Rachael Thomas, Lethbridge
“I want the House to pass this bill to make September Ukrainian Heritage Month. Ukrainian Canadians have worked hard and helped build this country for over a century.”
“Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to stand today and speak to Bill S-210, which would designate September as Ukrainian heritage month. Canada is home to a rich and vibrant Ukrainian culture, from beloved foods such as borscht and perogies to cherished traditions and events such as Canada’s National Ukrainian Festival. Through their culture, traditions and civic engagement, Canadians of Ukrainian descent have made lasting contributions to our country and have helped shape the diverse and multicultural Canada we are all very proud to call home. Ukrainians have deep historical ties to Canada. Ukrainian immigration to Canada began as early as the 19th century, and now Ukrainian Canadians make up 1.3 million people in this nation. For more than a century, Ukrainian Canadians have contributed to the growth and prosperity of our country in countless ways. I am often reminded of those contributions in southern Alberta, the region that I am proud to call home and that I get to represent. In my community of Lethbridge, Ukrainian Canadians played an important role in building Alberta’s sugar beet industry. For those who are not familiar with this, it involves beets that get planted in the ground and are used to produce sugar. This is our only domestic source of sugar and something we should be very proud of in this country in terms of food security and being able to do that right here at home in a way that also respects human rights. Following the Second World War, thousands of Ukrainian immigrants came to Canada through programs that brought workers to Alberta’s sugar beet farms. They arrived ready to work, often under difficult conditions, and their hard work helped establish an industry that became an important part of southern Alberta and Canada’s agricultural economy. These families did not simply come to Canada to work for a season; rather, they built communities, put down roots, raised families and contributed to the growth of southern Alberta. Their journey is a powerful testament to how deeply Ukrainian Canadians have shaped the heart and history of our great country. Ukrainian Canadians have contributed to agriculture, education, business, culture and public life. They have built churches, community organizations, cultural institutions and businesses, all while preserving the traditions and heritage that connect them to their Ukrainian roots but respecting the values we have here in Canada. Perhaps one of the most remarkable parts of the Ukrainian Canadian history is the resilience that has carried through generations. Many Ukrainians came to Canada fleeing war, persecution and political oppression. They came from a homeland where their culture, language and identity had been threatened by totalitarian rule. For decades, Ukraine was under Soviet power, yet the Ukrainian people never abandoned their desire for freedom, democracy and self-determination. That desire for freedom is a defining part of Ukrainian history, and it is a history that Ukrainian Canadians have worked hard to preserve and to share with Canadians. This includes remembering the Holodomor, the horrific famine inflicted by the Soviet regime in 1932 and 1933, which claimed the lives of millions of Ukrainians. Ukrainian Canadians have fought for decades to ensure that this history is remembered and that the victims are never forgotten. In 1991, after decades of Soviet rule, Ukraine declared its independence. On December 1, 1991, the people of Ukraine voted to approve that independence. The Ukrainian people chose freedom and self-determination. The following day, under the leadership of Conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, Canada became the very first western country to recognize Ukraine’s independence and to congratulate it on this. Canada and Ukraine have been close allies ever since, and we continue to enjoy that relationship. Sadly, however, Ukraine’s fight for independence did not end there. In 2014, Vladimir Putin illegally annexed Crimea and launched war against Ukraine. For the Ukrainian people, the threat of Russian aggression was once again at their doorstep. Canada responded. Under Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Canada was among the strongest voices in the international community to condemn Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Prime Minister Stephen Harper took a stand with the Ukrainian people. His government imposed sanctions on Russian officials, provided financial assistance to Ukraine and supported Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Prime Minister Harper also travelled to Kyiv in 2014, just days after the illegal annexation of Crimea, demonstrating Canada’s commitment to standing with the Ukrainian people. His message was clear: Ukraine has the right to determine its own future. That principle has remained at the heart of Canada’s relationship with Ukraine. I wish things had stopped there, but they did not. In 2022, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Once again, the Ukrainian people were forced to defend their homes, their families and their right to live as a free and democratic nation. Once again, Ukrainian Canadians stepped forward. Across