On Wednesday November 24th each of the three parties in the Ontario Legislature delivered a tribute in honour of the late John Yaremko. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress – Ontario Provincial Council requested the tribute in honour of Mr. Yaremko’s public service as an MPP, cabinet minister and philanthropist.
Please find attached and below a press release (English and Ukrainian) summarizing the event, the full text of the tribute and a photo of the MPPs who delivered the tribute with Mr. Yaremko’s family and community leaders.
Dyakuyu,
Yvan Baker
President,
Ukrainian Canadian Congress – Ontario Provincial Council
uccontario@gmail.com
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UCC – Ontario Provincial Council expresses gratitude to members of Ontario Legislature for a moving tribute to John Yaremko
November 28, 2010 – Toronto, Ontario: On Wednesday November 24th each of the three parties in the Ontario Legislature delivered a tribute in honour of the late John Yaremko. Mr. Yaremko’s family and friends as well as Ukrainian Canadian community leaders observed the tribute from the Speaker’s gallery in the legislature. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress – Ontario Provincial Council requested the tribute in honour of Mr. Yaremko’s public service as an MPP, cabinet minister and philanthropist.
MPPs Cheri DiNovo (Parkdale-High Park), Donna Cansfield (Etobicoke Centre) and Gerry Martiniuk (Cambridge) each spoke eloquently in tribute to Mr. Yaremko. After the tribute a reception was held where Mr. Yaremko’s family and community leaders had a chance to thank the MPPs for their commemorative remarks.
“It is a testament to Mr. Yaremko’s service to Ontario that all three parties joined together to pay tribute to Mr. Yaremko” observed Yvan Baker, President of UCC – Ontario Provincial Council. “It is my sincere hope that as we reflect on Mr. Yaremko’s life, we celebrate his many accomplishments and draw inspiration from a man who was not only a champion in the Ukrainian Canadian community but throughout the province of Ontario.”
“On behalf of Mr. Yaremko’s family and the Ukrainian Canadian community, I would like to thank Donna Cansfield, Gerry Martiniuk and Cheri DiNovo for their moving words of tribute to John Yaremko. I would also like to express my thanks to Speaker Steve Peters, Opposition House Leader John Yakabuski and their staff members for their efforts in coordinating the tribute.” said Baker.
Donna Cansfield, MPP for Etobicoke Centre speaking for the Government noted:
“For those of us who are elected members of the Legislature, for those of us who have gathered here in the gallery from the Ukrainian Canadian community, and for all Ontarians, today is indeed a very special day, for today we pay tribute to John Yaremko, a great leader, a community member, a benefactor and, most importantly, a gentleman…To all of us here today and to countless other Ontarians, he inspired everyone he met to public service. There is no plaque out there for this particular accomplishment, but there is a plaque in all of us: It’s our love and devotion to not only an outstanding human being, but also to an extraordinarily fine gentleman. He has our eternal gratitude.”
Gerry Martiniuk, MPP for Cambridge speaking for the Official Opposition remarked:
“Not only was John Yaremko a great Ontarian, he was also a legend in the Ukrainian Canadian community. My mother and father were not political people, but conversations in our home often referred to John and his success as an MPP and minister of the crown…I’m just one of the thousands of young people who found inspiration in John’s career and his service to our community and democracy. Today, we remember John Yaremko for his many contributions to his country, as an advocate and supporter of multiculturalism, and as a man dedicated to improving the lives of seniors, the disabled and cultural minorities.”
Cheri DiNovo, MPP for Parkdale-High Park speaking for the NDP said::
“This was a man who came into an Ontario that was very different from the Ontario we know today and into a Canada very different from the Canada we know today. It was a racist province; there’s no other way of saying it…That’s the Canada he came to and helped change…We know he probably came from a horrific background, or his family did, and yet he achieved all that he achieved through sheer spirit, through sheer will. I like to think that in part in his honour and in his memory, we passed an all-party bill here recognizing November 15 as the day we commemorate the Holodomor as what it was: a genocide, a famine…That bill would never have happened were it not for people like John Yaremko.”
