WINNIPEG, Manitoba – The Ukrainian Canadian Congress – Manitoba Provincial Council (UCC-MPC) remembered the victims of Canada’s internment operations during World War I (1914-1920) of over 8,500 Ukrainians and other Central and Eastern Europeans, hosting a one-day symposium and unveiling a statue on the grounds of the Manitoba Legislature. The two events were held on Saturday, October 24, in Winnipeg.
The internment of 8,579 people, who were branded as “enemy aliens” and were forced into 24 internment camps located across Canada – from Nanaimo in British Columbia to Halifax in Nova Scotia (one was located in Brandon, Manitoba) – was a major blow to the recent settlers in Canada, especially in the rural areas. In addition there were some five receiving stations (one was located in Winnipeg).
Men, women and children suffered during this internment operation, not because of anything they had done, but only because of who they were and where they had come from. In addition some 88,000 individuals had to register with the Royal Canadian Montreal Police, carry identity cards and report regularly to the police.
At the unveiling of the internment statue (from left) are: Oksana Bondarchuk, Manitoba Provincial Minister Dave Chomiak, Member of Parliament Kevin Lamoureux, Winnipeg Councilor Ross Eadie, Andrea Malysh and Emil Yereniuk.
The commemoration in Winnipeg on the 100th anniversary of the initiation of the Canadian government’s internment operations began with a symposium in Committee Room 254 of the Manitoba Legislature chaired by Dr. Stella Hryniuk and Dr. Roman Yereniuk.
Five scholars presented papers on various aspects of the internment operations. Peter Melnycky (Department of Alberta Culture) provided the historical background to the internment, while Dr. Bohdan Kordan (University of Saskatchewan) focused on the issues of human rights, obligations and diplomacy during the operations. Prof. Iryna Konstantiuk (University of Manitoba) spoke on resource development for schools in social studies and provided examples from her research development with Manitoba Education. James Kominowski (University of Manitoba) provided a bibliographical survey of publications on the topic at the university, while Andrea Malysh (program manager of the First World War Internment Recognition Fund) informed the 80 participants of the various projects funded by the Internment Recognition Fund. During the symposium there was ample time for questions and answers, as well as discussion.
The second part of the commemoration was the unveiling of a statue on the grounds of the Manitoba Legislature Building (immediately north of the Taras Shevchenko monument – on the northwest side of the Legislature) with some 200 people in attendance. The bronze statue was commissioned by the UCC-MPC and was created by Ontario artist John Boxtel in 2015.
The statue depicts a typical internee with fingers pointing to himself as if asking, “Why me?” Similar representations of this statue are located at another five internment sites across Canada. On the base-pedestal of the statue are the words “Remember, learn and never forget” in English, French, Ukrainian and 13 other Central and East European languages (recognizing that all these ethnocultural communities were impacted by the internment operations of 1914-1920).
The program was hosted by Oksana Bondarchuk, chair of the UCC-MPC, and began with greetings from the three levels of government: Member of Parliament Kevin Lamoreux (federal); Manitoba Minister Dave Chomiak (provincial), and Winnipeg Councilor Ross Eadie (municipal).
Dr. Bohdan Kordan speaks at the internment symposium.
Several community leaders also brought greetings, including Emil Yereniuk (UCC national executive and its Internment Committee), Ms. Malysh (First World War Internment Recognition Fund and its endowment) and Grazyna Galezowski (Polish Congress of Manitoba). Later they all participated in the unveiling of the internment statue, while the blessing with holy water was concelebrated by Metropolitan Lawrence Huculak (Ukrainian Catholic Church of Canada) and the Very Rev. Gene Maximiuk (Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada). Closing remarks and words of gratitude were provided by Joanne Lewandoski, co-chair of the event.
The commemoration honored with dignity the many Ukrainians and others who suffered and were humiliated during Canada’s First World War Internment Operations 1914-1920.