Ukrainian Canadian community slams federal government on redress issue

TORONTO - Meeting in Winnipeg on October 1-3, a group of Ukrainian Canadians representing various national, provincial and local Ukrainian Canadian organizations, united under the banner of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, adopted a resolution critical of Ottawa's apparent indifference to requests for redress for injustices done to Ukrainians and other Europeans during Canada's first national internment operations of 1914-1920.

Basing themselves on a resolution drafted by the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association, the UCC delegates endorsed the following statement among the Resolutions of the 21st Congress of Ukrainian Canadians.

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Whereas, the Right Honorable Brian Mulroney appeared before this Congress of Ukrainian Canadians and confirmed his intention of working toward a resolution of the Ukrainian Canadian redress issue; and

Whereas, the Honourable Jean Chrétien, as the leader of the Opposition, wrote this congress in June 1993, affirming his personal support and that of the Liberal Party of Canada for redress to the Ukrainian Canadian community; and

Whereas, the Conservative Party of Canada, the Bloc Quebecois and the New Democratic Party of Canada have written to the Ukrainian Canadian Congress in June 2004 supporting redress to the Ukrainian Canadian community for the injustices committed to Ukrainians and other Europeans during Canada's first national internment operations of 1914-1920; and

Whereas, a coalition representing the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, the Ukrainian Canadian Foundation of Taras Shevchenko and the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association have engaged in direct negotiations with the Government of Canada in an effort to secure recognition, restitution and reconciliation, without, regrettably, having secured those ends; and

Whereas, a survivor of Canada's first national internment operations, Mary Manko Haskett, is still alive and able to bear witness to a resolution of this matter,

Therefore, be it resolved that:

1. This Congress of Ukrainian Canadians hereby communicates its deep disappointment over the lack of a timely and honorable resolution of the Ukrainian Canadian community's calls for recognition, restitution and reconciliation, as detailed in the Terms of a Proposed Agreement between the Government of Canada and the Ukrainian Canadian Community presented to the government of Canada on December 2, 2002; and

2. This Congress of Ukrainian Canadians calls upon the Government of Canada to immediately resume settlement negotiations with the Ukrainian Canadian community.

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Commenting on the congress resolution, UCCLA's director of research, Dr. Lubomyr Luciuk, noted: "We are very pleased that this Congress has joined UCCLA in protesting Ottawa's indifference to our community's legitimate calls for recognition and restitution. We seek a timely and honorable resolution of this matter while the last known survivor, our supporter and a Spirit Lake internment camp survivor, Mary Manko Haskett, is still alive. We call upon all parties in the House of Commons, the majority of whose MPs have already endorsed Inky Mark's Bill C 331 - the Ukrainian Canadian Restitution Act, to settle this matter with a positive All-Party House of Commons vote."

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, October 10, 2004, No. 41, Vol. LXXII

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