The Speaker of the legislature Steve Peters remarked:
“As a Ukrainian Canadian standing here and sitting here in the Speaker’s chair, it makes me really proud of what John Yaremko did, and, in my own case, of my grandfather. Dealing with that racism in 1937 in Toronto and going from Dymtro Pidwerbeski to Dick Peters—that was racism. For all of us, it’s a great moment. He was a pioneer, and you look at what he did and how it has changed the face of this chamber. This chamber was a much different place in 1951 and it was a pioneer like John Yaremko who made that happen. It’s something that we all need to be proud of, no matter what country we come from and what our origin is.”
John Yaremko was born in Welland, Ontario in a family of immigrants from Ukraine. He graduated from the University of Toronto and Osgoode Hall Law School. In 1951, Mr. Yaremko was elected to the Provincial Parliament of Ontario where he served for 25 years. Shortly after his election, Mr. Yaremko was appointed a provincial cabinet minister and would eventually serve in seven provincial Ministries where he would be recognized for his contributions to improving the lives of seniors, the disabled and cultural minorities.
Most recently, Mr. Yaremko continued to support the causes he was passionate about. Amongst his many contributions, he was a Founding Member of the University of Toronto Chair of Ukrainian Studies Foundation, a contributor to the lives of the disabled through the John Yaremko Centre for Community Living and in 2009 was awarded the inaugural Paul Yuzyk Award for Multiculturalism by the government of Canada.
Mr. Yaremko passed away on August 7, 2010.
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A full transcript of the tribute can be found below.
For further information please contact:
Yvan Baker, President, Ukrainian Canadian Congress – Ontario Provincial Council
E-mail: uccontario@gmail.com; Tel: 416.505.5567
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КУК – Провінційна Рада Онтаріо висловлює подяку членам парламентуОнтаріо за виняткову пошану Джонові Яремкові
28 листопада 2010 – Торонто, Онтаріо: У середу 24 листопада кожна з трьох політичних партій, наявних в онтарійському парламенті, віддали шану покійному Джонові Яремкові. Сім’я пана Яремка та друзі, а також провідники українсько-канадської громади спостерігали за вшануванням із ґалереї спікера в парламенті. Конґрес Українців Канади – Провінційна Рада Онтаріо, був попросив віддати шану Джонові Яремкові за його служіння громаді як член провінційного парламенту, кабінет-міністр і філантроп.
Шері ДіНово, (Парк-дейлі-Гай Парк), Донна Кансфілд (Етобіко Центр) і Джеррі Мартинюк (Кембридж) говорили і віддали шану панові Яремкові. Після вшанування був прийом, на якому сім’я пана Яремка та лідери громад мали можливість подякувати членам парламенту за їхні зауваження.
«Це є доказ праці пана Яремка для Онтаріо, бо три політичні партії об’єдналися, щоб віддати йому належне», – спостеріг Іван Бейкер, президент КУК – Провінційна Рада Онтаріо. «Я щиро сподіваюся, що коли ми розмірковуємо над життям пана Яремкa, то ми відзначаємо його численні досягнення, ніби черпаючи натхнення від людини, яка була не тільки чемпіоном в українсько-канадській громаді, але й у всій провінції Онтаріо».
«Від імені родини пана Яремка та українсько-канадської громади я хотів би подякувати Доннi Кансфілд, Джеррі Мартинюкові та Шері ДіНово за їхні зворушливі слова пошани в адрес Джона Яремка. Я також хотів би висловити мою подяку спікеру Стівену Пітерс, Кирівникові опозиції в парламенту Джонові Якобускові та членам їхніх штаб за їхні зусилля задля координації цього вшанування». – сказав І. Бейкер.
Донна Кансфілд, член провінційного парламенту від округи Етобіко Центр, промовляючи від уряду, відзначила наступне: «Для тих з нас, кого обрали членом парламенту, для тих нас, хто з української канадської громади присутній у ґалереї, як і для всіх мешканців Онтаріо, сьогодні був дійсно особливий день. Це тому, що сьогодні ми віддаємо шану Джонові Яремкові, великому лідерові, членові спільноти, добродійникові і найголовніше – джентельменові… Усіх сьогодні присутніх і незліченну кількість інших в Онтаріо, а також кожного, кого він зустрічав на державній службі, він надихав на служіння громаді. На меморіальній дошці не вичислено всі його досягнення, але вони є в кожному з нас. Це – наша любов і прихильність не тільки до цієї видатної людини, але й повага до надзвичайно витонченого джентльмена. Він заслужив і має нашу вічну вдячність».
