.

He is currently the vice-president of the Federation of Ukrainian Professional and Business Clubs in Canada. His new post as special advisor has a term of two years.

"Dr. Woroby is the ideal candidate because of his extensive knowledge of the Ukrainian language and culture, and the Saskatchewan Ukrainian community. He also possesses a solid understanding of Saskatchewan's business and educational communities, and international trade," said Premier Grant Devine, who announced Dr. Woroby's appointment.

Dr. Woroby said he was "delighted." He said that he "will spare no effort to help both my mother countries - Ukraine which has raised me and Canada which wholeheartedly adopted me some 40 years ago."