Discussion · Private Members' Business
Yvan Baker Liberal
“I want the House to pass this bill to make September Ukrainian Heritage Month. It honors Ukrainian Canadians who have helped build this country for 135 years. It is also important to show support for Ukraine right now as it defends itself against Russia.”
“Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise to speak to Bill S-210, which, if passed, would declare September Ukrainian heritage month in Canada. I would like to start by thanking the sponsor of this bill in the Senate, former Senator Kutcher. I would like to thank all colleagues for their thoughtful remarks and their support for this bill, but also their support for Ukraine at this critical time. The first Ukrainian immigrants arrived in Canada on September 7, 1891. Since then, generations upon generations of immigrants from Ukraine have arrived in Canada. Many of them were fleeing oppression and seeking a better life. They found that life here in Canada. Canadians have supported them, and Ukrainian Canadians have made great contributions to Canada. Those contributions span our economic, political, cultural and social life. Watching this debate at home today are leaders and members of the Ukrainian Canadian community. Some of them are immigrants to Canada from Ukraine. Some of them are children and grandchildren of immigrants to Canada from Ukraine. My mother and my grandparents were immigrants to Canada from Ukraine. My grandparents, Ivan and Olena, came to Canada fleeing oppression and seeking a better life, like so many people who have come to Canada from Ukraine over the past 135 years. My grandparents were incredibly proud of their Ukrainian heritage, but they were also incredibly proud to be Canadian. In fact, I have said many times, and some of the members have heard me say, that my grandparents were among the proudest Canadians I have ever known. To ensure that I learned about my Ukrainian heritage, my grandparents and my parents insisted that I attend Saturday school every week, where we would learn the Ukrainian language, heritage, culture, etc. Every Saturday, after Saturday school, my grandfather would pick me up, we would go for lunch and then he would sit down with me and help me with my Saturday school homework for the following week. When I was a teenager and when I was a kid, I was not all that fond of Saturday school, and I was not fond of doing homework on Saturdays either. One day, I was really frustrated. I was struggling with what we were working on. I said to my grandfather, “Dido”, as I called him, “I do not want to do this anymore. I want to stop.” He said I could not stop, and he told me why. He said he was incredibly proud of his heritage, and he thought if I learned more, I would be too. He said he wanted me to learn about the history of the Ukrainian people because so many of them came here to Canada. They came before I did. They came before he did, and they helped make this country great. He wanted me to learn about the people who made Canada great. That is one of the three reasons why I think it is so important that we adopt this bill today. The first reason is just that. It would be a national acknowledgement of people whose contributions have shaped Canada for 135 years, as my colleagues have spoken to. Through this bill, Parliament would be recognizing these contributions. The second reason is that it is an opportunity to celebrate Ukrainian heritage, which I know we have all experienced in our communities. Some of the members have spoken to that very experience. It is important to honour that as well. The third reason is that since 1891, Ukrainian Canadians have come to Canada, and for 135 years, Canadians have supported them. Through this bill, Parliament would be recognizing Canadians. It would be recognizing the support Canadians have offered to that community and the support Canadians have offered to Ukraine, which go on to this very day. I would argue that there is no more important time to pass this bill than now. For the past four years, Ukrainians have been defending themselves against Russia’s brutal invasion, and Canada has been a global leader in supporting the Ukrainian people in that fight. We do that not just because it is the right thing to do but because it is the right thing for Canada. This is because Ukraine’s victory is vital to Canada’s security. If Russia wins, it is not going to stop at Ukraine. We know this because Vladimir Putin has told us so. Vladimir Putin, right now, is showing us so. If Russia succeeds, NATO will be next. That means Americans, Europeans and Canadians will be next, defending ourselves against Russian aggression. We can either pay a small price now to help Ukraine win or we can pay a much bigger price later in Canadian dollars and in Canadian lives. Our government understands this, and that is one of the reasons why Canada has been a global leader in supporting Ukraine since 2022, with over $26 billion in support. That is military support, sanctions, financial aid and much more. In June, when meeting with President Zelenskyy, Prime Minister Mark Carney said—”