Джеррі Мартинюк, член провінційного парламенту від округи Кембридж, промовляючи від офіційної опозиції, зауважив: «Мало того, що Джон Яремко був великим Онтарійцем, він також був леґендою української канадської громади. Моя мати і батько не були політично заанґажовані люди, але розмови в нашому домі часто торкалися Джона та його успіхів як члена провінційного парламенту і міністра… Я лише один із тисячі молодих людей, які черпали натхнення з кар’єри Джона та його відданості нашій спільноті й демократії. Сьогодні ми згадуємо Джона Яремка, наголошуючи на його великому вкладі в розвій країни, на його відстоюванні й підтримці багатокультурності; ми згадуємо його як людину, яка присвятила себе поліпшенню життя старших людей, інвалідів та етнічних меншин».
Шері ДіНово, член провінційного парламенту від округи Парк-дейлі-Гай Парк, виступаючи від НДП, сказала: «Це була людина, яка перебувала в Онтаріо (воно дуже відрізнялося від того Онтаріо, яке ми сьогодні знаємо) і в Канаді (вона дуже відрізнялася від тієї Канади, яку ми сьогодні знаємо)… Це була расистська провінція, інакше про неї не скажеш… Це була Канада, в яку він прийшов і якій допоміг змінитися… Ми думаємо, що, ймовірно, жахливі обставини діткнули його самого, можливо, стосувалися членів його родини. І все ж таки всього того, що добився, він досяг виключно завдяки своєму запалові, своїй силі волі. Відрадно думати, що частково і в його честь і в його пам’ять всі наявні партії разом ухвалили законопроект, завдяки якому 15-е листопада став днем відзначення Голодомору, тобто тому, що відбувалося – геноцид, голоду… Цей законопроект ніколи не прийняли б, коли б не такі особистості як Джон Яремко».
Спікер парламенту Стів Пітерс зауважив: «Як канадський українець. що перебуває у кріслі спікера, я дійсно пишаюся тим, чого осягнив Джон Яремко. І, в моєму випадку, моїм дідом. Зіткнувшись із расизмом в Торонто, що був у 1937 році, він, будучи Дмитром Підвербеським, став Діком Пітерсом. Так, це був расизм… Для всіх нас це пм’ятний момент. Він, (Д. Яремко) був піонером. І сьогодні ми бачио, як багато він осягнув і як змінив обличчя цієї палати… Ця палата стала значно іншою, ніж була в 1951 році… І це (сталося) завдяки таким піонерам як Джон Яремко. Саме вони це здійснили. Усім цим ми повинні пишатися, незалежно від того з якої країни ми прибули та яке наше походження.»
Джон Яремко народився у Велленд, Онтаріо, в сім’ї еміґрантів із України. Він закінчив Торонтонський університет і Озґуд-Адвокатську Школу. У 1951 році його обрали до онтарійського провінційного парламенту, де перебував протягом 25 років. Невдовзі після обрання Д. Яремка було призначено провінційним кабінет-міністром, згодом він працював у семи провінційних міністерствах; відзначено за внесок у покращення життя старших людей, інвалідів та етнічних меншин.
Ще донедавна пан Яремко продовживав займатися справами, якими захоплювався. Він багато чого здобув, зокрема став одним із засновників Фундації Кафедри Українських Досліджень при Торонтонському університеті, жертводавцем, шоб полегшити життя інвалідів завдяки John Yaremko Centre for Community Living. У 2009р.його нагородили першою урядовою Премією Багатокультурності імені Павла Юзика.
Джон Яремко помер 7 серпня 2010 року.
За додатковою інформацією просоимо звертатися:
Іван Бейкер, президент Конґрес Українців Канади – Провінційна Рада Онтаріо
Електронна пошта: uccontario@gmail.com Тел: 416-505-5567
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Source: The Legislative Assembly of Ontario
JOHN YAREMKO
Hon. Gerry Phillips: I believe we have unanimous consent that up to five minutes be allocated to each party to speak in remembrance of the late Mr. John Yaremko.
The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Agreed? Agreed.
Ms. Cheri DiNovo: It’s an absolute honour and a privilege to stand and speak about this amazing man and member of this assembly, the first MPP of Ukrainian descent to be elected in the year 1951.
I’m going to start by just going over a bit of the facts of his life as told to us by the Globe and the Star. John Yaremko, who died at 91, was the man credited with the term “multiculturalism.” That in itself is an astounding fact. One would have thought that multiculturalism has been there—been in the air—but he was the one who first used it. It has since spawned a number of doctoral dissertations and has been part of the lexicon of Canadian coinage.
