An exchange trip with a Russian family happened nearly 32 years ago, but Kira Mees — daughter of Northumberland County Warden Bob Crate — has kept in touch with the Russian girl who came to live for a time with her family in Northumberland.
Mees, now 48, took part in the Russian exchange arranged through St. Mary Catholic Secondary School in Cobourg in August of 1990 for a two-and-a-half week stay there. The Russian teens returned to Canada for a similar length of stay in December of that year. The Crate family welcomed Regina (her surname is not being revealed at Mees’ request) to live with them on the Canadian leg of the exchange.
Mees said she initially wrote letters to Regina and later lost touch with Regina for a time, but they’ve since become friends again through Facebook over the past 10 years. Their latest conversation between the two friends was a couple of days ago. It was then that Regina expressed her disappointment with Russian leaders regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“She’s very upset with what is happening and she doesn’t support what Putin is doing. And, she said how heartbreaking it is to learn that some of her acquaintances are supporting this and so I just see the parallels with all the divisive nature of all of this,” said Mees. “It’s hard because she has friends and acquaintances who live in Ukraine.”
Mee said anti-war sentiment is being demonstrated around the world and certainly within Russia itself, so she admits it must be hard for her Russian friend.
“It’s just so heartbreaking to imagine that your government is just going after your neighbours. I can only imagine how hard it is for her being witness to that and feel complicit in the sense that it’s your government doing it,” said Mee, who now lives in Hastings.
She hopes diplomacy will bring about a negotiated end to the war, although it doesn’t appear Russian president Vladimir Putin is a rational leader.
“Hopefully clearer heads will prevail and people will be able to get back to their homes and start to re-establish a sense of security, because obviously the foundation of their communities have just been rattled,” she said.
Crate said Northumberland County will be putting out a special statement of solidarity with Ukraine Monday afternoon. He noted the county building will be lit up in the Ukrainian yellow and blue colours of the country’s flag for a week.
“We are in full support of backing the leaders of the Ukraine,” said Crate of the County’s stance. Crate said, personally, he is empathetic toward the plight of the Ukrainian people who are defending themselves against the Russian invaders.
“I have a great deal of empathy for the people of Ukraine to be in this position, and for no reason. Mr. Putin will come up with some reasons of security or something, but I don’t think Ukraine in any way was a threat to (Russia), so I have a great deal of empathy,” he said.
Brighton Mayor Brian Ostrander noted the Russian invasion of Ukraine has ‘terrifying’ implications for the entire world.
“Well, frankly, it’s terrifying. It’s like here we go again. Apparently we don’t learn from history very well or certain political leaders don’t. We’re seeing the invasion of a nation bumping up against NATO countries. It’s a tinderbox and it worries me very much for the world, frankly,” said Ostrander.
Although he hasn’t heard of any local efforts to support the Ukrainian people, Ostrander said on a personal note he purchased two Ukrainian flags, one to fly at his home and another he will ask to be flown at the Brighton municipal offices “as soon as they come in. I’m just waiting for them to arrive”.
Written by: Alan Rivett
