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CANADIAN FRIENDS OF UKRAINE КАНАДСЬКЕ ТОВАРИСТВО ПРИЯТЕЛІВ УКРАЇНИ AMIS CANADIENS DE L'UKRAINE |
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CANADIAN FRIENDS OF UKRAINE КАНАДСЬКЕ ТОВАРИСТВО ПРИЯТЕЛІВ УКРАЇНИ AMIS CANADIENS DE L'UKRAINE |
Canadian Friends of Ukraine HELP IMPLEMENT historic law
Canadian Friends of Ukraine welcome the historic legislation, Bill C-459, put
forth in the House of Commons by Conservative MP James Bezan on June 13, 2007 calling for the recognition of the
forced Ukrainian Famine of 1932-33 as an act of genocide against the Ukrainian
people.
“We
are proud to have played a key role in the drafting of this historic
legislation,” said Jurij Darewych, President of Canadian Friends of Ukraine.
Canadian Friends of Ukraine
have worked closely with the Office of the Prime Minister, the Minister of
Foreign Affairs, and the Secretary of State for Multiculturalism and Canadian
Identity to ensure that comprehensive legislation is put forth by the Canadian
Government in the House of Commons recognizing the Ukrainian Famine as an act
of Genocide.
In presenting his Bill, Mr.
Bezan, a Ukrainian-Canadian MP for
Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr. Bezan said:
“I am a Ukrainian-Canadian and want to put
forward this bill so that our government will acknowledge the deaths of 10
million victims as an act of genocide against the Ukrainian people,” said
Bezan. I am also calling upon historians,
journalists, and educators to record and include the facts from this horrible
genocide so that all Canadians can learn from this tragic piece of Ukrainian
history.”
Mr.
Bezan’s legislation, known as Bill C-459 is entitled “ An Act to establish a Ukrainian Famine and Genocide Memorial Day and to recognize the Ukrainian
Famine of 1932-33 as an act of genocide”
“This piece of legislation is
significant because it not only designates the fourth Saturday of November as a
Memorial Day for the Ukrainian Famine-Genocide, but acknowledges irreversibly,
that the forced Famine of 1932-33 was an act of genocide against the Ukrainian
people,” said CFU Executive Director, Lisa Shymko.
Mr. Bezan further stated:
“The omission of this forced famine and genocide from our history books
is very troubling to me and I hope that this bill will bring to light the
atrocities that were committed against the Ukrainian people. Canada has a
long-standing history of condemning all war crimes, crimes against humanity and
genocides and this bill will once and for all acknowledge the forced famine and
genocide against the Ukrainian people.”
The Bill comes this year as
Ukrainian-Canadians and the international community mark the 75th
anniversary of one of the most heinous crimes in modern history – the
state-sponsored Famine-Genocide of 1932-33 perpetrated by the Soviet regime
under Joseph Stalin against the Ukrainian people.
Mr. Bezan’s Bill was seconded in the House of
Commons by fellow Conservative Ed Komarnicki MP for
“Canadian Friends of Ukraine
further recognize the contribution on this issue made by Senator Raynell
Andreychuk whose 2003 initiative for a unanimous motion in the Senate helped
spearhead awareness of this issue in both Houses of Parliament,” said Margareta
Shpir, Vice-President of Canadian Friends of Ukraine.
Canadian Friends of Ukraine recently
initiated a series of activities and projects aimed at raising international
awareness of the 1932-33 Famine-Genocide of the Ukrainian people.
For further information, contact:
Canadian Friends of
Tel: (416) 964-6644 Fax: (416) 964-6085
Email: canfun@interlog.com
www.canadianfriendsofukraine.ca
June 14, 2007
Canadian Friends of Ukraine
620 Spadina Ave.
Toronto, Ontario M5S 2H4
Tel: (416) 964-6644 Fax: (416) 964-6085
E-Mail: canfun@interlog.com