UCC National Holodomor Commemoration Ceremony , Speech by Ukrainian Canadian Congress President Paul Grod

The objective of the Holodomor was to destroy the Ukrainian national consciousness and to quash the aspirations of the Ukrainian people for independence, thereby eliminating a serious threat to the integrity of the Soviet empire.

The suffering of the Ukrainian people during the Holodomor is reflected in a great many publications and documents, as well as innumerable oral histories of survivors. With the opening of archives in both Ukraine and Russia the overwhelming body of evidence continues to grow.  The Holodomor was, undeniably, an act of genocide.

This year Canadians join the international community in commemorating this tragedy to recognize the Holodomor as a genocide against the Ukrainian people and to ensure that the heinous crime of using food as a weapon against a people is no longer used by despots in other parts of the world.

In meeting with the Prime Minister today, the new Executive Team of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress emphasized the need for Canada to stand up against despots, regardless of their size or international influence.  We received reassurance that Canada will continue to be an ardent supporter of Ukraine and its political independence. Canada demonstrated this in 1991 being the first western nation to recognize Ukraine’s independence.  Canadians demonstrated this again in 2004 sending the largest-ever delegation of international observers to monitor the Presidential elections during the pivotal Orange Revolution.  Canada must once again lead the international community in supporting Ukraine as it calls upon the United Nations to recognize the Holodomor as a genocide.

Ukrainian Canadians have launched a year-long program of commemorative initiatives aimed at raising awareness of the Holodomor. We call upon the Government of Canada to partner with us in raising awareness of this issue in Canada and internationally.

As the newly-elected President of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, I look forward to working with each Member of Parliament to ensure that a unanimous Act of Parliament recognizing the Holodomor as a genocide against the Ukrainian people is passed during this 75th anniversary of the Holodomor.
Let us remember and show our resolve as Canadians, thus ensuring that similar tragedies are never repeated in the history of mankind!

Ukraine Remembers the world acknowledges!

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Darla Penner
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