Ignatieff’s Acclamation Generates Controversy

TORONTO–The acclamation of Michael Ignatieff, who was parachuted into the Federal riding of Etobicoke-Lakeshore as the Liberal Party candidate, continues to generate heated controversy.

After the riding’s nomination meeting, at which Ignatieff was acclaimed on November 30, the Etobicoke-Lakeshore riding association executive submitted an appeal to Liberal Party,
citing irregularities in the process.

The riding association was informed on November 25 that potential nominees had 24 hours to submit forms. Two local candidates, Ron Chyczij and Marc Shwec, prepared forms in time, but found the doors locked when they arrived at Liberal Party head-quarters.

Chyc-zyij’s form was rejected on the grounds that he did not resign from his position as riding association president Shwec’s because the Party stated it did not have his membership information on file. Riding association membership secretary Myroslava Oleksiuk says he joined the party earlier in the month.

At the November 30 meeting, riding association executive members tried in vain to voice their disapproval of the way in which the nomination process was taking place. ”What is most shocking,” said Myroslawa Oleksiuk, Membership Secretary for the riding association, “is the attempt by the Chair, Liberal Party President Mike Eizenga, to muzzle the members.”

“When I stood up to challenge the Chair on a point of order, the microphone in the centre of the room was turned off,” said Oleksiuk.

The motion put forward by Oleksiuk–that the meeting be adjourned to allow the Chair and the Prime Minister to call the meeting properly and in accordance with the intent of the Constitution of the Liberal Party of Canada and the national and provincial rules for the selection of candidates, allowing ample notice and opportunity for all interested candidates to put forward their nominations–was ignored.

Oleksiuk also noted at the meeting that riding association members are supposed to be ordinarily resident in Canada. Ignatieff, who expressed negative views about Ukrainian independence in his book Blood and Belonging, has resided outside of Canada for the past 30 years.

After the acclamation, former MP Jean Augustine, who resigned to allow Ignatieff to run in her place, made the following comments on CBC’s radio program The House: “On one side of the room were all the Ukrainian people talking in Ukrainian, organizing each other in Ukrainian. And on the other side were the rest of us Canadians.”

In response, Ukrainian-Canadians held a rally in front of Ignatieff’s Toronto campaign headquarters and shouted slogans such as: “We’re Canadian, too.”

“There were fourth- and fifth- generation Canadians of Ukrainian origin who are members of the Etobicoke-Lakeshore Federal Liberal Riding Association at the meeting. Is Jean Augustine saying that these Ukrainian Canadians aren’t mainstream Canadians,” said Peter Schuryn, vice president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, Toronto Branch.

Further action is being planned.  Many Ukrainian-Canadians taking part in the actions remain committed Liberal Party members, but say they are unable to support Michael Ignatieff because of the undemocratic way in which the acclamation took place.

They are asking all Canadians to join them in their actions in defending democracy at the grassroots level.