The main event in Canada in the year 2015 was one that potentially touched every citizen: the federal election held on October 19. It not only brought victory to the Liberal party – which gained a majority and governing position – but Prime Minister-designate Justin Trudeau’s 184-member Liberal caucus included at least seven Members of Parliament with Ukrainian lineage. Alberta-born Chrystia Freeland beat her rival 27,806 votes to 15,969 in her new riding of University-Rosedale. Joining her in the caucus is Borys Wrzesnewskyj, who returned to Parliament after losing in the previous election (by 26 votes).
While outgoing Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper was a huge supporter of the Ukrainian government and its fight against Russian-backed rebels, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) said it expects his Liberal successor to take a similar stand. In a meeting on October 13 with the UCC, Mr. Trudeau made it clear that Ukraine will remain a top foreign policy priority for a Liberal government under his leadership.
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Prime Minister Stephen Harper announces that the government of Canada will provide significant additional military resources to help train and build the capacity of Ukrainian forces personnel following a briefing on the current security situation in Ukraine with Minister of National Defense and Minister for Multiculturalism Jason Kenney and Gen. Thomas Lawson, chief of the Defense Staff.
The Liberals have three Ukrainian Canadian newcomers from Ontario: Julie Dzerowicz reclaimed the long-time Liberal Toronto riding of Davenport by defeating NDP incumbent Andrew Cash. Lawyer Don Rusnak, the son of Ukrainian and Ojibway parents, won for the Liberals in the riding of Thunder Bay-Rainy River. Next door in Manitoba, two Ukrainian Canadians now sit for the Liberals in the House of Commons: Mary Ann Mihychuk is the new MP for the Winnipeg riding of Kildonan-St. Paul, and Terry (Taras) Duguid is now MP for Winnipeg South.
The UCC identified four Ukrainian Canadians who will return to Ottawa to serve in the Official Opposition: James Bezan in Manitoba, Rona Ambrose and Jim Eglinski in Alberta, and Mike Warawa in British Columbia.
Prime Minister Trudeau made good on his election campaign promise to confront “the bully that is Putin” when he met him at the G-20 summit in Turkey. “I pointed out that although Canada has shifted its approach on a broad range of multilateral and international issues, we remain committed to the fact that Russia’s interference in Ukraine must cease,” Mr. Trudeau said. Mr. Putin apparently answered the Canadian prime minister’s “you should go away from Ukraine” with a disdainful “it’s impossible, since we are not there.”
Mr. Trudeau’s tough stance on Mr. Putin received cheers from the Ukrainians. “The Ukrainian Canadian community is pleased that Prime Minister Trudeau has taken a principled position in response to the aggression of the Russian Federation which has invaded and occupied sovereign Ukrainian territory in Crimea and Donetsk and Luhansk,” UCC National President Paul Grod said.
During the election campaign, Mr. Trudeau had promised “gender parity” in his Cabinet – an equal number of men and women. The Cabinet includes two female Ukrainian Canadian ministers: high-profile journalist and author Ms. Freeland was tapped to serve as international trade minister and Ms. Mihychuk, a former provincial Cabinet minister from Manitoba, is the new minister of employment, workplace development and labor.
Minister Freeland’s job will be to shepherd the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership and the trade deal with the 28-member European Union. Minister Mihychuk will be responsible for negotiating the collective bargaining process with the federal public service. She has significant experience overseeing civil servants, as she served as industry, trade and mines minister during her stint in the Manitoba provincial government.
Another Ukrainian Canadian woman who will play an important role, but in the Conservative opposition, is Ms. Ambrose, who became the interim Conservative leader, when Mr. Harper resigned. Ms. Ambrose held nine Cabinet portfolios in Stephen Harper’s government.
The Ukrainian Canadian Congress on October 20 congratulated Mr. Trudeau and the Liberal Party of Canada for the results of the 2015 Canadian federal election. “On behalf of Canada’s 1.3 million Ukrainian Canadian community, I congratulate Mr. Trudeau on his election as prime minister and all the members of Parliament elected to the House of Commons,” stated Mr. Grod. “I look forward to working with Mr. Trudeau and his government, in addressing key issues of importance to the Ukrainian Canadian community.”
