August

23rd, 2012

Your Grace, Bishop Stephen, Reverend Fathers, Honoured Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen: It is with great pleasure that I greet everyone present on this beautiful afternoon, as we gather to celebrate the raising of the Ukrainian flag at Queens Park, and also, to celebrate the shared privilege of being proud Canadians, - Canadians of Ukrainian origin - to express pride in our nation, its history and its diverse peoples. Your presence and your support, for this ceremony reminds us all of the importance that reconciliation and community harmony must continue to be upheld and promoted as the foundation stones of a democratic society. As Canadians, we are a free and a truly democratic society, with a robust press, strong and independent judiciary, opportunities for all. We live in country, which has abundant resources, great natural beauty and diversity. By any measure, as Canadians, we have an exceptional quality of life. I would like to acknowledge our invited guests from all levels of government, who work very hard in maintaining our exceptional quality of life: MP Ted Opitz (Etobicoke Centre) Conservative MP Peggy Nash (Parkdale-High Park) NDP MP Hon. Jim Karygiannis (Scarborough-Agincourt) Liberal Hon. Dave Levac (Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario) Liberal MPP Frank Klees (Newmarket-Aurora) Conservative MPP Cheri DiNovo (Parkdale-High Park) NDP The great assemblage that I see around me, the interesting ceremonial with which the flag of Ukraine has been thrown to the breeze, the strain of inspiring music, the sweet concert of youthful voices, the solemn supplication of the Reverend clergy, - all these - proclaim the deep patriotic sentiment, of which the blue and yellow flag is the symbol.

 It was the 24th of August back in 1991, in the raising of the same blue and yellow flag for a newly independent Ukraine, when millions of Ukrainians gathered for a shared purpose: to end soviet oppression, to end corruption, and to end the abuses of those in power. Leaders, students, workers, clergy, and families, Ukrainians in Ukraine, and the diaspora of Ukrainian origin, locked their arms together in their stand for freedom and democracy in Ukraine. More than two decades later, we ask: in what state is the democracy in Ukraine? Not so great by Canadian and world standards. In Ukraine there are constraints on radio and television; controls on what can be read in the newspapers and periodicals, and in which language. Many Ukrainians are not free from poverty, nor from hunger, or from corrupt officials who toy around with and manipulate their judicial system. However, Ukraine is a very young nation encountering many growing pains, as have had, many emerging nations. Let us for a moment go back in time to, the mid 1800s, the time around Canadas Confederation. In the pre confederation times, there existed the Family Compact, a powerful group of men who dominated the government of Upper Canada (Ontario) from the late 1700s to the mid 1800s. This group, some of whose members belonged to the same family and most of whom were men of wealth, controlled the legislative and executive councils, had a virtual monopoly of political office, and strongly influenced banking, education, the issuing of land grants, the affairs of the Anglican church in Canada, and the courts. Many settlers finding themselves denied political opportunity were drawn into an opposition movement, which in time became the Reform party. Religious differences embittered the struggle, since the Family Compact was composed almost entirely of members of the Church of England. The Chteau Clique was the name given to a similar powerful group in French Lower Canada. How different was it then, as to what is happening in Ukraine with the powerful Oligarchs, (a small number of prominent families who are distinguished by wealth, family ties, education, corporate or military control, and who pass their influence from one generation to the next). These Oligarchs control the legislative and executive councils; have a monopoly of political office, and influence banking, affairs of the church, the courts, education, and media. These same Oligarchs also curtail any rise of opposing forces to the current reigning political groups.

Today in Ukraine there is no true democracy, little respect of human rights, or rule of law. There are people who claim to be democrats, who oppress their people, who discriminate against some of their citizens, who use the tools of government not to advance the peoples interests but to enrich themselves. The same as it was in Upper and Lower Canada, prior to and in the early years of Canadas confederation. We, in todays democratic nations, believe, that the principles of democracy have to be enshrined, not only in the constitution, not only in the institutions of government, but in the hearts and minds of the people. What does this mean in practice? To Canadians, real democracy means that every citizen has the right to live, work, and worship as they choose, whether they are man or woman, Muslim or Christian, or from any other background. True democracy means that no group or faction or leader can impose their will, their ideology, their religion, and their desires on anyone else. Where there is healthy competition, then there is the free exchange of ideas. The late Walter Tarnopolsky, a talented human rights advocate and scholar, and by the way, a Canadian of Ukrainian origin, who taught law at several Canadian universities, stated, and I quote: Democracy is not just about reflecting the will of the majority; it is also about protecting the rights of the minority and down trodden The various Ukrainian leaderships have been remarkably inept in their attempts to reform their countrys economic and social system during the last twenty years. So far, Ukraine is a relatively isolated country within the international system. I ask you, was not Canada the New World in the mid 1800s an isolated country, far away and so different from the Old World European international system? Canada, at first alone, and then, with some interaction with America, both friendly and unfriendly, plodded forth along her path to what she has become today, August 24th 1991 was the point of departure towards, where Ukrainians wanted to go as one nation. And to this day, the journey continues: to preserve national identity, to attain freedom from poverty, from lack of opportunities to succeed, and freedom from injustice. These are what Ukrainians are fighting for now, the same fight that faced Canada in early days of confederation. Clearly, the miracle of August 24th 1991 would be for naught if it were not built upon it - if it is not taken care of. Today, if the majority of Ukrainians do not feel any change, what good is democracy?

This afternoon, as the blue and yellow flag of Ukraine flutters above the grounds of Queens Park, we are aware that Ukraine faces a crossroads: in one direction, a grimy path, where those with influence control the scales of justice, and those who manipulate the laws, profit. On the other side, the straight and righteous path where the laws are clear and well defined, where justice is not blind, and where the guilty are held accountable. Todays Canada is a prime example of the success that can be attained along the very long straight and righteous path. We Canadians, Canadians of Ukrainian origin, and all citizens of true independent society, have an obligation to nurture the golden seeds of democracy that the millions of Ukrainians planted in 1991, and at the time of the Orange revolution. They will not flourish if we are indifferent to them. They will not grow if we do not take care of them. The future of Ukraine and her identity is at stake. Let us, continue being supportive to the people of Ukraine and help them move towards a true democracy. This afternoon, as we look up at the blue and yellow flag flapping in the breeze, we can not dwell on Ukraines past, but acknowledge and respect it, for it is in the future, in which, Ukraine will find greatness, as Canada has done. And as I look up at the Canadian flag waving along side, there is one more remark I must make. We are all CANADIAN first and should think that way, no matter what our heritage is. If not for this great country of Canada, none of us would have the freedoms and liberties that we do. ! ! Respectfully,

Oksana Rewa, President, Ukrainian Canadian Congress Toronto Branch