In May 1989 - Edmonton Journal Staff Writer: DON RETSON wrote the following article:
Chrystia Freeland is thrilled to be back in Edmonton after a student-exchange program in Ukraine - that goes double for Soviet authorities.
One Soviet newspaper vilified the Harvard University scholarship student as an "anti-Soviet bourgeois nationalist."
Soviet authorities also complained to the Canadian embassy in Moscow that Freeland, 20, was "a well-known trouble-maker.”
That’s not how it began though, for the feisty, free spirited daughter of Halyna Freeland, New Democrat candidate for Edmonton Strathcona in the last federal election.
Freeland said Soviet officials couldn't say enough good things about her when she arrived in Kiev last October to study Russian history and literature.
But her personal "glasnost" with Soviet authorities cooled after she accepted an invitation to speak at a conference in February.
Handsome young Russian men started showing up at her door unannounced: one night it would be a blond hunk, the next night a suave, dark-haired man.
They'd gaze into her eyes, she chuckled, then start talking about Western technology, or inquire what she knew about certain Ukrainian nationalists.
A trip outside Kiev by the aspiring journalist to interview a Ukrainian dissident turned into a particularly chilling experience.
When she left the man's home, a local militia man was waiting outside his door wanting her to sign some sort of statement. Freeland talked long enough to find out what he wanted, then excused herself saying she didn’t want to miss her bus.
Police were waiting for her in the next town, but Freeland avoided them by jumping off the bus in the middle of nowhere, hitch-hiking part of the way back to Kiev.
Before getting off the bus, Freeland said she handed notes of the earlier interview to a travel companion, who stuffed them down her bra.
Back in Kiev, Soviet authorities began phoning her, demanding she come in for an interview. Freeland politely told them to get lost.
Her scariest encounter, she said in an interview, was also her last night in Kiev. Four men, two of them KGB officers, showed up at her dorm demanding that she answer their questions.
Again, Freeland refused to talk, ignoring threats that she wouldn’t be allowed to leave for Moscow the following day.
The four Soviet agents also threatened to confiscate her passport, but Freeland said they backed off when she told them it was the property of the Canadian government.
"I was incredibly nervous." she recalled of the lengthy stalemate.
Despite her numerous run-ins with police and authorities, and despite the fact university courses were spiced heavily with Marxist dogma, Freeland said she gained a great deal from the exchange program.
Edmonton Journal (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) • 20 May 1989
Wanted you to see the original article/pic. Glasnost is a Soviet policy permitting open discussion of political and social issues and freer dissemination of news and information. It literally means “public voice“.
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About Canada's Second in Command - Chrystia Freehand
Happy Birthday, Chrystia Freeland. She is a Canadian politician, journalist, and author. She was born on August 2, 1968, in Peace River, Alberta, Canada. Freeland has played significant roles in both the media industry and Canadian politics.
Freeland began her career as a journalist, working for various prominent news organizations. She worked for the Financial Times, The Globe and Mail, and Reuters, covering economic and political issues. Her journalistic work focused on global economic trends, international relations, and the effects of globalization.
In 2013, Freeland transitioned into politics and successfully ran as a candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada in a by-election for the federal electoral district of Toronto Centre. She won the election and became a Member of Parliament (MP). Later, in 2015, she was re-elected in the federal election and continued to represent Toronto Centre.
Throughout her political career, Freeland has held various positions within the Canadian government. In 2015, she was appointed as Canada's Minister of International Trade in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet. In this role, she played a vital role in negotiating the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada and the European Union.
Freeland's success and expertise in international trade led to her promotion to the role of Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2017. As Foreign Affairs Minister, she played a key role in renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), resulting in the creation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
In January 2019, Chrystia Freeland became Canada's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs. In this role, she focused on strengthening relationships between the federal government and the provinces, as well as advocating for Canada's interests on the global stage.
Outside of her political career, Freeland has authored books on economics and globalization. She has written two books: Sale of the Century: The Inside Story of the Second Russian Revolution (2000); and Plutocrats: The Rise of the New Global Super-Rich and the Fall of Everyone Else (2012)
Chrystia Freeland has been recognized for her achievements and contributions. She has received several awards, including being named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, where she sits on the board of trustees. Her intelligence, economic knowledge, and diplomatic skills have made her an influential figure in Canadian politics and global affairs.
this photo is an asset of the World Economic Forum
