Resolutions of the 35^th National Convention of the Ukrainian National Federation – November 16-18, 2007

The 35^th National Convention of the Ukrainian National Federation of Canada and Affiliated Organizations assembled in the City of Toronto on November 16-18, 2007, extends warm greetings to the Ukrainian Canadian Congress and the Ukrainian World Congress. We also send greetings to all Ukrainians and Ukrainian organizations in the Diaspora, to the Ukrainian churches and the Government of Ukraine.

These resolutions were prepared by the Resolutions Committee: Andrew Gregorovich (Chairman), Bohdan Mykhaylyshyn, Yurij Serhijczuk, Slawko Borys, and Wladyslaw Petrowicz.

Resolution 1

In recognition of the life-long service of Chester (Myroslav) Kuc to the UNYF and UNF in Edmonton and his great contribution to the artistic and cultural-educational life of the Ukrainian Canadian community, the 35^th UNF of Canada National Convention awards him the position of Honorary Member of the UNF of Canada.

Resolution 2

Since the Government of Canada has passed Bill C 331 – The Internment of Persons of Ukrainian Origin Recognition Act, a law recognizing the unjust internment of over 5,000 Ukrainian Canadians in 1914-20, which received Royal Assent on November 25, 2005, but has not yet issued an acknowledgement nor any form of financial support for research and other activities on this matter, this Convention requests the President of the UNF of Canada to address a letter to the Prime Minister of Canada to conclude this matter  with an appropriate statement and funding of $15 million in recognition of this injustice to Canada’s 1.1 million Canadian Citizens of Ukrainian heritage.

Resolution 3

Independent Ukraine annually recognizes the birth of the great Poet Taras Shevchenko but it is not observed as an Official State Holiday. The UNF of Canada President should suggest to Ukraine’s President Viktor Yushchenko that March 9^th every year should be celebrated as a statutory public Shevchenko holiday in Ukraine.

Resolution 4

Seventy-five years ago, Ukraine suffered from the greatest genocide in the history of Europe. Soviet leaders and perpetrators Stalin, Molotov and Kaganovich organized in 1932 – 1933, the Holodomor, a genocide through famine and executions in Ukraine, Kuban and other Ukrainian ethnographic areas of the Russian S.F.S.R. which killed 7 to 10 million Ukrainians at a rate of 25,000 persons a day.

The UNF of Canada Board of Directors should assist every UNF Branch to commemorate this tragedy in the upcoming year by providing lecturers and the documentary film Harvest of Despair.

Since the Senate of Canada in Parliament has already recognized the Holodomor Famine as genocide and 40 other countries have also recognized the Holodomor Famine as genocide (13) or as a tragedy (27 - for example UNESCO), the UNF of Canada and its Branches should communicate with Members of Parliament in the House of Commons from across Canada to recognize the genocide and that the UNF of Canada should communicate with all the countries of the United Nations who have not yet recognized it.

A major exhibit entitled Holodomor Genocide Ukraine 1933 is now in preparation and will be shown in April 2008 at Toronto City Hall and then will be available for use across Canada.

Resolution 5

For 75 years the UNF has had an exceptional record of achievements which were recorded in its large two-volume history. This Convention requests the UNF of Canada Board of Directors to publish a concise, popular one volume history of the UNF in English.

Resolution 6

The Nazi War Criminal issue continues to be prosecuted by the Canadian government in the Immigrant Act Recommendation 137 in a way which is not consistent with the basic principles of Canadian justice. It persecutes suspected war criminals to suffer denaturalization (revocation of citizenship) without the right of appeal, and subsequent deportation. This matter should be addressed by the UNF of Canada President to Canada’s Prime Minister, the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.

Resolution 7

Canada’s 1.1 million Ukrainian Canadians have made a significant contribution to Canada’s culture and prosperity through their hard work. We demand that the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration stop the anti-Ukrainian bias in this department which limits and prevents immigration of Ukrainian citizens to Canada.

