Ambassador's residence is "Franked" (10/27/96)

Ambassador's residence is "Franked"

by Andrij Wynnyckyj
Toronto Press Bureau

TORONTO - As far as literate Canadians are concerned, the entry of former Ukrainian Ambassador to Canada Viktor Batyuk into the family of international diplomacy and/or this country's multicultural framework may finally have been completed with the August 14 (No. 226) issue of Frank, an Ottawa-based biweekly satirical magazine.

On page 28 of a special release devoted to the "Top 500 Homes" of Toronto, the Ontario provincial capital, and Ottawa, the national capital, Mr. Batyuk, the purported owner of 480 Island Park Drive, with a property tax assessment of $20,016 per annum, is listed as No. 498 (last on the Ottawa list), tied with four others.

Mr. Ambassador! You've been Franked!

For those either not Canadian or not literate (or simply heretofore unaware), "Franking" is the Canadian equivalent of "outing," sometimes with the sexual connotation, and sometimes without.

Frank's editors delight in exposing the peccadilloes of the "True North's" citizens, whether they belong to the first, second, third, fourth or fifth estate. Favorite targets over the years have included former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney (known in Frank as "Byron Muldoon") and his wife, Mila (a.k.a. "Imelda" [Marcos] of the many shoes); media tycoon Conrad ("the Tubster" or "Tubby") Black; and the various newscasters ("bingo callers"), show hosts and administrative pooh-bahs of the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. (CBC).

For a time, Ukrainian Canadian Ivan Fecan was a hot item on the pages of Frank because of his high position (former director of programming at the English-language CBC TV network) and his high-profile defection to the rival Baton Broadcasting Systems network, where Mr. Fecan is currently vice-president and director of operations.

Kidding aside, Mr. Batyuk's house is obviously not his house but the Ukrainian ambassador's residence, and should be listed as such. After all, 480 Island Park Drive's current resident is Ambassador Volodymyr Furkalo. Indeed, the Japanese consul general's residence in Toronto is listed appropriately, as is the German consul's residence.

Just as The Weeky encourages its readers to "Share The Weekly with a Colleague," Frank encourages its readers to send or phone in information, by asking them "Does Frank Know?"

Well, in the case of the Ukrainian ambassador's residence, it should. Phone Frank at (613) 232-2125; fax (613) 232-2879; or send an e-mail message to [email protected].

Toronto's toniest Ukrainians

Also potentially of interest to Frank's editors might be that No. 98 of Toronto's top 500, 61 Glen Edyth Drive, is the residence of Bishop Isidore Borecky, the Ukrainian Catholic eparch of Toronto and Eastern Canada.

Bishop Borecky's digs are rated higher than that of his nominal superior, Roman Catholic Cardinal G. Emmet Carter of 8 Beaumont Road (No. 391). The hapless Roman Catholic hierarch is even outclassed by secular Ukrainian Canadian stars, No. 349 Joseph and Luba Zaraska (head of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress's Provincial Educational Council) of 119 Dunvegan Road.

Former Governor General Ramon Hnatyshyn occupies a place that, one presumes, befits his station (501-111 Echo Drive is No. 303). Without question, however, the top ranking among Ukrainians in Canada or Ukrainian Canadians in either Toronto or Ottawa goes to Supreme Court Justice (acknowledged as such) John Sopinka, whose home at 161 Carleton St. made it into the top 50 of Ottawa's homes (rated No. 45).

Then again, Frank should do a list for Winnipeg's and Edmonton's Top 500. Ukrainians are sure to figure prominently in the top echelon of those cities' abodes.