Ukrainian Canadians express disappointment with Chrétien and Liberals

CALGARY - In the run-up to the federal election of November 27, Canada's organized Ukrainian community, a constituency of over 1 million citizens, has publicly expressed disappointment with the government of the Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, and the Liberal Party of Canada, for their failure to keep Mr. Chrétien's 1993 promise of redress for the injustices done to the Ukrainian Canadian community during Canada's first national internment operations of 1914-1920.

During World War I, about 5,000 Ukrainian Canadians were categorized as "enemy aliens," stripped of their rights, and shipped off to internment camps. They were interned in 24 camps throughout Canada where they served as forced laborers. Others were forced to register as enemy aliens so that the authorities could keep a close watch over them; their civil liberties were curtailed and they were disenfranchised.

Writing to the prime minister, on October 22, the director of special projects for the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association, Borys Sydoruk, inquired whether Mr. Chrétien and the Liberal Party of Canada would keep the pre-election pledge made by Mr. Chrétien on June 8, 1993, to support redress. A response was requested by November 6.

Instead of answering the question, K. Hanash, correspondence manager of the Prime Minister's Office, forwarded the UCCLA's request to the Liberal Party of Canada. The November 6 response received from the director of the Liberal Party of Canada, was likewise non-committal. All of these documents are publicly accessible on the website of the UCCLA, at www.infoukes.com/uccla/election_2000.

UCCLA Chairman J.B. Gregorovich, commented:

"Our community took Mr. Chrétien at his word in June 1993 when he personally pledged his support, and that of the Liberal Party of Canada, for redress. Since then, despite several reminders, he has not honored his pledge.

"We had hoped that reminding him of his promise, just before the next federal election, would secure us a definite answer. Regrettably, the prime minister has not answered our simple question, honestly put, nor has the Liberal Party of Canada.

"Prime Minister Chrétien has talked a great deal about 'Canadian values' in the course of this election. We prefer to speak of principles, one of which is integrity. We think Canadians would do well to vote for politicians who keep their promises."

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, November 12, 2000, No. 46, Vol. LXVIII

| Home Page |