On October 14, 2011, close to 600 people from the Ukrainian Canadian Community gathered at a Tribute dinner at the Liberty Grand in Toronto where the Ukrainian Canadian Congress’ highest Honour the Taras Shevchenko Medal was bestowed upon the Canadian Prime Minister, The Right Honourable Stephen Harper.
The event, co-hosted by Ukrainian Canadian Congress National and UCC Toronto, paid tribute to the Right Honourable Stephen Harper. The event began with a reception, where guests were escorted by costumed members of the Barvinok Dance Ensemble.
Guests were seated and witnessed a Head Table Procession. The event Master of Ceremonies Ivan Fecan, retired president and chairman of CTV globemedia, introduced himself and invited attendees to stand as Head Table Guests were led down the stairs to the front of the room, escorted by costumed Ukrainian dancers.
Two dancers met Prime Minister Harper and extended to the Prime Minister the traditional greeting of bread and salt.
The Canadian and Ukrainian anthems were performed by vocalist Serhiy Danko, and accompanied by Michael Romaniuk, on keybaord. MC Fecan welcomed the audience and introduced the head table guests: Lida Kulish, VP Toronto, Evhen Czolij, President Ukrainian World Congress, Bishop Stephen Chmilar, UCCC, UCC President Paul Grod, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Senator Raynell Andreychuk, Bishop Andriy, Eastern Eparchy UOCC, James Temerty, Chairman UCC Advisory Council, and Ivan Fecan. Mr. Fecan then introduced the dozens of federal and provincial Ministers, Members of Parliament, Senators, Members of Provincial Parliament, city councillors and other special guests.
“This year marks the 120th anniversary of Ukrainians in Canada and the 20th anniversary of freedom in Ukraine. One needs only to look beyond our borders to understand, that as Canadians, we are blessed to live in the greatest Country on earth, a country with a strong and stable, democratically elected, government, a country that values tolerance and is accepting of minorities,” stated master of ceremonies Ivan Fecan. “But the 1.2 million Canadians of Ukrainian descent, sensitive to the history of Ukraine, have learned to not take democracy and human rights for granted. Which brings us to the purpose of this evening, the Taras Shevchenko Medal, the highest honour of our community.”
“The presentation tonight is particularly special because this is only the second time in its 70 year history, that the Medal is bestowed on a sitting Prime Minister. The last time it was presented to a Prime Minister in office was to the Right Honourable John George Diefenbaker, in 1962, 49 years ago,” continued Fecan. “This signifies the high regard and appreciation the Ukrainian Canadian Congress holds for the work of Prime Minister Harper and his Government.”
At that point, Senator Raynell Andreychuk provided a superb introduction of the Prime Minister.
” It is my great privilege to introduce tonight’s guest of honour. On behalf of those gathered in this room and others across Canada who could not attend this evening’s ceremony, I am honoured to express our gratitude for the Prime Minister’s leadership on so many issues of importance to the Ukrainian Canadian community,” stated Senator Andreychuk. ” Ukrainian Canadian issues have benefitted from Prime Minister Harper’s attention, commitment and resolve to do what is right, as opposed to what is easy.
Many of you will recall the long debates that took place around the world as to whether the Holodomor should be considered an act of genocide. Tipping the scales on the side of reason, Prime Minister Harper recognised the Holodomor as an act of Genocide during President Yuschenko’s state visit to Canada in 2008.
By his action, Canada stands first as a country and its government to recognise the Holodomor as a genocide perpetrated by the regime of Stalin. Visiting Ukraine in 2010, the Prime Minister acknowledged the democratic elections of 2010 as having been free and fair.
He underscored the important role Ukraine has to play in developing democracy and security in the region, and Canada’s commitment to standing firm with the people of Ukraine.
Addressing students at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv during that visit, exactly a year ago this month, the Prime Minister reminded Ukraine’s next generation of leaders that they have friends in Canada.
As he put it:
“Friends who respect and admire Ukraine’s heart for freedom, its spirit of national self-determination, and the courage of its people, a courage that has never deserted you, even in the darkest nights of your long history.”
It is for his willingness to back words such as these with action, both in our domestic and foreign policy, that Prime Minister Harper so manifestly deserves this year’s Shevchenko Medal.
Allow me to quote the Prime Minister again, for I believe his own words best express why the Ukrainian Canadian community has chosen to bestow its highest honour upon him tonight. I quote:
“We are not a country that makes war for gain or for territory. We do not fight for glory. If we covet honour, it is only a reputation for doing the right thing in a good cause.”
Prime Minister, you have made our community’s good causes, “Canadian causes,” fusing them with this country’s ongoing pursuit of peace, justice and freedom for all.
