Whereas, the government of Canada has recognized fundamental human rights in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms; and Whereas, the government of Canada is providing over $100 million in capital funding for a national museum for human rights in Winnipeg and an additional $22 million in annual operational funding; and Whereas, the Government of Canada has recognized in legislation the Ukrainian Great Famine (Holodomor) of 1932-33 as an act of Genocide against the Ukrainian people; and Whereas, the Government of Canada has recognized the internment operations against the Ukrainian community during the first World War; and Whereas the report of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights recommends only 2 permanent galleries one for the Holocaust and on for aboriginal peoples; and ...

Historiography plays the key role in comprehending the Holodomor. If the former manages to answer the Holodomor-related crucial questions on the basis of undoubtedly authentic sources, politicians will choose another field for the debates that will help them remain in the public spotlight. But scholars are only at the beginning of the road that will lead them to the absolute truth in this subject. I have already lost count of my articles on the Holodomor in The Day. This article has some repetitions about the Holodomor’s mechanism, which is indispensable. But I offer here for consideration and criticism some conclusions that result from a deeper look into the nature of this tragedy. As before, I am convinced that it should be called genocide. I hope, though, that if these conclusions draw support from historiographers, they will ease public tension caused by this interpretation

As the 'long marathon' to sign the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement is reaching its end, the only issue remaining is that of offering Ukraine a clear perspective for membership of the Union, says ambassador Kostyantyn Yelisieiev. Kostyantyn Yelisieiev is a career diplomat and Ukraine's ambassador to the European Union. His comments follow: "The numerically catchy date of 11/11/11 will be remembered in the history of Ukraine-EU relations as the day when the sides 'sealed the deal'. After nearly five years and 21 rounds of rather exhaustive meetings, the chief negotiators finally shook hands on the text of the Ukraine-EU Association Agreement. With only one issue left for high political consideration (the EU perspective for Ukraine), Kyiv and Brussels have stopped one step away from concluding this seminal document. The final step is the hardest. Any marathon runner...

Eight school boards in Canada will join the Ukrainian community and the governments of Canada, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec in marking Holodomor Memorial Day. On Friday, November 25, students will pay tribute to the millions of Ukrainians who perished in the famine genocide of 1932-33. The participating school boards include the Toronto District School Board (ON), Toronto Catholic District School Board...

Ukraine’s first four presidents jointly took part in a ceremony early on Nov. 26, Holodomor Remembrance Day, to honor millions of Ukrainians who perished in the 1930s during a Soviet-induced famine. Joining current Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych at the Bykivnia Graves National Historical Memorial Complex in Bykivnia, were former leaders Viktor Yushchenko (2005-2010), Leonid Kuchma (1994-2005) and Leonid Kravchuk (1991-1994). According to news agency Interfax-Ukraine, participants of the ceremony honored the victims with a minute of silence. Addressing Ukrainians on Holodomor Remembrance Day, Yanukovych wrote on his www.president.gov.ua website: “Every year, at the end of November...

The apparent use of the court system to silence political dissent in former Soviet republics is a disturbing trend, says Edmonton East Member of Parliament Peter Goldring. Mr. Goldring is vice-chair of the Canada-Ukraine Parliamentary Group and a member of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development. “First was the case of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko in Ukraine. Now Ales Byalyatski, a long-time human rights defender and head of the human rights organization Vyasna has been convicted in Belarus. Both trials seem to me to have been politically motivated, and both these people are political prisoners. Both trials were described as not meeting any reasonable standard of process.” The Government of Canada has also condemned the conviction...

As people awake on Saturday November 26, 2011, Ukrainians in Ukraine and abroad in partnership with members of the international community who respect life and condemn atrocities against mankind, will light a candle and remember the millions who perished in the Great Ukrainian Famine (Holodomor) in 1932-33 at the hands of Stalin's communist regime. Remembered will be the millions of children, in fact nearly half of those who perished were children. Mothers and fathers saw their families and the elderly starve to death in front of their eyes and in turn themselves died because of Stalin's horrific regime. Raphael Lemkin, a Polish lawyer of Jewish descent, best known for his work against genocide, a word he coined...

On Thursday, November 24, the Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism attended the inauguration of the interpretation centre at Camp Spirit Lake. He was accompanied by his Parliamentary Colleagues from the Canada-Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship group, including James Bezan, Peter Goldring and Bernard Trottier. This was the site of one of the twenty four internment camps that were established in Canada during the First World War. Camp Spirit Lake held 1200 detainees, the majority of whom were of Ukrainian origin. The historical materials collected in this centre document the experiences of entire families, who found themselves surrounded by barbed wire and treated like prisoners of war. Minister Kenney stated...

Prime Minister Stephen Harper today issued the following statement commemorating the 78th anniversary of the Holodomor: “On Saturday, November 26, I join Canadians in remembering and honouring the millions of men, women and children who suffered horribly and perished during the Ukrainian famine-genocide of 1932-1933. Moreover, I encourage all Canadians to participate in the many Holodomor commemoration ceremonies taking place this weekend across the country to learn about this terrible episode in human history. “The Ukrainian famine, under the oppressive Soviet communist regime of Josef Stalin, remains one of the most atrocious crimes against humanity ever perpetrated. It also reminds us of the real importance of our country’s commitment to the protection and promotion of freedom, democracy and human rights...

The Holodomor is the name given to the genocide by famine that occurred in Ukraine from 1932 to 1933. As many as 10 million Ukrainians perished as victims of a man-made famine under Joseph Stalin’s regime, with 25,000 dying each day at the peak of the famine. The name Holodomor is the Ukrainian word for "plague of hunger" or “death inflicted by starvation” derived from two words, “holod” – starvation/famine and “moryty” – to inflict death. Holodomor Memorial Day was introduced on February 18, 2009 as the first tri-sponsored Private Member's Bill of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. On April 9, 2009 the Province of Ontario unanimously passed Bill 147 – The Holodomor Memorial Day Act, which calls for the fourth Saturday in November to be a day of remembrance...