This past month has included events of great significance to Canadians of Ukrainian heritage.
In late October, ceremonies sponsored by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress were held in Ottawa, marking the 120th anniversary of the first Ukrainian settlement in Canada. I was honoured to be among the hundreds of people to attend.
From two original immigrants in 1891, has grown an influential community of 1.25 million people – prominent across all dimensions of Canadian life.
In my remarks, I chronicled some of the contributions that Ukrainians have made to Canada. But to repeated applause, I also noted the worries of many Canadians about the fragile state of democracy in Ukraine itself.
I called upon Canada to be vigilant in pressing the Ukrainian government not to reverse the progress toward genuine democracy that began with Ukraine’s exciting “Orange Revolution” in 2004.
There is still much to do to ensure open democratic participation, strong civil society, fair elections, an impartial judiciary, freedom of the press, and other rights and freedoms that we take for granted.
And just last week, we commemorated the Holodomor – that tragic period in 1932/33 when Stalin’s Soviet regime confiscated all foodstuffs in Ukraine, deliberately causing the suffering and starvation of millions.
This horrific chapter in world history is acknowledged as genocide. We paid solemn tribute to all the innocent lives so brutally snuffed out, and we honoured those who miraculously survived.
Again, with the approval of the UCC, I also drew attention to the question of Ukraine’s fledgling democracy – in particular, the mysterious illness that has suddenly befallen the Leader of the Opposition, Yulia Tymoshenko.
I called on the Harper government to ensure she receives honest, independent medical treatment (from Canada if necessary). Canada also needs to be clear that if anything untoward happens to Ms. Tymoshenko, Canada-Ukraine relations could be seriously damaged.