For the record, among the Members of Parliament elected in the October 19 elections, more than 10 are of Ukrainian heritage. The 10 confirmed MPs of Ukrainian descent are: Julie Dzerowicz, Liberal (Davenport, Ontario); Chrystia Freeland, Liberal (University-Rosedale, Ontario); Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal (Etobicoke Center, Ontario); Kyle Peterson, Liberal (Newmarket-Aurora, Ontario); Terry (Taras) Duguid, Liberal (Winnipeg South, Manitoba); Mary Ann Mihychuk, Liberal (Kildonan-St. Paul, Manitoba); James Bezan, Conservative (Selkirk-Interlake, Manitoba); Rona Ambrose, Conservative (Sturgeon River-Parkland, Alberta); Jim Eglinski, Conservative (Yellowhead, Alberta); Mark Warawa, Conservative (Langley-Aldergrove, British Columbia).
Support for Ukraine
At the beginning of 2015, the UCC welcomed the announcement by Minister of International Trade Ed Fast of more than $50 million in additional support by Canada to Ukraine during a trade and development mission to Kyiv on January 25-26. Minister Fast met with Aivaras Abromavicius, Ukraine’s minister of economic development and trade; Oleksiy Pavlenko, minister of agrarian policy and food; and Natalie Jaresko, minister of finance.
Minister Fast announced that the provision of 100 Improved First Aid Kits (IFAKs) has been earmarked for funding as part of the assistance package that had been announced on November 26, 2014, by Minister of National Defense Rob Nicholson to the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) Patriot Defense project, which has trained over 12,000 Ukrainian soldiers in first aid and distributed over 9,500 IFAKs. “The IFAKs Canada is providing will help save the lives of brave Ukrainian soldiers,” stated Ulana Suprun, the UWC’s director of humanitarian initiatives.
Ministers Fast and Abromavicius also announced that Canada and Ukraine will conclude a free trade agreement. “Preparatory work is currently under way by our officials for a full round of face-to-face negotiations, in Kyiv, in the near future. The Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement will be an ambitious and comprehensive agreement, creating new market opportunities and predictable conditions for businesses,” they noted in a joint statement. That agreement was signed on July 14 during a visit to Canada by Ukraine’s Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk.
The support for Ukraine by Canada announced on January 26 totalled more than $50 million, and included: $19.7 million to Société de Coopération pour le Développement International, to promote the growth of small and medium-sized dairy businesses in Ukraine; $13.5 million over six years to address the limitations of small and medium-sized grain producers in Ukraine; $18.8 million to Agriteam Canada transitional and long-term governance and economic reforms in a more inclusive and transparent way; and up to $100,000 in additional support to the Economic Advisory Council.
“The economic and development aid, as well as expert advice that Canada is providing will help Ukraine’s fragile economy. As Russia wages a brutal war on Ukraine, Canada continues to show that its commitment to helping the Ukrainian people defend their independence and freedom will not waver,” stated Olena Koszarny, chair of the UCC’s Ukraine Advisory Council.
On February 17, new economic sanctions imposed by Canada targeted 37 Russian and Ukrainian individuals as well as 17 Russian and Ukrainian entities. Prime Minister Harper said Canada “remains steadfast in its commitment to stand with the people of Ukraine in the face of the Putin regime’s ongoing military aggression, which has already cost the lives of more than 5,300 people.” RFE/RL reported that the move was made in coordination with the European Union and the United States, which have also punished Russia for what they say is its military backing of the separatists in eastern Ukraine.
On June 29, still more economic sanctions and travel bans were announced. The individuals affected included Aleksandr Dugin, a leader of the Eurasian Youth Union. The entities subject to economic sanctions were: Gazprom, Gazprom Neft, Surgutneftegas and Transneft Eurasian Youth Union. Canada also imposed a ban on Russian-occupied Crimea that prohibited the import and export and the transfer, provision or communication of technical data or services; provision or acquisition of financial and other services related to tourism; and the docking of cruise ships. Mr. Harper stated, “Until there is real peace, until occupying forces are withdrawn, and until Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty is restored, there must be ongoing consequences for President Putin’s regime.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Harper visited Ukraine on June 6 in advance of the G-7 summit in Germany. He was accompanied by UCC leaders, including President Grod. As noted in a June 23 statement by Ms. Koszarny of the UCC’s Ukraine Advisory Council, the visit once again demonstrated “that Canada stands firmly beside Ukraine.” Ms. Koszarny also noted: “His statements clearly set forth Canada’s position: ‘I don’t think Russia under Vladimir Putin belongs in the G7. Period.’ Prime Minister Stephen Harper told the Associated Press. ‘Canada would very, very strongly oppose Putin ever sitting around that table again. It would require consensus to bring Russia back and that consensus will just not happen.’ ”
Presidential Administration of Ukraine
President Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine and Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada with their spouses, Dr. Maryna Poroshenko and Laureen Harper.
