Ontario Parliament member proposes annual Genocide Memorial Week (12/26/99)

Ontario Parliament member proposes annual Genocide Memorial Week

TORONTO - Ontario's Ukrainian community has warmly endorsed Bill 38, a proposal by a member of Ontario Provincial Parliament, Bob Wood (London West), for an annual Genocide Memorial Week to begin on the third Monday of every April. The bill was introduced on December 16.

Commenting on this initiative, the president of the Ontario Provincial Council of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, Walter Halchuk, said: "Our community applauds the initiative shown by MPP Bob Wood. His proposal would hallow the memory of all of the victims of genocide, crimes against humanity and atrocities that have befouled the century that is now almost over. Being an inclusive act that recognizes the many millions of people who perished at the hands of oppressive regimes of both the left and right, and not only in Europe but in Africa, Asia, Latin America and elsewhere, it speaks to the experiences of many of Ontario's citizens, who share in our multicultural society."

Mr. Halchuk urged all MPPs to vote for the bill.

Speaking on behalf of the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association, President, John B. Gregorovich noted: "This is a very welcome proposal which we trust all MPPs will support. Ontario should be the first province to recognize that many nations, peoples and minorities experienced terrible suffering during the 20th century and even before, and not only in Europe but in Africa and Asia as well. By recalling all of these episodes of genocide, mass murder and crimes against humanity, the bill proposed by Mr. Wood would go a long way toward ensuring that the citizens of this province, and indeed of the rest of Canada, hallow the memory of all of the victims."

Mr. Gregorovich added: "We ask all MPPs to support Bill 38 and also call upon the Minister of Education, the Honourable Janet Ecker, to ensure that detailed and comparative information about the many episodes of genocide in the 20th century is included in the new Ontario high school curriculum in the Social Sciences. That is essential if our children are to be properly instructed about how important it is to stand on guard for freedom in the face of tyranny."

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