He was born in Welland—I have a friend sitting in front of me here who is the current MPP for Welland. He was born to an immigrant family and became a Hamilton Municipal Boys Council alderman at the age of 14. Image that. He used scholarships and jobs in steel plants and on farms to pay his way through the University of Toronto and Osgoode Hall Law School. He was not, as we say, to the manor born. This was a man who worked his way up the hard way.
He was elected, as I said, in 1951 and entered the public service in 1953 as a Queen’s Counsel, one of the youngest to that distinguished order as well. He served under Premiers Leslie Frost, John Robarts and Bill Davis, and held a long list of portfolios including transport, citizenship, public welfare, and social and family services. He was Ontario’s first Solicitor General.
He also, of course, was very aware of where he came from. He helped install a plaque in the Ontario Legislature commemorating Ukrainian immigrants. Four years later, he travelled to Austria to meet Hungarian refugees before returning to Canada to push for an expedited immigration program. Decades later, this same man became one of the first to push the federal government into recognizing an independent Ukraine.
These are some of the awards he received: He was awarded the Order of St. Andrew; he was awarded the President’s Medal in Ukraine; in 2009, he received the Paul Yuzyk Award for Multiculturalism. He also was given recognition for support of his alma mater; in his memory, the John Yaremko Chair of Ukrainian Studies was established at the University of Toronto. He also received the Queen Elizabeth Coronation Medal and the Confederation of Canada Medal. This was an exemplary individual in terms of his accomplishments; there’s no doubt about that
I’d like to take a few minutes also to recognize, to honour and to celebrate the spirit of this amazing and remarkable individual. I want to welcome his family; we’re honoured that you’re here. I want to also welcome those friends of mine from the Ukrainian Canadian Congress and other Ukrainian organizations and, of course, some of our eminent guests who are sitting in the Speaker’s gallery. Thank you for coming. It shows your concern. You’re welcome, and thank you for sharing him with us all those years ago for all those years, because he served for 24 of them, from 1951 right until 1975. We just found out that it was in the riding of Bellwoods. Riding names have changed, of course, but I like to think that part of the old Bellwoods riding was a little piece of Parkdale–High Park, the centre for much of Ukrainian immigration in those early years.
This was a man who came into an Ontario that was very different from the Ontario we know today and into a Canada very different from the Canada we know today. It was a racist province; there’s no other way of saying it. Certainly I know, from the stories my family told me about how Italians were welcomed—or not welcomed—in the province. I know what it was like to be a foreigner and to have a foreign last name—that’s how they would have termed it in those days—and to be a Roman Catholic in a distinctly anti-Catholic environment where Roman Catholics were not hired for certain jobs, where people with last names that weren’t WASP last names were not hired for certain jobs and employers got away with it routinely. They weren’t given housing because of their last names and because of their religion. That’s the Ontario he walked into. That’s the Canada he came to and helped change. He did that. He helped change the very landscape of this province and this Canada by his very presence.
He would have come, of course, from sorrow as well. For somebody who was elected in 1951, one can imagine that part of his family lived through the Holodomor in Ukraine. Part of them lived through the Stalinist genocide famine that lasted and claimed 10 million lives. We know he probably came from a horrific background, or his family did, and yet he achieved all that he achieved through sheer spirit, through sheer will. I like to think that in part in his honour and in his memory, we passed an all-party bill here recognizing November 15 as the day we commemorate the Holodomor as what it was: a genocide, a famine. Frank Klees, who is the member from Newmarket–Aurora, Dave Levac from Brant, and myself were all honoured to co-author that bill. That bill would never have happened were it not for people like John Yaremko.
So, welcome. I look forward to seeing you after and getting to know you better, those of you who are his family. Certainly everyone here wants to thank you for being part of this amazing, remarkable man’s life, for gifting him to our province and to our country. We have never been the same because of men like John Yaremko.
Vichnaya pamiat—always remembered.
Mrs. Donna H. Cansfield: I’m pleased to rise to honour Mr. Yaremko.
For those of us who are elected members of the Legislature, for those of us who have gathered here in the gallery from the Ukrainian Canadian community, and for all Ontarians, today is indeed a very special day, for today we pay tribute to John Yaremko, a great leader, a community member, a benefactor and, most importantly, a gentleman.