Defense Minister Jason Kenney visited Canadian Armed Forces personnel in Yavoriv, Ukraine, on June 27, and he announced more than $15 million in additional Canadian support to democracy and institution-building in Ukraine. “Canada is fully engaged in supporting Ukraine in its efforts to maintain sovereignty, security and stability in the face of the Putin regime’s unjustified aggression,” the minister stated.
Before that fourth trip to Ukraine – his fourth – Mr. Kenney told The Ukrainian Weekly, in an interview conducted by Christopher Guly, that “It’s fair to say that we’ve been the most forward-leaning Western democracy, diplomatically and politically” in terms of supporting Ukraine. He also noted that NATO should have an open-door policy, adding, “We would be very happy if Ukraine were to decide to pursue NATO membership.”
As previously announced on April 14 by Minister Kenney and Gen. Tom Lawson, chief of the Defense Staff, the Canadian government was providing additional military resources to help train and build the capacity of Ukrainian forces. Canada is deploying 200 Canadian Armed forces personnel to Ukraine until March 31, 2017. With the U.S., Canada is also providing individual and unit tactics training to Ukrainian National Guard personnel. A news release from the office of the prime minister underscored: “Canada’s position on Ukraine has been clear since the outset: we recognize the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and will never recognize the illegal Russian occupation of Crimea or any part of that country.”
On June 8, Sen. Raynell Andreychuk, a Ukrainian Canadian, was elected co-chair of the Ukraine-NATO Interparliamentary Council (UNIC) of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Sen. Andreychuk said she was honored to be elected and stated: “Amid growing public support for Euro-Atlantic integration within Ukrainian society, and as Ukraine continues in its development as an independent and sovereign democracy, the Ukraine-NATO Interparliamentary Council provides a critical forum for building trust and understanding between Ukrainian parliamentarians and their counterparts throughout the Atlantic Alliance.” The UNIC was created by the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in 1998 to bring greater transparency to the implementation of the NATO-Ukraine Charter and to demonstrate parliamentary interest and involvement in cooperation between NATO and Ukraine.
At the end of the year, on December 17, Minister of International Trade Freeland, together with Minister of International Development and La Francophonie Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced funding to increase trade and investment between Canada and Ukraine that will help small and medium-sized enterprises in Ukraine access Canadian and global markets. Canada will contribute $13.6 million to the Canada-Ukraine Trade and Investment Support project between 2016 and 2021. Minister Freeland made the announcement following her meeting with Nataliya Mykolska, deputy minister of economic development and trade, trade representative of Ukraine, on the margins of the World Trade Organization’s 10th Ministerial Conference in Nairobi, Kenya. Minister Freeland commented: “Canada is committed to supporting Ukraine’s government and private sector to take advantage of new trade opportunities arising from implementation of the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement. By bolstering the growth and competitiveness of Ukraine’s small and medium-sized businesses, we are building mutual prosperity for both our countries.”
Ukraine’s new ambassador
Ambassador Andriy Shevchenko
President Petro Poroshenko on September 24 appointed Andriy Shevchenko as ambassador of Ukraine to Canada. Mr. Shevchenko is known in Ukraine as a TV journalist, politician and civic activist. In Canada, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) welcomed Mr. Shevchenko’s appointment. “We congratulate President Poroshenko for appointing such a strong and professional voice for Ukraine in Canada,” stated UCC President Grod. “Given the significant relationship between our two countries and the serious ongoing issues in Ukraine, including the illegal occupation of Crimea by the Russian Federation and the ongoing invasion of Luhansk and Donetsk by the Russian armed forces, it is very important for Ukraine to have a very capable representative in its embassy in Ottawa.”
Mr. Grod commented: “I look forward to working with Ambassador Shevchenko to further the strong relationship that exists between Ukraine and Canada and with the Ukrainian Canadian community. There are a number of significant initiatives that we will need to work on, including the ratification and implementation of the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement, strengthening the defense of Ukraine’s independence and sovereignty, negotiating a Canada-Ukraine Defense Cooperation Agreement, ensuring Ukraine is included in Canada’s Automatic Firearms Country Controls List, assisting in Ukraine’s continued democratic development, and strengthening ties with the Ukrainian community in Canada.”
Visitors from Ukraine in Canada
Verkhovna Rada Vice-Chair Andrij Parubiy made an official visit to Canada on February 21-24 on the invitation of House of Commons Speaker Andrew Scheer. On Saturday evening, February 21, an expanded meeting of UCC’s Advisory Council was held with Mr. Parubiy to discuss the current situation in Ukraine.
