Leszek Balcerowicz: Poland, Canada, show why fiscal discipline is criticalPosted on Jul 9, 2015Letters: Orphan bear cubs, Greek economic crisis, air pollution, stampedesPosted on Jul 9, 2015Gordzilla in the City: Tax vote was a rejection of elitist busybodiesPosted on Jul 9, 2015Letters: Pot, police records, transit, drivers, taxes, forest fires, smoking, Alberta NDPPosted on Jul 8, 2015Poland and Canada are geographically distant from each other — it takes 14 hours by plane to get from Warsaw to Vancouver. However, culturally and politically we are close. We have a common neighbour — Russia — and with that comes a dose of geopolitical realism.Our societies appreciate the cultural and scientific achievements of the Russian people but are vigilant with regard to the actions to the Russian state. This refers especially to what Russia under President Vladimir Putin has been recently doing to democratic Ukraine.The Polish people, similar to other nations of Central and Eastern Europe, had regarded the Soviet Union as an oppressive and backward empire. (It was bad to the Russians, too). Therefore, its dissolution was widely and rightly perceived as liberation, which has opened the way to democracy, rule of law and capitalism and, thanks to those, liberty and prosperity.Canada and Poland are very supportive to the similar aspirations of the Ukrainian people and of the reforms the current Ukrainian authorities have been implementing

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