Remembering the spirit of Canadians unjustly interned
For Immediate Release: The Montreal Gazette
(27 December 2011)

In the dead of winter, in January 1915, they were transported along the transcontinental railway from Montreal into Quebec's remote Abitibi region. The first prisoners, 109 men, were eventually joined by hundreds more, including women and children, interned not because they had done anything wrong but...

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UCCLA 2011 Christmas Card

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"Stay out of the Debate" – UCCLA's Reply
For Immediate Release: Ottawa (19 April 2011)

We have made our views on the CMHR known frankly and consistently, with due regard and civility toward those who hold differing opinions.

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Controversy Over Canadian Museum For Human Rights: UCCLA's Position
For Immediate Release: Ottawa (8 April 2011)

Misrepresentations have been broadcast about the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association's position with respect to the taxpayer-funded Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

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An Open Reply to Ms Rhonda Spivak re The Canadian Museum for Human Rights
For Immediate Release (Dr Lubomyr Luciuk, 1 April 2011)

An open, courteous and honest exchange of views on the proposed contents and governance of the publicly funded Canadian Museum for Human Rights is welcome.

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Poll rejects museum's plan to set Holocaust apart from other genocides
For Immediate Release (Globe and Mail, 23 March 2011)

A poll sponsored by two organizations opposed to the exhibition plans of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights indicates Canadians wish to have “one exhibit which covers all genocides equally” rather than one zone devoted to “a particular genocide” such ...

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Click to download: Survey confirms majority want inclusiveness in canadian human rights musuem

Click to download: NANOS poll results, 18 March 2011

A Canadian National Museum should tell Canadian stories
For Immediate Release (04 March 2011)

During Canada's first national internment operations of 1914-1920 thousands of Ukrainians and other Europeans were branded as "enemy aliens." Their wealth was confiscated. They were forced to do heavy labour for the profit of their jailers. They lost the right to vote and endured other statesanctioned restrictions - not because of anything they had done but only because of who they were, where they came from. What was done to them was wrong. And it happened in Canada. So we want one of the twelve galleries of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights to be permanently dedicated to telling the stories of Canada’s internment operations. A Canadian national museum should tell Canadian stories.



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Fairness and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights
For Immediate Release (Hill Times, 31 January 2011)

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Ukrainian group wants review of human-rights museum plan
For Immediate Release (December 2010)

By JAMES ADAMS
Globe and Mail Update

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/prairies/ukrainian-group-wants-review-of-human-rights-museum-plan/article1846626/

Postcard campaign urges minister to reconsider exhibition space

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Protest Mounting Over Proposed Contents Of Canadian Museum For Human Rights
For Immediate Release (Ottawa, 15 December 2010)

Concerns over the proposed contents of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, a taxpayer funded national museum set to open its doors in Winnipeg next year, are growing.

Commenting, UCCLA's director of research, Dr Lubomyr Luciuk, said:

"A national museum dedicated to human rights and civil liberties should be equitable and inclusive in its treatment of the many episodes of genocide that have befouled human history, as well as focusing on Canadian stories, particularly those that are less well known. We were therefore surprised and deeply troubled when the final report of the museum's Content Advisory Committee made only one passing reference to Canada's first national internment operations and barely mentioned what was arguably the greatest genocide of 20th century European history, the Holodomor, the Great Famine of 1932-33 in Soviet Ukraine. While we appreciate how difficult it is to tell every story in such a museum the clear partiality of its proposed contents are unacceptable. We are therefore joining the protest against that committee's recommendations by launching a national campaign with postcards addressed to the Honourable James Moore, the Minister of Canadian Heritage. Clearly the Government of Canada now needs to intervene to ensure that a museum funded by all Canadians does not elevate the suffering of one community above all others."

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Distorting History In A Human Rights Museum
Kyiv Post, 14 December 2010

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Broken Promises Made To Ukrainian Canadians Provoked Controversy
UCCLA MEDIA RELEASE (14 December 2010)

A growing controversy over the proposed contents of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (see The Globe and Mail, "Group says rights museum slights sufferings of Ukrainians,"11 December 2010) was, in part, provoked because of promises made in April 2003 by the Asper Foundation.

Speaking for the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association, Dr Lubomyr Luciuk, its director of research, said: "The attached letter from Mr Moe Levy, sent on behalf of the Asper Foundation, makes clear that in return for its support the Ukrainian Canadian community was led to expect that the truth about the genocidal Holodomor and about what happened during this country's first national internment operations would be allocated permanent and prominent space in this publicly-funded national museum. Reading through the final report of the Content Advisory Committee it becomes clear that those pledges have not been honoured. Making this letter public puts these facts on the public record."