In Ottawa, together with a UCC delegation, Mr. Parubiy met with Minister of International Trade Ed Fast to discuss Canada-Ukraine bilateral economic relations; with Minister of National Defense Kenney to discuss Canada’s leadership and support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s invasion and continued aggression; and with Prime Minister Harper. Members of the delegation also met with several other MPs, including Paul Dewar, official opposition foreign affairs critic.
In a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs Robert Nicholson, Mr. Parubiy discussed the security situation in eastern Ukraine, including concerns over Mariupol and the steps taken toward reform by Ukraine’s government. Minister Nicholson said Canada is committed to working closely with the government of Ukraine. Mr. Parubiy thanked Canada for taking a leadership role in supporting Ukraine and for the new economic sanctions and travel bans imposed against Russian and Ukrainian individuals and entities.
While in the Canadian capital, Mr. Parubiy on February 23 attended a commemorative photo exhibit organized by EuroMaidan Ottawa on the first anniversary of the brutal sniper attacks in Kyiv that killed over 100 peaceful protesters on the Maidan in 2014. “In choosing these particular pieces for exhibition, we were consciously trying to capture the zeitgeist of the Euro-Maidan,” noted Yaroslav Baran, one of the exhibit organizers. “Tremendous things happened on that square. A revolution was born.”
EuroMaidan Ottawa is a grass-roots organization in solidarity with the Ukrainian prodemocracy movement; it seeks to help raise awareness and assist in the strengthening of democracy and rule of law in Ukraine. Since November 2013, EuroMaidan Ottawa has organized over 20 demonstrations, commemorative services and public speaking events to raise awareness in Canada about the Ukraine crisis; it has raised over $25,000 in support of Ukraine – ranging from medical supplies and sleeping bags for Ukrainian soldiers on the front to direct support for internally displaced Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars.
Also on February 23, Mr. Parubiy participated in a remembrance ceremony at the Confederation Flame on Parliament Hill that paid tribute to the heroes of the Revolution of Dignity.
Andriy Parubiy and the Ukrainian community of Ottawa pay tribute to the Euro-Maidan’s heroes on Parliament Hill.
Another high point of his visit was the fund-raising reception and dinner, “Tribute to the Brave Defenders of Ukraine,” held at the Golden Lion restaurant in Toronto and attended by 400 people. The featured speeches were given by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Chris Alexander; the chair of the Canada-Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Group, MP Ted Opitz; and several other MPs, among them Mr. Bezan.
Serhiy Kuzan, leader of the Free People (Vilni Liudy) network in Ukraine and a national activist in the civil society movement, in March and April conducted an 11-city tour of Canada, during which he spoke about “Ukraine’s Citizen Response to Russia’s War in Eastern Ukraine.” During his visit to Ottawa, Mr. Kuzan was hosted in Parliament by the Canada-Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Group and met with government officials. Mr. Kuzan discussed Ukraine’s citizen response to Russian aggression and civic support for Ukraine’s military. He also shared with the Canadian public the deep appreciation for the humanitarian support provided to Ukraine’s military personnel and injured soldiers. His 24-day tour was organized by the League of Ukrainian Canadians and its Friends of Ukraine Defense Forces Fund.
Vira Savchenko, the sister of illegally imprisoned Ukrainian air force pilot, Nadiya Savchenko, was welcomed to Canada by the UCC. She was in Canada to raise awareness of the illegal arrest and imprisonment of her sister by the authorities in Russia. Nadiya was abducted by Kremlin-backed terrorists in the Luhansk Oblast in June 2014, illegally removed from Ukrainian territory and imprisoned in Russia. She is a victim of Russia’s war against Ukraine and a political prisoner. The U.N. Commissioner for Human Rights and governments across the globe have called for Ms Savchenko’s immediate release.
On April 25-28, Vira Savchenko was in Toronto, where she participated in the roundtable discussion “Reforms, Security and European Ukraine,” and was hosted at a banquet by “Dopomoha Ukraini,” the Canada-Ukraine Foundation, the Canada-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce and the UCC. She also met with political leaders and members of Parliament in Ottawa.
The Embassy of Ukraine in Canada, in coordination with the Canada Ukraine Chamber of Commerce and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, on July 14 organized a business leaders’ roundtable discussion with Prime Minister Yatsenyuk of Ukraine. The discussion coincided with the prime minister’s visit to Ottawa on July 14 to sign the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement. A roundtable with community leaders was held after the business roundtable.