Canada, Canadians have rallied. We have rallied in our communities, have fundraised, have welcomed Ukrainians who are fleeing the war, and have advocated for stronger support for the nation. Ukrainian Canadians have welcomed their fellow women and men from the country. These are people who have endured tyranny, war and persecution, but they have never surrendered their desire for freedom and their commitment to democratic principles. That history is important. It is important for us as Canadians to remember. It is important for members of the House to remember. It is important because Ukrainian Canadians have contributed so much to the country we know today. They have helped build our agricultural communities, strengthen our cultural fabric and enrich our public life. It is so important, because their history reminds us that freedom and democracy cannot be taken for granted. Many Ukrainian Canadians have preserved their culture while becoming an important part of the Canadian story. They have taught their children their language and traditions, built communities across the country and continued to stand with their homeland in its fight for freedom. Few Canadians embody this more boldly or better than Mr. Wayne Gretzky. He is not only viewed as the greatest hockey player, but he is also a proud Ukrainian Canadian. For Canadians from coast to coast, Gretzky remains a tremendous source of national pride. During his remarkable career in the NHL, he set countless records and led the Edmonton Oilers to win four Stanley Cup championships. Even though he has been retired from hockey for 25 years, Gretzky’s legacy continues to inspire generations of young Canadians. His contribution goes beyond what he accomplished on the ice. He uses his platform today to speak out in support of Ukraine. He understands that for Ukrainian Canadians, the war is not a distant conflict. Instead, it is an attack on a country for which millions of Canadians have deep family, cultural and historic ties. Wayne Gretzky is more than a hockey legend; he is an example of how Canadian Ukrainians can proudly embrace their heritage while contributing to the country we call home. Bill S-210 gives us an incredible opportunity to honour the Ukrainian Canadian community, to celebrate its contributions to Canada and to ensure that future generations understand the important role Ukrainian Canadians have played in shaping our country. The Ukrainian Canadian story is a story of resilience. It is a story of hard work, of community and of an unwavering belief in freedom and democracy. I am proud to support Bill S-210 and to recognize the generations of Ukrainian Canadians who have helped make Canada the country we are proud to call home and who so dearly hold true to the values on which we are founded.”
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to stand today and speak to Bill S-210, which would designate September as Ukrainian heritage month. Canada is home to a rich and vibrant Ukrainian culture, from beloved foods such as borscht and perogies to cherished traditions and events such as Canada’s National Ukrainian Festival. Through their culture, traditions and civic engagement, Canadians of Ukrainian descent have made lasting contributions to our country and have helped shape the diverse and multicultural Canada we are all very proud to call home. Ukrainians have deep historical ties to Canada. Ukrainian immigration to Canada began as early as the 19th century, and now Ukrainian Canadians make up 1.3 million people in this nation. For more than a century, Ukrainian Canadians have contributed to the growth and prosperity of our country in countless ways. I am often reminded of those contributions in southern Alberta, the region that I am proud to call home and that I get to represent. In my community of Lethbridge, Ukrainian Canadians played an important role in building Alberta’s sugar beet industry. For those who are not familiar with this, it involves beets that get planted in the ground and are used to produce sugar. This is our only domestic source of sugar and something we should be very proud of in this country in terms of food security and being able to do that right here at home in a way that also respects human rights. Following the Second World War, thousands of Ukrainian immigrants came to Canada through programs that brought workers to Alberta’s sugar beet farms. They arrived ready to work, often under difficult conditions, and their hard work helped establish an industry that became an important part of southern Alberta and Canada’s agricultural economy. These families did not simply come to Canada to work for a season; rather, they built communities, put down roots, raised families and contributed to the growth of southern Alberta. Their journey is a powerful testament to how deeply Ukrainian Canadians have shaped the heart and history of our great country. Ukrainian Canadians have contributed to agriculture, education, business, culture and public life. They have built churches, community organizations, cultural institutions and businesses, all while preserving the traditions and heritage that connect them to their Ukrainian roots but respecting the values we have here in Canada. Perhaps one of the most remarkable parts of the Ukrainian Canadian history is the resilience that has carried through generations. Many Ukrainians came to Canada