Canadian issues

Conservative National Defence critic James Bezan today issued the following statement marking an important anniversary in Ukraine’s struggle for peace, democracy and freedom. “Today we remember the ‘Heavenly Hundred’, who tragically lost their lives two years ago while peacefully protesting their pro-Russian leader Viktor Yanukovych and demonstrating their European aspirations. “Conservatives continue to condemn the illegal...

The Minister for Canadian Heritage, Mélanie Joly, is being asked for help in saving a Great War cemetery holding the remains of at least 16 "enemy aliens." During Canada's first national internment operations of 1914-1920, a large camp holding Ukrainians and other Europeans was established at Spirit Lake, (today, La Ferme) in the Abitibi region of Quebec. It held hundreds of Ukrainians and other Europeans transported and forced to do heavy labour there for the profit of their jailers. Many of the men, women, and children imprisoned were...

“Western leaders need to listen to what Yevhen Marchuk has to say.” These are the words that General Wesley Clark, former Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, repeated to politicians and newspaper reporters during his recent visit to Canada. Both General Wesley Clark and former Ukrainian Prime Minister and Defense Minister Yevhen Marchuk were in Toronto, Canada at the invitation of the International Council in Support of Ukraine, headed by its president, Yuri Shymko, a Canadian parliamentarian and former president of the Ukrainian World Congress. Founded in 1967, the ICSU is an international coordinating body that promotes government...

If astronauts seek to travel to new galaxies, then Larysa Ivshyna, the editor-in-chief of Ukraine’s newspaper Den, is a modern-day explorer who strives to open up new horizons in the information sphere. Under her creative direction, Ukraine’s most prolific newspaper, Den, has been at the forefront of awakening Ukraine’s untapped intellectual potential. During her recent visit to Canada, at the invitation of the International Council in Support of Ukraine, Larysa Ivshyna was welcomed by her admirers from various academic and research institutions in Toronto – home of the largest Ukrainian community in Canada. Ms. Ivshyna was invited to visit the Petro Jacyk Central and...

These elections saw over 350,000 candidates running for over 168,450 positions in municipal, district, and regional councils. Governing the elections was a highly complex, much-criticized electoral law adopted in mid-July. Runoff mayoral elections and re-run elections for certain councilor seats were held three weeks later, on 15 November. According to the new local election law, a candidate had to be included in a party list in order to be able to run. However, to be...

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) met with Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Honourable Stéphane Dion in Ottawa yesterday to discuss key issues of importance to our community. The UCC delegation, which included UCC National President Paul Grod, UCC Director of Government Relations Paul Migus, UCC Ottawa President Yaroslav Baran, and UCC Senior Analyst Orest Zakydalsky, presented a comprehensive briefing to Minister Dion on the current situation in Ukraine. Key components...

Yesterday, the UCC welcomed His Excellency Andriy Shevchenko as Ukraine's new Ambassador to Canada. At a ceremony at Rideau Hall, Ambassador Shevchenko presented his letters of credence to Canada's Governor General, the Right Honourable David Johnston. "I am very honoured to be appointed Ukraine's Ambassador to Canada" stated Ambassador Shevchenko. "Canada is one of Ukraine's greatest friends in the international community and I look forward to working towards deepening the bilateral cooperation and trade relations between...

On September 18 Canadian Minister of Defense Jason Kenney announced that a re-elected Conservative government would strengthen economic ties with Ukraine by opening a new Export Development Canada (EDC) Office in Kyiv. “The pledge to open a new trade office demonstrates the Conservative government’s ongoing commitment to strengthening economic ties with Ukraine," said Kenney. “This new trade office will significantly strengthen our economic relationship and encourage export development to a growing, prosperous Ukraine.” The trade office will help businesses get their...

In a recent announcement, Ontario Minister of Education Liz Sandals stated that the Government of Ontario would be committing $750,000 to support the Holodomor Mobile Classroom and the Holodomor National Awareness Tour. The “classroom,” which will take form in a specially configured RV bus, is meant to “build understanding, respect, and global citizenship” amongst Canadian youth. The Holodomor – a man-man famine engineered by the Soviet regime of Joseph Stalin – killed millions of Ukrainians in 1932-33. It is a well-known topic among hundreds of...

On May 26, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress – Toronto Branch and the League of Ukrainian Canadians co-hosted a special reception at Queen’s Park to express their appreciation to the Government of Ontario for moving forward with the inclusion of the Holodomor - the 1932-1933 genocidal famine in Ukraine - in the newly revised History and Social Studies secondary school curriculum in Ontario. Prior to the reception, Etobicoke-Centre MPP Yvan Baker delivered a brief statement in the Chamber of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on the importance of recognizing the Holodomor and honouring its victims. Special guests at the event included...