Press Release: December 8th 2005

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress writes to you in a matter of grave concern to the Ukrainian Canadian community.  On Saturday December 3, 2005, during an airing of the CBC Radio program The House, the Hon. Jean Augustine made disparaging remarks about Ukrainian Canadians.  When describing events surrounding the nomination meeting in a Toronto riding, she allowed herself the following outburst:

“On one side of the room were all the Ukrainian people talking in Ukrainian, organising each other in Ukrainian, and the other side were the rest of us Canadians.”

We hope that you will agree the above quote in not acceptable in today’s Canada.  To attempt to discredit political foes as somehow being un-Canadians because they chose to openly express their heritage is a tactic from the past.  This incident reminds one very much of the poisoned atmosphere of the First World War, when Ukrainian Canadians were unjustly accused of being un-Canadian.  Many of these people were interned.  Remarks like those uttered by public figures like Ms. Augustine can lead to disastrous fractures in society.
The UCC knows that you will take the appropriate steps to ensure that members of the party you lead do not descend to such tactics in the future.  Thank you for your consideration of this matter and your anticipated positive reply.

Sincerely,

Irene Sushko
President, Ukrainian Canadian Congress

Ostap Skrypnyk, Executive Director
Ukrainian Canadian Congress
Tel: (204) 942-4627
Fax: (204) 947-3882
ostap.skrypnyk@ucc.ca
www.ucc.ca