fleeing war, persecution and political oppression. They came from a homeland where their culture, language and identity had been threatened by totalitarian rule. For decades, Ukraine was under Soviet power, yet the Ukrainian people never abandoned their desire for freedom, democracy and self-determination. That desire for freedom is a defining part of Ukrainian history, and it is a history that Ukrainian Canadians have worked hard to preserve and to share with Canadians. This includes remembering the Holodomor, the horrific famine inflicted by the Soviet regime in 1932 and 1933, which claimed the lives of millions of Ukrainians. Ukrainian Canadians have fought for decades to ensure that this history is remembered and that the victims are never forgotten. In 1991, after decades of Soviet rule, Ukraine declared its independence. On December 1, 1991, the people of Ukraine voted to approve that independence. The Ukrainian people chose freedom and self-determination. The following day, under the leadership of Conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, Canada became the very first western country to recognize Ukraine’s independence and to congratulate it on this. Canada and Ukraine have been close allies ever since, and we continue to enjoy that relationship. Sadly, however, Ukraine’s fight for independence did not end there. In 2014, Vladimir Putin illegally annexed Crimea and launched war against Ukraine. For the Ukrainian people, the threat of Russian aggression was once again at their doorstep. Canada responded. Under Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Canada was among the strongest voices in the international community to condemn Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Prime Minister Stephen Harper took a stand with the Ukrainian people. His government imposed sanctions on Russian officials, provided financial assistance to Ukraine and supported Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Prime Minister Harper also travelled to Kyiv in 2014, just days after the illegal annexation of Crimea, demonstrating Canada’s commitment to standing with the Ukrainian people. His message was clear: Ukraine has the right to determine its own future. That principle has remained at the heart of Canada’s relationship with Ukraine. I wish things had stopped there, but they did not. In 2022, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Once again, the Ukrainian people were forced to defend their homes, their families and their right to live as a free and democratic nation. Once again, Ukrainian Canadians stepped forward. Across Canada, Canadians have rallied. We have rallied in our communities, have fundraised, have welcomed Ukrainians who are fleeing the war, and have advocated for stronger support for the nation. Ukrainian Canadians have welcomed their fellow women and men from the country. These are people who have endured tyranny, war and persecution, but they have never surrendered their desire for freedom and their commitment to democratic principles. That history is important. It is important for us as Canadians to remember. It is important for members of the House to remember. It is important because Ukrainian Canadians have contributed so much to the country we know today. They have helped build our agricultural communities, strengthen our cultural fabric and enrich our public life. It is so important, because their history reminds us that freedom and democracy cannot be taken for granted. Many Ukrainian Canadians have preserved their culture while becoming an important part of the Canadian story. They have taught their children their language and traditions, built communities across the country and continued to stand with their homeland in its fight for freedom. Few Canadians embody this more boldly or better than Mr. Wayne Gretzky. He is not only viewed as the greatest hockey player, but he is also a proud Ukrainian Canadian. For Canadians from coast to coast, Gretzky remains a tremendous source of national pride. During his remarkable career in the NHL, he set countless records and led the Edmonton Oilers to win four Stanley Cup championships. Even though he has been retired from hockey for 25 years, Gretzky’s legacy continues to inspire generations of young Canadians. His contribution goes beyond what he accomplished on the ice. He uses his platform today to speak out in support of Ukraine. He understands that for Ukrainian Canadians, the war is not a distant conflict. Instead, it is an attack on a country for which millions of Canadians have deep family, cultural and historic ties. Wayne Gretzky is more than a hockey legend; he is an example of how Canadian Ukrainians can proudly embrace their heritage while contributing to the country we call home. Bill S-210 gives us an incredible opportunity to honour the Ukrainian Canadian community, to celebrate its contributions to Canada and to ensure that future generations understand the important role Ukrainian Canadians have played in shaping our country. The Ukrainian Canadian story is a story of resilience. It is a story of hard work, of community and of an unwavering belief in freedom and democracy. I am proud to support Bill S-210 and to recognize the generations of Ukrainian Canadians who have helped make Canada the country we are proud to call home and who so dearly hold true to the values on which we are founded.