Prime Minister’s Office Meeting

Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper on November 28, 2007 met with representatives from the Ukrainian Canadian Congress: Paul Grod, Alexandra Chyczij, Daria Luciw, Bob Onyschuk Q.C. and Eugene Czolij.

The 40 minute discussion focused on three main issues presented by the UCC:

(i) Holodomor (Famine Genocide in Ukraine 1932-33), making the strong case for why it should be recognized by the Government of Canada as a genocide and request that the Government of Canada, through its diplomatic corps, rally behind Ukraine in gaining UN recognition of the Holodomor as a genocide.

(ii) Canada’s First World War Internment Operations, holding the position that a community-based endowment fund is a must to reach a settlement as it will provide efficient delivery (in both cost and expertise), ensure sustainability of long term education and commemorative projects

(iii) Canada Ukraine relations asserting Ukraine as a top foreign policy priority with geopolitical and economic benefits for Canada.