Ukrainian community endeavors
Koliady and shchedrivky began the year for Ukrainians in Canada. At the start of the Julian-calendar Christmas season (January 7 to 19), a group of Ukrainian carolers composed of members of Ottawa’s Akord Ukrainian Men’s choir performed a series of carols in Ukrainian at prime minister’s residence. They offered the traditional Ukrainian Christmas greeting, “Khrystos Narodyvsia,” and then asked “Do you welcome carolers?” Laureen Harper invited the group inside, where the group sang koliady and shchedrivky and presented a traditional Ukrainian Christmas greeting, a “vinshuvannia.” The caroling was organized by the National Office of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress.
Throughout the year, the war in Ukraine was on the minds of Ukrainian Canadians. In a statement released on February 21, the UCC strongly condemned the violations of the Minsk agreements by the Russian Federation and Russian-led, -staffed, -funded and -controlled terrorist organizations in the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. The statement underlined that, while withdrawing from Debaltseve, Ukrainian forces were shelled by Russian artillery, resulting in over 100 wounded and over 89 Ukrainian soldiers missing in action. “The list of crimes committed by the Russian Federation and the terrorists it supports in Ukraine is long and growing daily… it shows the Putin regime’s blatant disregard for international law, binding obligations and principles of the inviolability of state borders…In dealing with Putin, Western leaders would do well to remember the disastrous results of the appeasement of Adolf Hitler,” the UCC stated.
“Ukraine’s army must be given the means with which to defend their country, and the costs to Russia of continuing its aggression must be significantly increased,” the UCC underscored. “Canada, the U.S., and their NATO allies must: 1. Provide Ukraine with defensive weapons, equipment and training it needs to defend its territorial integrity; 2. Significantly increase the provision of communications and intelligence capabilities of Ukraine’s armed forces; 3. Increase sectoral sanctions against the Russian Federation’s defense, energy and financial services.”
On March 3-7, the vice president of the World Jewish Congress and chairman of the Confederation and Communities in Ukraine, Josef Zissels, spoke to both Ukrainian- and Russian-speaking communities in Toronto and Ottawa, calling for a united effort to confront Russian aggression. In 1988 he had set up Ukraine’s first Jewish organization and has been a fervent defender of Ukraine’s independence and democratic path.
The purpose of his visit was to propose a project – the Coalition for Democratic Choice – to stand up to Mr. Putin’s armed aggression. Because Ukraine is the first post-Soviet country that has been able to resist Russia’s aggressive policy aimed at re-integrating post imperial territories into a new Eurasian Union, Mr. Zissels proposed that such an initiative come from Ukraine. He explained that the war launched against Ukraine is being waged on three fronts: propagandistic, economic and military. Fortunately, Ukraine has a well developed civil society. Mr. Zissels advised that many Coalitions for Democratic Choice could be created in strengthening democracy, to counter Russian propaganda in their respective countries.
A traveling exhibit highlighting and exploring the relationship between the Ukrainian and Jewish communities was mounted by the organization Ukrainian-Jewish Encounter (UJE) which, since 2008, has been studying and supporting this encounter. “A Journey Through the Ukrainian-Jewish Encounter from Antiquity to 1914” was shown on July 8-19, at the Ukrainian Museum of Canada at St. Vladimir Institute in Toronto, and was later shown in Edmonton and Montreal.
Because Jewish-Ukrainian relations have also had to bear stereotyping, the exhibit focused on “an integrated narrative of these two peoples… presented in the belief that there is much to be gained by viewing their historical experience together, in all its complexity.” The exhibit consisted of 35 large panels, each dedicated to one or more topics – for example, the 13th-16th centuries, Russian rule in the 1750-1790s, Hasidism, the 1861 reforms, modernist Ukrainian writers. Where appropriate, two “sides” of the story were highlighted, for example, the city of Uman in Ukrainian, Polish and Jewish Memory. Under “Pogroms in the Russian Empire,” the text clearly said: “During the turmoil of the first Russian revolution around 650 pogroms occurred, mostly officially orchestrated with the support of the police and the army, and carried out by the Black Hundreds (monarchists, Orthodox, Russian nationalists, anti-revolutionary militants). Pogroms are primarily associated with attacks on Jews in the Russian Empire in 1881-1921.”
Remembering internment operations
The Internment Interpretative Center at La Ferme, Quebec, marked the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Spirit Lake Internment camp, the second largest of the 24 internment camps established across Canada during World War I. Now in its fifth year of operation, Spirit Lake Internment Interpretative Center (SLIIC) was established on the original grounds of the internment site. With 20,000 visitors to date, a feature of the Spirit Lake Center is its outstanding outreach educational program, which has now developed partnerships with Quebec school boards. On March 29, Spirit Lake volunteer board members, with James Slobodian as board chairperson, were presented with an award from the English Association of Quebec, Neighbors, in recognition of the center’s work in furthering awareness of Quebec’s heritage and ensuring the telling of the internment story. It should be noted that the center’s museum offers guided tours in French, English or Ukrainian. It was established with the help of a major grant released in installments over five years, from Canada’s First National Internment Recognition Fund.