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise to speak to Bill S-210, which, if passed, would declare September Ukrainian heritage month in Canada. I would like to start by thanking the sponsor of this bill in the Senate, former Senator Kutcher. I would like to thank all colleagues for their thoughtful remarks and their support for this bill, but also their support for Ukraine at this critical time. The first Ukrainian immigrants arrived in Canada on September 7, 1891. Since then, generations upon generations of immigrants from Ukraine have arrived in Canada. Many of them were fleeing oppression and seeking a better life. They found that life here in Canada. Canadians have supported them, and Ukrainian Canadians have made great contributions to Canada. Those contributions span our economic, political, cultural and social life. Watching this debate at home today are leaders and members of the Ukrainian Canadian community. Some of them are immigrants to Canada from Ukraine. Some of them are children and grandchildren of immigrants to Canada from Ukraine. My mother and my grandparents were immigrants to Canada from Ukraine. My grandparents, Ivan and Olena, came to Canada fleeing oppression and seeking a better life, like so many people who have come to Canada from Ukraine over the past 135 years. My grandparents were incredibly proud of their Ukrainian heritage, but they were also incredibly proud to be Canadian. In fact, I have said many times, and some of the members have heard me say, that my grandparents were among the proudest Canadians I have ever known. To ensure that I learned about my Ukrainian heritage, my grandparents and my parents insisted that I attend Saturday school every week, where we would learn the Ukrainian language, heritage, culture, etc. Every Saturday, after Saturday school, my grandfather would pick me up, we would go for lunch and then he would sit down with me and help me with my Saturday school homework for the following week. When I was a teenager and when I was a kid, I was not all that fond of Saturday school, and I was not fond of doing homework on Saturdays either. One day, I was really frustrated. I was struggling with what we were working on. I said to my grandfather, “Dido”, as I called him, “I do not want to do this anymore. I want to stop.” He said I could not stop, and he told me why. He said he was incredibly proud of his heritage, and he thought if I learned more, I would be too. He said he wanted me to learn about the history of the Ukrainian people because so many of them came here to Canada. They came before I did. They came before he did, and they helped make this country great. He wanted me to learn about the people who made Canada great. That is one of the three reasons why I think it is so important that we adopt this bill today. The first reason is just that. It would be a national acknowledgement of people whose contributions have shaped Canada for 135 years, as my colleagues have spoken to. Through this bill, Parliament would be recognizing these contributions. The second reason is that it is an opportunity to celebrate Ukrainian heritage, which I know we have all experienced in our communities. Some of the members have spoken to that very experience. It is important to honour that as well. The third reason is that since 1891, Ukrainian Canadians have come to Canada, and for 135 years, Canadians have supported them. Through this bill, Parliament would be recognizing Canadians. It would be recognizing the support Canadians have offered to that community and the support Canadians have offered to Ukraine, which go on to this very day. I would argue that there is no more important time to pass this bill than now. For the past four years, Ukrainians have been defending themselves against Russia’s brutal invasion, and Canada has been a global leader in supporting the Ukrainian people in that fight. We do that not just because it is the right thing to do but because it is the right thing for Canada. This is because Ukraine’s victory is vital to Canada’s security. If Russia wins, it is not going to stop at Ukraine. We know this because Vladimir Putin has told us so. Vladimir Putin, right now, is showing us so. If Russia succeeds, NATO will be next. That means Americans, Europeans and Canadians will be next, defending ourselves against Russian aggression. We can either pay a small price now to help Ukraine win or we can pay a much bigger price later in Canadian dollars and in Canadian lives. Our government understands this, and that is one of the reasons why Canada has been a global leader in supporting Ukraine since 2022, with over $26 billion in support. That is military support, sanctions, financial aid and much more. In June, when meeting with President Zelenskyy, Prime Minister Mark Carney said—