Community activists from across Canada meet to develop nationwide strategies

by Volodymyr Halchuk

CANMORE, Alberta - Gathering for a weekend retreat here on October 23-25, a group of Ukrainian Canadian activists from across Canada met to develop strategies for negotiation with the federal government.

Chaired by John B. Gregorovich, chairman of the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association, the meeting discussed several issues considered to be of principal importance, including how to proceed with the community's claims for acknowledgement and restitution for the internment operations of the World War I period.

As well, the activists discussed how to deal with the injustices flowing out of Ottawa's current policy of denaturalization and deportation of alleged war criminals found in Canada.

Other issues discussed included consolidating efforts with other Canadian ethnic, religious and racial minorities to have Ottawa establish a Genocide Museum, working with the "Pier 21" society in Halifax to ensure that the Ukrainian immigration experience is commemorated properly, lobbying the Canada Post Corporation for release of a series of postage stamps recalling Canada's first national internment operations and Ukrainian Canadian Victoria Cross recipient Philip Konowal, and raising public concerns over the government's immigration quotas, refugee determination and appointments procedures, all of which are deemed to be prejudicial against Ukrainian Canadians.

While in Canmore, the delegates also paid brief visits to the sites of two of Canada's World War I concentration camps, Castle Mountain and Cave and Basin in Banff National Park. The Ukrainian Canadian activists reaffirmed their commitment to press Ottawa for the development of a permanent museum exhibit on these internment operations inside Banff National Park.

Volodymyr Halchuk is chair of the Sudbury (Ontario) Council of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, November 22, 1998, No. 47, Vol. LXVI

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