On October 24, the UCC-Manitoba Provincial Council hosted a one-day symposium and unveiled a statue on the grounds of the Manitoba Legislature in honor of the victims of Canada’s internment operations. The commemoration in Winnipeg began with a symposium in the Manitoba Legislature. Five scholars presented papers on the internment operations. Peter Melnycky (Department of Alberta Culture) provided the historical background; Bohdan Kordan (University of Saskatchewan) focused on human rights during the internment operations. Prof. Iryna Konstantiuk (University of Manitoba) spoke on resource development for schools in social studies. James Kominowski (University of Manitoba) provided a bibliographical survey of publications, while Andrea Malysh (First World War Internment Recognition Fund) informed the audience of the projects underwritten by the Fund.
The statue unveiled on the grounds of the Manitoba Legislature was commissioned by the UCC-Manitoba Provincial Council and created by Ontario artist John Boxtel. The statue depicts an internee with fingers pointing to himself as if asking “Why me?”; similar representations of the statue are located at five other internment sites across Canada.
Holodomor awareness
November 28 is Holodomor Remembrance Day in Canada, and Prime Minister Trudeau issued a statement in which he called the Holodomor “one of the darkest chapters of human history.” He pointed out that the Holodomor “tried to break the Ukrainian people, but they endured, persevered and ultimately won their independence. Their descendants continue to make immeasurable contributions in countries around the world – including right here in Canada. …On this somber anniversary, we pause to remember the victims, families and communities who suffered as a result of the Holodomor, and we strengthen our resolve to continue promoting and upholding basic freedoms, rights and dignity to help ensure that atrocities like this never happen again.”
The prime minister also took the occasion to underline that “Canada stands firmly against Russia’s ongoing military aggression in Ukraine. We believe that, along with the international community, Canada can play an important part in bringing this conflict to an end. As a country, we also remain committed to helping rebuild the democratic, economic and security institutions that will help Ukraine flourish once more.”
In order to spread awareness in Canada of the Holodomor, the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) came out with an innovative project: the Holodomor Mobile Classroom (HMC). A 40-foot RV was customized with the installation of audio-visual multi-media capabilities such as 12 commercial televisions; it provides a 21st century learning experience about the Holodomor. This federally funded initiative is intended to educate Canadians about the Famine-Genocide engineered by Joseph Stalin in Ukraine in 1932-1933. Bohdan Onyschuk, past chair of CUF, the lead organization on the project, arranged for the purchase of the vehicle, while its outfitting was funded by the Canadian government through its Multiculturalism Inter Action program. The award of the funding was announced by Minister for Multiculturalism Jason Kenney who said, “It is by remembering the tragedies and atrocities of the past that we can equip ourselves to prevent them from happening again. That is why this national tour, which will reach Canadians of all ages and backgrounds, is an important initiative.”
The project also received support from the provincial ministries of Manitoba and Ontario. The CUF is working in partnership with the UCC, the UCRDC and the Holodomor Research and Educational Consortium (HREC). Valentina Kuryliw is overseeing the development of the high school teaching content. In its first year, the HMC said it would focus on visits to schools in Ontario, as well as festivals and community events. In subsequent years, the HMC will tour the country.
The Holodomor Mobile Classroom was the focus of a commemoration at the Ontario Legislative Assembly on November 24. The customized RV with the words “Holodomor – The Ukrainian Genocide” emblazoned across it – was a striking sight. Ontario Minister of Education Liz Sandals and MPP Yvan Baker cut the ribbon to launch the mobile classroom.
Holodomor National Awareness Tour
The Holodomor Mobile Classroom was launched at the Ontario Legislative Assembly at Queen’s Park.
As noted by Minister Sandals, “The province of Ontario committed $750,000 to raise awareness of the Holodomor in public schools, who will benefit from the state-of-the-art audio visual experience featuring a 28-foot video wall. A facilitator will lead an interactive lesson that develops critical thinking skills, lessons that underscore the importance of human rights and the rule of law as well as the concept of genocide.”
