Chinese and Ukrainian Canadians meet to discuss redress and federal election

TORONTO - Representatives of the National Congress of Chinese Canadians, the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress met here on April 28 and May 10 to discuss how to secure resolution of the Ukrainian and Chinese redress claims, in view of the upcoming national election.

Both communities have endorsed Private Member's Bills sponsored by Inky Mark, member of Parliament for Dauphin-Swan River-Marquette, Manitoba, namely Bill C 331 - the Ukrainian Canadian Restitution Act and Bill C 333 - the Chinese Canadian Recognition and Restitution Act.

Speaking after the April 28 meeting, the first of what are expected to be several more meetings and events, Dr. Lubomyr Luciuk, UCCLA's director of research, said: "Working together, the Chinese and Ukrainian Canadian communities can be influential in several federal ridings, not only in western Canada but here in Ontario."

"Both of our communities," he said, "have negotiated seriously for several years with the federal government to right historical injustices. We would very much like to see the government resolve these claims before the election is held. We note with gratitude that the new Conservative Party of Canada has already issued an official policy statement in support of redress for the Chinese and Ukrainian communities."

Delegates to the May 10 meeting agreed that the Liberal Party of Canada should make good on its past promises to right historical injustices experienced by the two communities, particularly the discriminatory Head Tax and the needless imprisonment, disenfranchisement and confiscation of wealth that Ukrainians and other Europeans suffered during Canada's first national internment operations of 1914-1920.

Working together for the first time in Canadian history, the Ukrainian Canadian and Chinese Canadian communities intend to survey all members of Parliament before the upcoming federal election to determine which parliamentarians support two private member's bills, Bill C 331 and Bill C 333.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, June 6, 2004, No. 23, Vol. LXXII

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