As MPPs we dream of making a difference, of building a better Ontario where every person can realize their potential. Today we remember a person who, from his own humble beginnings, realized his potential and then dedicated his life to helping others realize theirs.
On behalf of the government, I would like to welcome our very special guests in the gallery. In particular, I would like to thank Mr. Yaremko’s family for being with us, as well as the leaders of Canada’s Ukrainian community. Your presence is very appreciated.
John’s life was an inspiration, from those humble beginnings to ultimately becoming one of Ontario’s most respected public servants. As we heard, he was born in Welland in 1918 to George and Mary Yaremko. They had emigrated from the Ukraine to build a better life. Back then, remember, Ontario did not provide all that free access to good education that we have today. So through hard work in summer months and nights at the farm, he actually succeeded. He won scholarships, he was valedictorian, he attended the University of Toronto, he was a gold medallist, and ultimately he was called to the bar in 1944.
His achievements were impressive. He persevered and gained a level of success that would be the envy of most Canadians today. However, the struggles he and his family endured would become his greatest motivation to serve others, to provide others with those same opportunities for success.
In 1951, he was elected, as you heard, member of provincial Parliament for the riding of Bellwoods, the first Canadian of Ukrainian ancestry to be elected to the Ontario Legislature, and had a distinguished career in 10 portfolios. But what was most important to me was that he was also Minister of Transportation, and I was Minister of Transportation. I remember when I was put into the portfolio, the first thing he said to me was, “About bloody time they got a woman”—that was great—and the second was he then asked me about the conditions of the roads and what I was going to do about some of them. The best part was, I didn’t even think he’d care anymore after all those years he’d put so much public service in; he still did. And every time we met, he had some good advice for me and he also asked some pretty pointed questions about what I was or was not planning to do.
He championed human rights. He championed the rights of the disabled, the poor and ethnic minorities, and his contributions were numerous. He sought to bridge the gap between government and new Canadians. He believed that Canada could be a place where people with diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds could live together in harmony, a way of life that is now distinctly Canadian. He was one of the earliest champions of multiculturalism. He not only advocated for multiculturalism, he actually made it a reality. He worked to ensure that all ethnocultural groups had access to government—and not just government, but especially to the judiciary. He encouraged all ethnic communities to become involved—because, remember, back in the 1950s and 1960s, governments weren’t that open and that transparent and there was not a whole lot of involvement of the constituencies in government. He encouraged that. He believed government should be not only open, but inclusive.
He also believed that the diverse cultures enriched our society, and through his initiatives, heritage languages started with John and today they are taught in Ontario and in our schools.
He was a passionate person, so even when the issues were not his immediate issues, he got involved. You heard about the Hungarian Revolution. The people revolted, and John got involved; he went back to Ottawa and said, “Not only should Canada do something, Canada must do something,” and ultimately 40,000 Hungarians came to Canada.
But he had his critics as well. I think the Globe and Mail accused him of “pandering blatantly to the ethnic groups from which he drew much of his support,” and that he was “wholly unconcerned about justice.” He wrote that off because he knew that to those Hungarian families who settled in Canada, he was a hero, because he had defended their freedom.
You’ve heard about the numerous medals that he received over his life, but in particular, virtually every ethnic professional association acknowledged his tributes: Italian, Latvian, Ukrainian, Acadian, Polish. He was Indian Chief Bright Sky and Indian Light in a Bottle as well.
He really had a span that went across all of Ontario. He loved his community. You heard about his roots. He was there in 1952 and, 40 years later, he was there at the same plaque speaking passionately about his community. It continued right through to Ukrainian independence. He was so determined that we would be the first country that would recognize Ukraine’s independence—he strove for that and he got it. Ultimately, the federal government agreed, and Canada would become the first Western nation to recognize it.
He continued things after political life, and there were so many. He was a philanthropist. He gave; he established chairs. He did so much. But I want to say that, at the end, his most important legacy was his generosity and his public service. To all of us here today and to countless other Ontarians, he inspired everyone he met to public service. There is no plaque out there for this particular accomplishment, but there is a plaque in all of us: It’s our love and devotion to not only an outstanding human being, but also to an extraordinarily fine gentleman. He has our eternal gratitude.