Resolution 8

The New Pathway, founded in 1930 by Michael Pohorecky, since 1932 has acted as the official publication of the UNF. It has made successful efforts to adapt its content and style to better meet the interests of its readers and the Ukrainian Canadian community. This Convention congratulates The New Pathway, its Editors and staff for their dedication in producing an excellent publication. Every UNF Member and Affiliated Organization Member should be a subscriber to The New Pathway. 

Resolution 9

Communication between the UNF of Canada Board of Directors and Branch Members across Canada is vital for the survival of the UNF. It is urgent for the UNF to establish an Internet website as soon as possible, hosted by a service such as InfoUkes or independently.

Resolution 10

Since members of the UNF are not aware of the purposes of the UNF Foundation or the UNF Education and Recreation Society, the UNF of Canada Board of Directors should provide a clear explanation of these organizations to all Members.

Resolution 11

 Exactly 350 years ago, Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky, who had won the independence of Ukraine from Poland in 1648, died on August 6, 1657. The UNF commemorates the memory of this Ukrainian hero who fought over 30 battles with his Cossack Army to bring freedom to Ukraine. Due to Khmelnytsky and Hetman Ivan Mazepa, and their freedom fighting efforts, the great French Writer Voltaire said “Ukraine has always aspired to be free.”

Resolution 12

It is incumbent upon the UNF of Canada Board of Directors that it administer the assets of the organization in a prudent and transparent manner consistent with its objectives and tasks, to be accountable for their proper use through regular reporting and to protect such assets from legal liability or erosion by other means. The UNF of Canada should maintain a high standard of financial and non-financial accountability across the organization and to better manage risk within it.

Resolution 13

The UNF has made many contributions to Ukrainian Canadian community life in Ukrainian schools, folk dance ensembles, choirs, theatre groups and leadership courses. There is a need for more programs to develop youth leaders and train the next generation of community and civic-minded leaders. The UNF of Canada should investigate the most effective models for youth leadership development programming and implement a national program no later than December 31, 2009.

Resolution 14

The youth are the future of the UNF and, as such, the UNF of Canada Board of Directors should take such steps that are necessary to ensure that there are at least seven functioning branches of the Ukrainian National Youth Federation of Canada and a UNYF National Executive in place by the 75^th Anniversary of the UNYF in 2009. The UNF should encourage a mentorship program for the UNYF, like the previous Leadership Courses of the 1950s, to foster a sense of history and involvement in the greater UNF Family of organizations.

Resolution 15

The Cultural, Educational and Organizational Program Committee suggests that the organization should protect our archives as an integral part of the history of the UNF and also of Canada. Therefore, the UNF should investigate, plan and implement an effective way of preserving the growing number of records of our organization and its archival legacy. The availability of grants should be investigated.

Resolution 16

The Finance Committee states that this Convention desires to clarify definitions and other issues connected with the annual financial contributions (“Budgets”) paid by UNF Branches to the UNF of Canada in an understandable, equitable and predictable manner. Therefore, for every fiscal year, each UNF Branch will remit funds to the UNF of Canada Board of Directors for its annual Branch Assessment which will consist of:

1. The National Membership Fees for members of their Branch

2. A Branch Levy (formerly the “Budget”) that will be based on a formula that takes into account the financial position and financial operations of their Branch.

After the above formula is determined in consultation with all Branches, it will be applied to every Branch in a uniform manner. Only in the case of the financial hardship of a Branch may the UNF of Canada Board of Directors reduce the Branch Levy for any year upon petition of the Branch Executive, to be supported by evidence of hardship.

Resolution 17

As this Convention recognizes that the future assessment of the annual Branch Levy will require specific financial information therefore each UNF Branch shall report key financial figures to the UNF of Canada Board of Directors in a format that will be developed and prescribed by the UNF of Canada and such report will be certified by the President and Treasurer of that Branch.

Resolution 18

Since it is the responsibility of the UNF National Convention to determine the National Membership Fee, it shall be determined yearly by the UNF of Canada Board of Directors until the next UNF National Convention, but, in any event, it shall be no less than $20 and no greater than $30 per member, paid annually by the Branch to the UNF of Canada Board of Directors.