Mr. Prime Minister, for your leadership, integrity, vision and actions, we are grateful and honour you tonight.”
Senator Andreychuk then invited the audience to view a video highlighting the achievements of the Prime Minister. At this time Paul Grod, National President of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress gave remark on behalf of the community.
“The Ukrainian Canadian Congress brings together and represents the interests a very large and dynamic community. A community with a 120 year history in Canada that is rich with cultural centers, schools, libraries, museums, institutes, churches and just about every kind of Ukrainian organization you can imagine – from coast to coast. We have a long history of caring for Canadians from cradle to grave and assisting in the resettlement of new immigrants. As the Congress, we have represented the interests of our community for over 70 years by uniting the community and speaking with one common voice to government.
It is fortunate that Canada’s governments have understood many of the issues that our community has championed. We have seen that when government and communities listen to one another and work together we can build a better society. Over the past 12 decades we have been successful in enshrining multiculturalism in the Canadian Constitution, developing human rights law in Canada, and establishing progressive immigration policies, among others. More recently, we have worked together to recognize injustices such as the internment of Ukrainians and other Eastern Europeans during Canada’s first national internment operations and the genocide of the Ukrainian people – the Holodomor. We stand committed to ensuring that the lessons of these tragic human rights abuses are appropriately represented in the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
Prime Minister, you can be sure that the Ukrainian Canadian community as a founding peoples of Canada will continue to contribute to the development and promotion of Canadian values both at home and abroad.
Those values include respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law. We anticipate that one day they too they will become the values of the Ukrainian people. Together we will make a difference as a true friend by standing with the people of Ukraine to oppose all efforts, inside Ukraine and from outside its borders, that would undermine Ukraine’s hard won independence and fledgling democracy. Your leadership in this area has been an example to other world leaders and we hope that you will maintain Canada’s commitment to human rights, democratic development, and free and fair elections in Ukraine.
Today we want to thank and recognize Prime Minister Stephen Harper for his dedication to public service, for his leadership and in particular to the outstanding contribution he has made towards the development of the Ukrainian Canadian community.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honour to bestow the Taras Shevchenko medal upon Canada’s Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper.”
Paul Grod then invited the Prime Minister to the podium to accept the Shevchenko Medal.
The Prime Minister accepted the Medal, and took the podium offering the following remarks
“I am honoured to receive this award and such a warm welcome from the Ukrainian-Canadian community.
The Ukrainian Canadian Congress does tremendous work to promote the Ukrainian cause in Canada. So let’s show our appreciation for Paul, for Lida Kulish of the Toronto Branch, and for the whole team!
You know, it’s a pleasure to see so many familiar faces
here tonight.
Especially those who joined us on our visit to Ukraine, last year and I’m happy to see such a great turnout … not only from Eugene Czolij and the Ukrainian World Congress …”
“Friends, for120 years the Ukrainian community has played an important role in the growth of this country. From East to West, Ukrainian-Canadians have made outstanding contributions throughout our society in business, academia the arts, sport, politics, and many different fields. And Canada is stronger for it.
C’est donc un honneur de recevoir cette médaille, qui a été présentée а d’éminents Ukraino-Canadiens et а des amis de l’Ukraine au fil des années. This award has been presented to many distinguished Ukrainian-Canadians, as well as friends of Ukraine. Among those friends was John Diefenbaker, the first Prime Minister to receive it. I am honoured to follow in his footsteps, For Diefenbaker personified the distinctly Canadian reality that people from all backgrounds can and do succeed in this great country.
Of course, what really makes this presentation special is the fact it pays tribute to the legacy of Taras Shevchenko. His words provided the inspiration for Ukrainian independence.
He said, and I quote:
“Strive and you will triumph for God is on your side. The rewards are glory, truth, and that most sacred of things, freedom.”
Shevchenko was a brilliant artist and a renowned poet. But most important, his was a voice for freedom. As a consequence, Tsar Nicholas the First condemned him to live in exile (and again I quote) …
“Under the strictest surveillance, without a right to write or paint.”
But even that cruel sentence could not silence Shevchenko or dissuade his many followers.
In the decades that followed his spirit would inspire Ukrainians to fight for liberty against not only the Tsars, but also the totalitarian ideologies of the Nazis and the Soviets.
You know, here in Canada, with our deep Parliamentary traditions and our comparatively benign history, democracy sometimes gets taken for granted. We often need to be reminded Of how long and hard the struggle for basic freedoms has been, and that it remains to be fought for so many of our fellow human beings.
The Ukrainian Canadian community has always provided that perspective and that voice for the oppressed. I remember in the latter days of the Cold War, When some so-called experts Talked of a middle way in global affairs, as if there were some kind of moral equivalence between the imperfections of our democratic societies and the totalitarian brutality Of the Soviet empire.