Ms. Kuryliw, director of Education for the Holodomor Research and Education Consortium, conducted six workshops in southern Ontario on the topic of the Holodomor. “April has become a time for recognition and remembrance of those who have fallen victim to and survived genocides, and it is important that we ensure the place of the Holodomor in these commemorations,” Ms. Kuryliw explained. On April 24, the Canadian House of Commons passed a motion designating April as Genocide Remembrance, Condemnation and Prevention Month, recognizing and commemorating the victims and survivors of the Holodomor, the Holocaust, the Rwandan Genocide and the Armenian Genocide.
Ms. Kuryliw conducted a workshop for history and social studies teachers titled “The Genocidal Famine in Ukraine, 1932-1933, its historical significance in the past and present” at the Professional Development Day of the Toronto District School Board. She also held workshops for history teachers and curriculum leaders of the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board on April 21 and for teachers and administrators at the “Equity and Inclusivity Conference” which included sample lesson plans, information on new resources, new published materials and DVDs, and a pamphlet on the Holodomor Memorial Day that is held annually on the fourth Saturday in November.
The teachers were particularly pleased to receive handouts detailing the curriculum applications of the Holodomor materials. Students were especially interested in making connections between events in the 1930s and what is happening in Ukraine today, Ms. Kuryliw noted. HREC said it plans to publish “Holodomor in Ukraine, the Genocidal Famine of 1932-1933,” a workbook for students and educators.
The Ukrainian Canadian Research and Documentation Center embarked on a new oral history project, funded by the Temerty Family Foundation – interviews with children of the survivors of the Ukrainian Holodomor. The project coordinator – archivist Iroida Wynnyckyj, stated that “The UCRDC has the experience and infrastructure needed to undertake an oral interview project of this kind, and indeed, it will be the first such project about the second generation of survivors of the Holodomor to be embarked on.” A sense of longing, mourning, burden or distrust, degrees of communicativeness and coping and the strength and resilience of survivorship all have an impact on the successive generation’s identity and feelings of cohesiveness with their communities, the UCRDC noted.
The purpose of this oral history project is not to record the history of the Holodomor’s genocidal trauma but rather, to find out what became of the children of the survivors of the Holodomor and what do they see as the Holodomor’s legacy for Ukrainians,” stated the project’s interviewer, Sophia Isajiw. “The fact that the project is being done in North America is equally valuable because it will enable a discussion of how the Holodomor has become a diaspora marker of Ukrainian identity.” Each interview is video recorded in English and transcribed and will be accessible for further study in the UCRDC archives.
As part of the Holodomor commemorations, a monument “Bitter Memories of Childhood” was unveiled at the Saskatchewan Provincial Legislature in Regina on May 12. The memorial is a bronze statue of a little girl with a sheaf of wheat and is made from the same cast as the one in Kyiv on the grounds of the National Holodomor Museum. It is the work of sculptor Petro Drozdowsky.
“This addition to the Saskatchewan Legislative Building precinct will foster greater awareness of the Holodomor and provide a permanent place in our province for everyone to reflect upon the terrible tragedy,” said Deputy Premier Ken Krawetz. Saskatchewan was the first province in Canada to recognize the Holodomor as genocide in May 2008. Some 130,000 Canadians living in the province identify themselves as having Ukrainian ancestry.
Ukrainian Canadian Congress meets
While in Regina in May for the unveiling of the Holodomor monument, the UCC delegation held meetings and site visits in preparation for the 25th triennial Congress of Ukrainian Canadians to be held in 2016. The conclave will mark the 75th anniversary of the UCC and the 125th anniversary of Ukrainian settlement in Canada.
On September 26-27 in Ottawa, the UCC held its annual general meeting to discuss the priorities of the Ukrainian Canadian community and the action plans for the coming year. The priorities focused on building Ukrainian Canadian communities and assistance for Ukraine; as well as next year’s triennial congress and major anniversaries. The board was also presented with the UCC “Ukraine Appeal” website and the program to coordinate humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.
The keynote speaker at the UCC’s gala banquet was former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst who spoke about the Russian involvement in the invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian World Congress President Eugene Czolij took the opportunity to present the UWC Taras Shevchenko medals to Manitoba Parents for Ukrainian Education and to the UCC Manitoba’s Taras Shevchenko 200th Anniversary Committee.
Ukrainian Canadian miscellany
In other news in the Ukrainian Canadian community, the Canada-Ukraine Foundation organized a second medical mission to Ukraine to deal with reconstructive surgical procedures on victims of the Euro-Maidan movement. A medical team of 22 professionals, assembled entirely from volunteers across Canada, included surgeons, anaesthetists and nurses. Forty-nine patients from across Ukraine with complex post-traumatic defects received treatment for a total of 116 operating hours. The medical personnel performed 53 reconstructive procedures between May 10 and 16.