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Members of Kingston's Ukrainian community, joined by a number of professors from Queen's University and the Royal Military College of Canada, attended a reception yesterday at the Grand Theatre's Davies Lounge recognizing Professor Lubomyr Luciuk's receipt of a 2010 Shevchenko Medal from the Ukrainian Canadian Congress. The highest form of recognition bestowed by the Congress this award acknowledged Dr Luciuk's "unparalleled success" as an advocate for the Ukrainian Canadian community and as a researcher and educator. It was presented by Paul Grod, president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, the body that officially represents over 1.2 million Canadians of Ukrainian heritage.

Reflecting on what the award represents Professor Paul Robert Magocsi, of the Chair of Ukrainian Studies at the University of Toronto, wrote: “I cannot think of anyone more worthy than you, who have tolled so tirelessly for decades to raise the profile and good name of Canadians of Ukrainian heritage. Your effective work has culminated in Bill C 331 [Ukrainian Canadian Redress Bill], whose realization was in large part the result of your incredibly successful public conscious-raising campaign.” Adding good wishes was Andrew Hladyshevsky, QC: "I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Lubomyr on this happy occasion, being shared with family and friends in Kingston. In my capacity as president of the Shevchenko Foundation and as former chair of the Internment Negotiation Committee I have had the privilege of seeing Lubomyr in action at the front lines of public advocacy and discourse. Even though Lubomyr revels in being the "sharp, pointy end" of the Ukrainian Canadian community, his contributions run much deeper. He has championed causes from which others have conveniently fled. His passion for truth and exposing subterfuge have given the dispossessed, the unwanted and the murdered an opportunity to be heard when their voices were deliberately suppressed or silenced.

There are new issues and controversies so we will need to selfishly impose upon Dr Luciuk again and hope to continue to channel his tireless efforts and intellect in these never-ending challenges. For today however let's celebrate this important milestone and heartily congratulate Lubomyr on a job truly well done.”

After accepting the medal and thanking all those who over several decades were his mentors, friends and supporters, Dr Luciuk concluded his remarks by citing the words of Taras Shevchenko, Ukraine’s national bard, “Struggle, and you shall overcome,” then added, typically, that he knows there are many challenges yet to be faced, which he looks forward to addressing.

Ukrainian Canadians Criticize Conservative Government for Failure to Enforce Immigration Laws
For Immediate Release - Ottawa (28 September 2010)

Then Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association (UCCLA) today called upon the Conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper to take immediate steps to remove all veterans of the notorious Soviet secret police, the KGB, from Canada, initiating a national postcard campaign to get its message out.

UCCLA's chairman, Dr. Lubomyr Luciuk, said: "No one who served in any capacity with the KGB is eligible to enter or to remain here. That's Canadian law. Public confidence in the integrity and fairness of our system of immigration control is being undermined by the failure of this government to remove KGB men known to be in Canada. We expected the Conservatives, who claim anti-Communist credentials and a law & order agenda, to at least enforce existing immigration laws. But they haven't. That's scandalous. Canada does not need KGB men as citizens. All of them should be returned whence they came, immediately."

No KGB in Canada (Post Card) Click to download

Announcing the Fund
(12 September 2009, The Globe & Mail)

Establishment of a $10 million endowment
(9 May 2008, Stanley Barracks, Toronto)

On 9 May 2008 the Ukrainian Canadian community, as represented by Dr Lubomyr Luciuk (Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association), Mr Andrew Hladyshevsky (Ukrainian Canadian Foundation of Taras Shevchenko) and Mr Paul Grod (Ukrainian Canadian Congress) signed a document providing for the establishment of a $10 million endowment within the Shevchenko Foundation, to be used for commemorative and educational initiatives recalling Canada's first national internment operations of 1914-1920.

Left to right: Andrew Griffith (Canadian Heritage), Dr Lubomyr Luciuk, Jason Kenney, MP, Secretary of State for Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity, Andrew Hladyshevsky and Paul Grod, 9 May 2008, Stanley Barracks, Toronto

The Ukrainian Canadian negotiating team, 9 May 2008 (Stanley Barracks, Toronto): Dr Lubomyr Luciuk, Andrew Hladyshevsky and Paul Grod

UCCLA- Internment Survivor Found

Born in Captivity: Survivor of Canadian Internment Operations Found
For Immediate Release
(Ottawa, Thursday, 29 November 2007)

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Ukrainian Canadian Community Honours YMCA For Aiding Internees
For Immediate Release
(Ottawa, 10 September 2007)

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UCCLA Media Release - Internee descendant becomes honourary chair of National Redress Council
For Immediate Release
(Ottawa, 4 September 2007)

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