Of course, Ukrainian-Canadians Would have none of that kind of thinking.
You reminded us of the realities Ukrainians lived under:
Not just denial of basic rights, But of imprisonment, brutality And even, almost unbelievably, The imposition of mass starvation. Of course, I am speaking of The Holodomor, of which I will say more in a moment.
But, the important thing is this, I’m here to tell you that as long as I am Prime Minister our government always will speak out for those things that elevate the human spirit – freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law – for all nations and peoples!
For, if we are not blind to the dark points in Ukraine’s past, neither are we forgetful of our own.
This Conservative government was the first to formally recognize Canada’s own black mark – the injustice – of World War One internment and we’ve established a recognition fund to make sure that everyone learns from that event. We will never sweep history under the carpet. Not Canada’s history. And not Ukraine’s history.
That’s why, when I visited Ukraine last year I made a special point of visiting historic sites to pay my respects, on behalf of all Canadians. And I started by laying a wreath at the Sad Memory of Childhood statue in honour of the many millions who died in the Holodomor.
In that quiet wooded place, surrounded by those of our delegation – for whom it was intensely personal – and asked to place bread and salt before the monument – a simple act of remembrance – I was deeply moved.
The magnitude of the tragedy that the Ukrainian people suffered is exceeded only by the bitter recognition that it was inflicted upon them by the government that rules their land
And it is a great sadness to me That for decades official Ottawa was afraid to call it what it was. A genocide.
But in 2008At the initiative of my colleague, MP James Bezan, we had the chance to finally do something about it – and we did. Our government adopted the bill in Parliament, declaring Holodomor to be genocide.
From now on, in our eyes at least, Those who took the lives of so many Ukrainians, must take the guilt as well. In that same spirit of solemn remembrance I went to the museum at the infamous Lonsky Street Prison.
There, I came face-to-face with the reminders of Soviet-era oppression and I also saw Babyn Yar, where the Nazis slaughtered tens of thousands of people. I made these stops because we must all understand Ukraine’s past to appreciate its promising future and how central the desire of freedom is in that. To see the faces of Ukraine’s future, I met with students at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, it was an opportunity to speak openly about the freedom that generations of Ukrainians have longed for.
I was tremendously impressed by these young men and women, their knowledge, their idealism their eagerness to hear of the past and to create a better future. They are the embodiment Of Ukraine’s aspirations.
Through this trip, our government hopes to build on the personal ties that have long connected Canada and Ukraine. During that visit, we signed a youth mobility agreement to make it easier for young people to get life experience in both countries and I announced new programs to provide expert Canadian advice and training in areas like economic development.
While I was in Kiev, As you remember I also raised issues that are of concern to the Government of Canada. I took particular care to show Canada’s support for democratic debate by meeting with Yulia Tymoshenko.
Like many of you, I am seriously concerned about her situation.
I’ve written directly to President Yanukovych. I let him know that I am deeply concerned that the conduct of Tymoshenko’s trial does not reflect accepted norms of due process or fairness.
Friends, we all know that a vigorous political opposition And judicial independence are vital to building a democratic and prosperous Ukraine. Canada will support Ukraine whenever it moves towards freedom, democracy and justice.
However, our foreign policy is rooted in principle, and in the defence of freedom.
So to be clear, our government is very concerned about the path the Government of Ukraine appears to be taking. Tuesday’s developments may have serious consequences for our bilateral relationship. The Ukrainian people can count on Canada to stand-up for their liberty.
Canada is always ready to help to help democratic institutions take root, in Ukraine and around the world and I know that each and every person here tonight shares that cause which is why I am so honoured to be here.
So thank you once again for your hospitality, for the honour that you have presented and for the work you do, day in and day out, to preserve the proud heritage of Ukrainian-Canadians and to build our great country.”
The Prime Minister’s speech was followed by toasts to the Queen and to the friendship between Canada and Ukraine by Vice President of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress -Toronto Branch Lida Kulish , and Ukrainian World Congress President Eugene Czolij respectively.
His Excellency Bishop Stephen Chmilar, Ukrainian Catholic Eparch of Toronto and Eastern Canada, to made an Invocation.
Dinner was served with Bandurist Juriy Petlura providing background music. Following dinner, Paul Grod and Prime Minister Stephen Harper presented the UCC Youth Leadership Award of Excellence to recipients Kristin Glover, Christina Sawchyn and Andrew Wodoslawsky
These presentations were followed by coffee and dessert. His Grace Bishop Andriy, Bishop of the Eastern Eparchy, Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada, to made the Benediction.