Funding for the medical missions comes largely from “United for Ukraine,” a fund-raiser organized by the CUF in September 2014, and attended by Prime Minister Harper, Wayne Gretzky and by almost 1,200 people who raised more than $200,000.
Eugene Melnyk and Bohdan Onyschuk co-chaired the fund-raising efforts for the mission. “I am grateful to the Canada Ukraine Foundation and to the thousands of Canadians who donated to our mission,” said Dr. Antonyshyn, the lead surgeon. The CUF expressed thanks for the support of Stryker Canada, which once again awarded the medical mission a grant that provided for virtually all surgical hardware and implant materials for the medical procedures.
The 2015 SUSK Congress was held May 7-10 in Montreal. The Ukrainian Catholic Education Foundation as well as the Montreal branches of the Ukrainian National Federation and the UCC were major supporters of this conclave of the Ukrainian Canadian Students’ Union (known by its Ukrainian acronym as SUSK).The new board members included Cassian Soltykevych (president), Anastasia Hnatyuk (vice president, finance), Borys Bilaniuk (vice president, East), Alex Prokopchuk (vice-president, Central) and Andrea Dacko (vice-president, West). Congress sessions included “Current Ukraine: Historical, Economic and Social Sides of the Story”; “Current Ukraine: Helping Ukraine and Getting Involved”; reports by SUSK executive members; and a workshop on social media tools. The keynote address was delivered by former SUSK President Artem Luhovy.
Also in 2015, two Ukrainian community institutions in Edmonton were the beneficiaries of a Canadian government program that supports projects which rehabilitate existing community facilities. The funds were allocated to the Ukrainian Youth Unity Complex (UYUC) and St. Josephat Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral as part of the “Canada 150” Community Infrastructure Program that celebrated Canada’s 150th anniversary. A special presentation was made on July 28 by Alberta Minister of State for Multiculturalism Tim Uppal to the two Ukrainian community groups. Accepting the gifts – totalling $350,000 – were Ivan Fedyna, president of the board of directors of the UYUC, and Larissa Podilsky on behalf of St. Josephat Cathedral.
For nearly 50 years, the UYUC has been a mainstay of Ukrainian community life in Edmonton. The “Domivka” opened its doors in 1973 as a multi-use complex. It is home to numerous organizations. St. Josephat Ukrainian Catholic Parish began to serve the spiritual needs of Ukrainian settlers in 1904. The parish rejoiced at the visits by Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky in 1910 and 1921. In 1941, a new larger church was built, which became a cathedral in 1948. Work has already begun on renovating this historic site, although many generous donations will be required to complete the work.
A record number of visitors caught the Ukrainian spirit on September 18-20 as the 19th annual Bloor West Village Toronto Ukrainian Festival served up a long weekend of non-stop entertainment, traditional food, cultural displays and activities for all ages. It is one of the world’s largest Ukrainian street festivals, and in 2015 it attracted crowds of 700,000. The three-day program included several stage shows featuring performers from throughout Canada, as well as the United States, Ukraine and Estonia; the Festival Parade, with 74 entries and 3,100 participants; an exhibit by the Ukrainian Association of Visual Artists of Canada; a full day of film screenings at the Runnymede Public Library; and a youth program.
The gala Saturday evening show featured Edmonton’s Volya Ukrainian Dance Ensemble, the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus of Detroit, Winnipeg’s Zrada band and the Zubrivka folk band of Toronto. The evening’s headliner band – Ot Vinta – got the audience rocking with its “Ukrabilly” music. Festival Chairman Jurij Klufas closed the event on Sunday with thank-yous to all involved. The traditional festival finale, the double-tier Hopak performed by the Barvinok Ukrainian School of Dance on the stage and the ground level, concluded the festivities.
On September 22 the Ukrainian Canadian Congress unveiled the official logo for the celebrations marking the 125th anniversary of Ukrainian immigration to Canada. The logo was designed by the Ukrainian Canadian artist Oleh Lesiuk, a native of Lviv.
The artist explained that the logo consists of three parts: the bottom part symbolizes four waves of the immigration of Ukrainians to Canada: the waves of the ocean to be overcome, the waves of people that brought new hopes and dreams to a new land. In the central part of the logo, people are transformed into three flying cranes. These powerful birds – “zhuravli” in Ukrainian – appear often in Ukrainian music and folklore. They are a symbol of migration. The trident, superimposed on a blue crane, symbolizes Ukraine, while the wings of the cranes are ultimately transformed into a maple leaf – the national symbol of Canada.