Last night we received this letter from our friends over at the Taxpayers Association of Ukraine.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) has a special bond with our friends at the Taxpayers Association of Ukraine (TAU).

They were the host organization for the 2012 World Taxpayers Conference, which was attended by CTF President, Troy Lanigan and Executive Vice President, Melanie Harvie. I also had the esteemed privilege to be asked by the TAU to speak at the International Conference on the Application of Tax Law: Practice and Problems in November 2012 in Kyiv, Ukraine.

While our organizations work on somewhat different issues (us on waste, tax reduction and accountability, they on rule of law, elimination of corruption and encouraging compliance), we are all very moved at the CTF at the events going on in their country right now.

It's not lost on us that we have the freedom in Canada to openly mock politicians and governments for waste with tongue-in-cheek awards handed out by a guy dressed in a pig suit, while half-way around the world people doing similar work are fearing for their lives.

Those of us who, at times, might take for granted our freedom need to stand with our friends in Ukraine right now and encourage international cooperation to peacefully end the Russian occupation of this free, independent nation.

It's clear to us that our friends fear for their safety and that of their fellow citizens.

Our thoughts and our support are with them during this troubling time.