Speeches – 2008
The Honourable Jason Kenney
Historical Recognition Program to the Ukrainian-Canadian Community
Toronto, Ontario, May 9, 2008
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Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a great pleasure for me to be in Toronto, and in particular, to have this opportunity to speak to you about the First World War internment experiences of Ukrainian-Canadians and other people in Canada who came from countries with which we were at war at that time.
All of these communities have played a pivotal role in building this country. They are part of Canada' s proud history, and they contribute to Canada' s success.
I think everyone in this room would agree that Canada' s past includes actions that are inconsistent with the values Canadians hold dear today.
An example of this dates back to the First World War, when members of these communities were designated as enemy aliens. Under the authority of an Act of Parliament, some 8,000 people – predominantly Ukrainian Canadian in origin – were interned.
Our government believes it is important to ensure that Canadians have opportunities to learn about our history, including, and perhaps especially, the difficult periods that are part of our past.
For that reason, in June of 2006, Prime Minister Harper first announced that the Government of Canada would provide funding for two new Historical Recognition Programs.
Today, I am pleased to announce that we are following through on this commitment.
The Community Historical Recognition Program and the National Historical Recognition Program will support commemorative and educational projects that are both community-based and national in scope.
The Community Historical Recognition Program will make funding available for communities that were affected by wartime measures or immigration restrictions – communities like yours.
As part of this program, the Government has decided to provide ten million dollars to the Ukrainian-Canadian Foundation of Taras Shevchenko. This will establish an endowment to fund projects related to First World War internment experiences for affected communities such as Croatian Canadians, German Canadians, Serbian Canadians, and Ukrainian Canadians.
I would like to thank, in particular, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association, and the Taras Shevchenko Foundation for their work in making this agreement possible on behalf of the Ukrainian Canadian community as well as other affected communities.
Our government believes it is important to acknowledge your experiences and to highlight your contribution to the building of this country.
The Community Historical Recognition Program will provide funding for commemorative and educational activities that will ensure you and other communities affected have an opportunity to give light to your historical experiences with internment so that all Canadians can understand them.
Funding will also be available under the National Historical Recognition Program for federal government departments and agencies to engage in national initiatives aimed at educating all Canadians on Canada' s history related to wartime measures and immigration restrictions. This will include funding for Parks Canada to undertake projects in relation to former internment sites situated on Parks land.
In closing, I look forward to seeing the initiatives Ukrainian-Canadian organizations will undertake with funding from the Community Historical Recognition Program.
And I would like to thank everyone for coming today, and it is with the greatest of pleasure that I sign this agreement on behalf of the Government of Canada.