Anderson heads to war zone

Scott Anderson is heading into a war zone.

The former Vernon city councillor and retired Canadian Armed Forces captain with the reserve unit BC Dragoons is heading to Ukraine where he will deliver much-needed medical supplies to the front line.

Anderson will leave on Nov. 15 and return in early December after travelling to Lviv, Kiev, and then eastward into the conflict zone.

The trip was arranged through Dr. Matthew Parish, head of the Ukraine Development Trust, a British charity based in Lviv. Anderson will travel with media accreditation from the Lviv Herald.

He will be travelling with individuals from Britain who have specialized army training and extensive wartime experience in Ukraine. Although his team is scheduled to visit the zero line several times, he anticipates being as safe as possible under the circumstances.

“In one of the surreal twists in this war, some soldiers use an interactive civilian app that’s updated frequently to show where the current zero line is,” said Anderson. “Movements on the front line tend to be small and tactical, so we’re unlikely to wander into any surprises.”

Anderson said he has three reasons for taking the trip.

“The first is fairly straightforward: to take medical supplies to the front in Ukraine and to make sure they arrive there and aren’t diverted to the black market. Specifically, front line units are short of tourniquets, chest bandages and IV lines. All of those are readily available in Poland, but hard to find in Ukraine,” he said. “Transporting supplies all the way from Canada doesn’t make sense given air freight charges, so we’ll be buying supplies in Poland and bringing them across from Krakow.”

Anderson, who is running for the Conservative Party of Canada Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee riding nomination, said the second reason he is going is if he's chosen to “represent this riding in Canada’s national Parliament, and if it ever becomes necessary to defend Canada in an increasingly unstable world, as both a member of Parliament and a father, I refuse to send our young people into a situation I’m unwilling to risk myself.”

“Finally, I want to see the situation on the ground firsthand,” said Anderson. “However this war ends, it’s going to take a lot of international co-operation to structure a European peace that works and lasts, and I hope to create ties with academics and experts in Ukraine so they’re willing to lend their experience and knowledge to decision-makers here in Canada when the time comes.

“Soldiers suffer, civilians suffer and society suffers in wars. I think it’s important for foreign policy decision-makers to see firsthand the implications of the choices they make whenever possible, because I suspect there would be fewer wars if they did.”

Anderson is raising funds to help purchase medical supplies in Poland.

“Every dollar we raise will go directly to the soldiers in the form of crucial medical equipment,” said Anderson.

Everyone who contributes $100 will receive a small Canadian flag that Anderson will plant in Kiev’s Maidan Nezalezhnosti memorial field. People are invited to write a message of support or remembrance on their flag.

Donations can be make via Paypal, debit or credit here, donors must include a phone number.

To e-transfer funds click here and include phone number and name. Donations can also be made by calling 250-550-5755.

As this is not a charity, tax receipts will not be issued.