In Memory of John Yaremko

John Yaremko, BA, LLD, QC, Dr. rer. Pol., passed away peacefully in his sleep on August 7, 2010 three days short of his 92nd birthday at the Ukrainian Canadian Care Centre, Toronto. He is predeceased by his wife Mary, parents George and Mary Yaremko, siblings Mene, Michael, Lena Hish and Peter, and in-laws Bob Cooke, Dennis Holota, Ronald Migus and Frances Yaremko. He is survived by brothers and sisters Anne Holota, Fred Yaremko, Lucy Migus, Jeanette Cooke, Robert Yaremko and Rosalie Yaremko, and by many nieces and nephews. Special thanks to “Guardian Angels” Rose and Bill Sametz, as well as niece Hélène Yaremko-Jarvis and Gary Jarvis.

Born in Welland, Ontario in a family of immigrants from Ukraine, John put himself through school while working on farms and Stelco during the summer months and nights. He was awarded scholarships for excellence while attending the University of Toronto and became a Gold Medalist at Osgoode Hall Law School.

John Yaremko began his political career in 1951 when elected to Ontario’s Provincial Parliament as the first Canadian of Ukrainian ancestry, serving 25 years - longer than anyone in Ontario history. In 1958, he was appointed as Ontario’s youngest cabinet minister and served in seven ministries under Premiers Leslie Frost, John P. Robarts and William G. Davis.

In 1945, John Yaremko married Myroslava (Mary) Materyn of Montreal. Together they began to assemble one of the earliest collections of Canadiana including furniture, artefacts and early Canadian glass, on display at the UofT Library and Royal Ontario Museum.

Throughout his life he supported the aspirations of all of Canada’s ethno-cultural groups and maintained that public offices, including the judiciary, should be open to everyone. Recognized by many Canadian groups, he was awarded the Latvian Medal Pro Merito; the Freedom for Hungary Medal; honorary/life membership in the Polish Alliance of Canada and Hungarian Freedom Fighters Association of Canada. In 2009, he received the first Paul Yuzyk Award for Multicul-turalism established by Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

He supported many community endeavours including the Bellwoods ‘John Yaremko Centre for Community Living’ in Toronto, one of North America’s foremost residential facilities for persons with physical disabilities. For his community work, he received the Metropolia Award, the Order of St. Andrew, and the President’s Medal for his support of democratic governance in Ukraine.

John Yaremko supported Canada’s and Ukraine’s universities by establishing: scholarships at Wilfrid Laurier University and the Faculty of Law, UofT; the latter’s John and Mary Yaremko Program in Multiculturalism and Human Rights; the Multicultural Heritage Lecture Series at UofT; and the Canadian Visiting Scholars Lectureship Program at Kyiv-Mohyla, Lviv, Ostroh and Kamianets-Podilskyi universities.

A Founding Member of UofT’s Chair of Ukrainian Studies Foundation, he established the John Yaremko Chair of Ukrainian Studies at UofT (to be inaugurated September 2010) and supported the Canada Ukraine Parliamentary Program with internships for university students from Ukraine in the House of Commons and Ontario Legislature.

John Yaremko’s funeral took place on August 10, 2010 from St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral, Toronto, with interment at St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Cemetery, Oakville. Donations to the Ukrainian Canadian Care Centre, 60 Richview Road, Toronto M9A 5E4 would be appreciated.

Vichnaya Pamiat - Always Remembered