Mr. Gerry Martiniuk: I welcome the many friends and family of John Yaremko to the Ontario Parliament here today. I’m honoured and pleased to be invited to pay tribute to a great man on behalf of our leader, Tim Hudak, and the Progressive Conservative caucus.
Not only was John Yaremko a great Ontarian, he was also a legend in the Ukrainian Canadian community. My mother and father were not political people, but conversations in our home often referred to John and his success as an MPP and minister of the crown.
Coincidentally, guidance from my parents resulted in my attending, like John Yaremko, the University of Toronto, Osgoode Hall Law School, and later being elected to the Ontario Parliament. I’m just one of the thousands of young people who found inspiration in John’s career and his service to our community and democracy.
Today, we remember John Yaremko for his many contributions to his country, as an advocate and supporter of multiculturalism, and as a man dedicated to improving the lives of seniors, the disabled and cultural minorities.
John Yaremko was born in Welland, Ontario, in 1918, the oldest son of Mary and George Yaremko. He entered politics at the age of 14 when he became boy alderman in the city of Hamilton. He served on the social services committee, a position that allowed him to begin to fulfill his personal interest in bettering the lives of his fellow Canadians.
John graduated from high school with more scholarships than he was able to use in his eight years at the University of Toronto and Osgoode Hall. Summers were spent working on local farms and at the Stelco steel plant.
In 1945, he married Mary Materyn, a registered nurse from Montreal, who he met at the Ukrainian Orthodox church.
In 1951, John became the first Ontario MPP of Ukrainian descent elected to Queen’s Park. He spent 25 years here at the Ontario Legislature. He helped shape our province through his service in no less than seven provincial ministries, and he is remembered as a strong advocate for education, human rights and multiculturalism.
Upon his departure from politics, John continued to support causes close to his heart. He was a founding member of the University of Toronto Chair of Ukrainian Studies Foundation. John supported the establishment of the Canada-Ukraine parliamentary intern program for university students from the Ukraine in the House of Commons and the Ontario Legislature. He was supportive of many community initiatives, including the John Yaremko Centre for Community Living, one of the foremost residential facilities for persons with physical disabilities in North America.
John’s niece Hélène Yaremko-Jarvis shared some memories with me, and I quote from her: “Uncle John’s successful political career was a beacon of light to all ethnic minorities. During my legal career, I have repeatedly encountered lawyers of different ethnic backgrounds who have said they met Uncle John when he was attending a ribbon-cutting or other ceremony at their cultural centres. He appears to have been kept extremely busy by those various groups, as they saw in his success a possibility of their own success.”
In 2009, John was named the first recipient of the Paul Yuzyk Award for Multiculturalism from Citizenship and Immigration Canada. The award recognizes individuals who have achieved excellence in promoting multiculturalism so that all citizens can take pride in their ancestry and have a sense of belonging in Canada. I could not think of a more deserving recipient of such a high honour.
John’s contributions to the community and the recognition he received for his accomplishments are unprecedented. For me, John was much more than a Canadian of Ukrainian descent; he was also a family friend. I recall as a young man my family knocking on doors during John’s election campaigns. Each year, without fail, he sent Valentine’s Day cards to my mom and sister, and he even took the time to attend my graduation party from Osgoode Hall Law School way back in 1962.
Today, we remember and pay tribute to a great man, friend and relative who left his mark on our community and our country: Mr. John Yaremko.
The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): I would like to thank all the honourable members and thank the family and friends who are here today. As a Ukrainian Canadian standing here and sitting here in the Speaker’s chair, it makes me really proud of what John Yaremko did, and, in my own case, of my grandfather. Dealing with that racism in 1937 in Toronto and going from Dymtro Pidwerbeski to Dick Peters—that was racism.
For all of us, it’s a great moment. He was a pioneer, and you look at what he did and how it has changed the face of this chamber. This chamber was a much different place in 1951 and it was a pioneer like John Yaremko who made that happen. It’s something that we all need to be proud of, no matter what country we come from and what our origin is.
I would like to say to the family and friends, thank you for being here. Copies of the Hansard and a video of today’s proceedings will be provided to you. I would also like to invite all of you and all members as well: There is a reception that is going to be held in the caucus room of the official opposition. First, a photograph will be taken on the grand staircase.
On behalf of all members, we thank you, and we want to thank you for sharing John Yaremko with all of us.
Source: The Legislative Assembly of Ontario
