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Office of Senator Raynell Andreychuk
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
December 12, 2002
OTTAWA, CANADA...Progressive Conservative Senator Raynell
Andreychuk will move a motion at the next sitting of the Canadian Senate,
calling on the government of Canada to recognize the Ukrainian Famine/
Genocide of 1932-1933 (motion shown below).
The motion calls on the government of Canada "to recognize the
Ukrainian Famine/Genocide of 1932-1933 and to condemn any attempt
to deny or distort this historical truth as being anything less than a
genocide."
As well, it calls for the fourth Saturday in November to be designated
as a day of remembrance for those who perished during the time of the
Ukrainian Famine/Genocide.
Senator Andreychuk's motion also calls "on all Canadians, particularly
historians, educators and parliamentarians, to include the true facts of
the Ukrainian Famine/Genocide of 1932-1933 in the records of Canada
and in future educational materials."
"The Senate has a real interest in adopting the motion," Senator
Andreychuk said. "Many survivors of this sad period in Ukrainian history
emigrated to Canada, and made great contributions to the development
of our nation."
Senator Andreychuk stated that Canada's long tradition of condemning
war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, as well as in defining
human rights make it natural that the government would support such a
motion.
"In 1932-1933, over 7 million people died during a campaign of
terror orchestrated by Soviet leader Joseph Stalin in an attempt to
destroy all opposition to the Soviet Union's imperialist policies.
NOTICE OF MOTION
BY THE HONOURABLE SENATOR ANDREYCHUK
"HONOURABLE SENATORS, I GIVE NOTICE THAT AT THE NEXT
SITTING, I WILL MOVE THAT:
This House calls upon the Government of Canada:
a) to recognize the Ukrainian Famine/Genocide of 1932-33 and to condemn
any attempt to deny or distort this historical truth as being anything less
than a genocide;
b) to designate the fourth Saturday in November of every year throughout
Canada as a day of remembrance of the more than seven million Ukrainians
who fell victim to the Ukrainian Famine/Genocide of 1932-33; and
c) to call on all Canadians, particularly historians, educators and
parliamentarians, to include the true facts of the Ukrainian Famine/Genocide
of 1932-33 in the records of Canada and in future educational material:
GIVEN THAT the Genocide of Ukrainians (now commonly referred to as
the Ukrainian Famine/Genocide of 1932-33 and referred to as such in this
Motion) engineered and executed by the Soviet regime under Stalin to
destroy all opposition to its imperialist policies, caused the deaths of
over seven million Ukrainians in 1932 and 1933;
THAT on November 26, 1998, the President of Ukraine issued a Presidential
Decree establishing that the fourth Saturday in November be a National Day
of Remembrance for the victims of this mass atrocity;
THAT the fourth Saturday in November has been recognized by Ukrainian
communities throughout the world as a day to remember the victims of the
Ukrainian Famine/Genocide of 1932-33 and to promote the fundamental
freedoms of a democratic society;
THAT it is recognized that information about the Ukrainian Famine/Genocide
of 1932-33 was suppressed, distorted, or wiped out by Soviet authorities;
THAT it is only now that some proper and accurate information is emerging
from the former Soviet Union about the Ukrainian Famine/Genocide of 1932-33;
THAT many survivors of the Ukrainian Famine/Genocide of 1932-33 have
immigrated to Canada and contributed to its positive development;
THAT Canada condemns all war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocides;
AND THAT Canadians cherish and defend human rights, and value the diversity
and multicultural nature of Canadian society."
Senator Raynell Andreychuk
Ottawa, Canada
December 12, 2002
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