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125 ANNIVERSARY OF UKRAINIAN IMMIGRATION Ukrainian immigrants overcame enormous challenges to secure a new life in Canada by O k s a na b a s h u k h e pbu r n
This is for all Canadians of Ukrainian heritage – for their children and grandchildren – whose forebears settled here long ago. They lived, loved, confronted challenges and overcame them. The next 125 years will bring enormous challenges to them; indeed to all Canadians. If the past is an indicator of the future, they will be overcome with wisdom and endurance. It is our good fortune to live in a wonderful country – may it continue – but it was not always so. To be an immigrant to Canada in the 19th century was harsh particularly for Ukrainian settlers: they did not know the language and there was little, if any, support. There were no government relocation programs, no immigrant services, no language training facilities. Agricultural subsidies did not exist nor did health service or schools. There was no housing. They had what had been brought from home: sheepskin coats and seeds for physical survival; embroidered ceremonial cloth and holy icons for spiritual sustenance. They were assigned plots at the end of the railway track and dumped to fend for themselves. They endured the forces of nature and the snickering of the established folk. Canada’s understanding of other cultures, the practice of human rights or the notion of inclusivity were yet to come: it was learned, among others, from the waves of the trailblazing Ukrainians. They endured by holding on to their values: Christian morality, Ukrainian traditions, friends and family, and agricultural expertise. The Ukrainian pioneers came by the thousands. Drawn by the challenge, as their first major contribution to Canada, they turned virgin prairies into an economic miracle. Then, another challenge. WWII came to their homeland turning it into a bloodland. Some 40,000 Ukrainians returned to Europe as Canadian soldiers to witness devastation and to win against Hitler.
BUILDING A NATION Alas, there was no similar victory over the other mad man, Stalin. The Iron Curtin fell and covered the horrors continuing in Ukraine – despotism, persecution, torture, the Gulag, famine – except for the snippets of coded messages covered with tear stains from both sides of the ocean. That experience, and benefiting from how Canada governs, turned Ukrainian Canadian farmers into nation builders. To deal with big issues – from local to international – they ran for political office, resettled refugees, pushed for social justice legislation including unemployment insurance, health reforms and multiculturalism. They led in the repatriation of Canada’s constitution and in human rights. They became public servants and diplomats. Ukrainian names like Michael Starr, Ray Hnatyshyn, John Sopinka, Roy Romanow, Ed Stelmach, Drs. Yaroslav Rudnyckyj and Paul Yuzyk, Walter Tarnopolsky, Walter (Lubomyr ) Zyla broke barriers not just for themselves but for all newcomers. And those women! Oncology treatment pioneer and Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan Sylvia Fedoruk, astronaut Roberta Bondar, entertainers like Juliette, Luba Goy and Kathryn Wynnick, senator Raynelle Andreychuk, deputy ministers Oryssia Lennie and Mary Komarynsky became models to follow and surpass. Today’s world has yet another challenge – not agriculture or good governance – but global peace and security. Once again Ukraine is the epicentre. The world’s mega concentration camp – the Soviet Union – collapsed and with it came the liberation for some 300 million people. Perhaps the euphoria of rejoicing, the reunification of families, the visits to touch the black earth of the native land, detracted from the need for constant vigilance of the “evil empire”: it never stopped aspiring to be a leader despite the limited benefits if offered to all but its select few. Too soon democratization became “grabization”. Petty officials “privatized” state assets, turning themselves into Forbeslist’s billionaires. Many settled abroad, including Canada, with unimaginable wealth gained from abuses of office. “Let the people have human rights” the oligarchs
Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour MaryAnn Mihychuk; UCC President Paul Grod; UCC Halifax-Dartmouth President John Zareski and CEO of the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 Marie Chapman, unveil a plaque honouring five waves of Ukrainian immigration to Canada, July 21, 2016, Halifax, NS. (P hot o: U krai n i an Canad i an Cong re s s )
smirked, “we’ll take everything else.” They did. And with their illbegotten riches, they influenced the West to see the former Soviet Union through the eyes of Moscow. Ukraine and Kazakhstan gave up their nuclear capacity to Russia. Well-paid pro-Russia lobbyists in the West made sure this happened. Today, President Vladimir Putin continues to capitalize on the West’s naiveté and its lack of knowledge of Russia’s “soul”. He broke international law by grabbing Crimea and Donbas claiming neo-colonialism was Russia’s right. The free world was shocked but, by and large, ineffective. Russia’s aggression continues. Its paid lackeys nip at Western values – the right to life, sovereignty, rule of law, freedom of choice – trying to convince us that Russia’s neocolonialism is a more important right. Canadians of Ukrainian descent have benefitted from 125 years of life here; one of the best countries in the world. They’ve experienced good governance. They practice good relations with a giant neighbour; the United States. But Ukrainian Canadians know more: the current Russian bully will not stop spreading chaos and terror on his own. This is an important issue.
This sTory was provided by Ukrainian Canadian Congress for edUCaTional pUrposes.
UCC Saskatchewan President Mary Ann Trischuk and Vice-President Orest Gawdyda present Premier Brad Wall with a Ukrainian embroidered shirt during the official proclamation of the Year of Saskatchewan Ukrainians, Jan. 5, 2016. (P hot o: UCC)
Unlike most Canadians, Ukrainians have centuries of experience dealing with Russia’s disdain for peaceful coexistence. They also know that if unchecked Russia will corrupt and contaminate us with its mafia ways. The next 125 years in Canada start with this new challenge for Ukrainian Canadian democrats,
our neighbours and for all democracy-loving people of the world. Oksana Bashuk Hepburn, former senior Government of Canada policy adviser and president of U*CAN Ukraine Canada Relations Inc. consulting group, is a survivor of both the Nazi and Kremlin’s Communist occupations of Ukraine.
Senator A. Raynell Andreychuk “Congratulations on 125 years of Ukrainian settlement in Canada and for your contributions to Canada.”
SHEPTYTSKY Council 4938 Saskatoon recognizes our Pioneers and Ancestors SASXR242656_1_1
125th Anniversary of
Celebrating 125 years of Ukrainians in Canada
Ukrainian Immigration to Canada The main objective of the “Fides Club” is reflecting the three basic Principles
F I D E S CLUB
FAITH • FELLOWSHIP • SERVICE
Fides Means – Faith
“FIDES CLUB”
58th Anniversary
For more information about the Club contact Bev
306 343- 6305
F I D E S
– Faith and Fellowship – Interest – Duty – Excel – Service
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s! Congratulation
A competitive non-profit dance group for ages 3-18 in Warman, SK. Find us on Facebook or sonias.ukrdance@gmail.com
1YE2AR5S
inian of Ukra nts Immigra
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Michael Werezak B.S.P. Owner
Proud to acknowledge the 125th Anniversary of Ukrainian Immigration to Canada!
As Saskatchewan’s only Ukrainian bilingual school, we are proud to continue the 125-year tradition of Ukrainian heritage and culture in Canada.
Happy 125th Anniversary From many peoples, Strength. David Katzman
President, Lodge 739
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Werezak’s Pharmacy
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Celebrating
125 Years
Ukrainian Immigration to Canada
Phone: 306-931-6662
Fax: 306-931-6665 Email: werezakspharmacy@shaw.ca
AdviceLife for
#5 - 123 Lenore Drive Saskat Saskatoon, SK S7K 7H9 SASXR242139_1_1
321 20th Street West Saskatoon, SK S7M 0X1 306.653.1300 SASXR242137_1_1
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