By Walter Kish
In a few weeks time, the Ukrainian National Federation will be staging its 33rd National Convention. This once vibrant organization that had branches in over seventy towns and cities across Canada, has shrunk to about a dozen locations, many of them operating on a marginal basis and facing a problematic future. At the risk of sounding clich?, it is obvious that the organization is at a crucial crossroads. Should it continue doing “business as usual”, then its fate is pretty certain – a fade away into the annals of history.
It should come as no surprise to anyone that the organization finds itself in this situation. The average age of its members qualify most of them for pension status. The UNYF, or “youth” wing, ceased to exist for all practical purposes a decade or two ago. The most dynamic, capable, affluent and active demographic sector of the Ukrainian community, namely those in the twenty to fifty age range, are almost completely absent from its membership ranks. To add to its woes, since Ukraine finally achieved independence ten years ago, the UNF has been struggling to redefine its role and reason for existence in a much changed world.
These are painful and uncomfortable realities, yet they cannot be ignored or wished away. If the UNF is to continue to exist and be viable and relevant, they must be confronted and dealt with. Ironically, in order to insure its future, the UNF must return to the original reason for its creation and what made it so successful for most of this century, namely to serve the Ukrainian Canadian community.
Some seventy years ago, the Ukrainian Canadian community was quite different than what it is today. From the thirties through the sixties, the priorities and focus of the UNF reflected the immigrant nature and strong nationalistic and political focus of that community. Today, things are significantly different. The majority of today’s “Ukrainian” Canadians were born here, are not fluent in Ukrainian and are more concerned with Ukrainian culture and events here in Canada than in Ukraine. Moreover, thanks to the liberal, multicultural environment they have grown up in, coupled with the self confidence arising from having succeeded in “making it” within the Canadian socio-economic environment, they are comfortable with their ethnicity. Obviously, what they are not comfortable with, is organizations like the UNF whose priorities, programs, structure and methods of operation clearly are not relevant to their needs and interests.
The logic is inescapable. The UNF is a Ukrainian Canadian organization founded to serve the needs of the Ukrainian Canadian community. That community has changed significantly in the past seventy years. If the UNF is to survive and fulfill its purpose, then it too must change significantly to keep in step with its constituents.
Somewhere along the line, this obvious principle seems to have gotten lost and must be re-established. The original vision and purpose must be restored. Foremost to this vision is that the UNF must focus its efforts and energies in serving the interests of the Ukrainian community and Ukrainian culture here in CANADA. Its top priority must be to engage and attract that vast pool of second, third and fourth generation of Canadian born Ukrainians. It must do that within the context of non-denominational, non-partisan, and gender-neutral as well as multi-generational inclusive operating principles. It must retire old political rivalries and conflicts, and dedicate its efforts to unifying a fractured Ukrainian community.
It is not too late. The original founders of this organization started
with nothing but ideas, vision, strong wills and dedication. We have a
great advantage in that the UNF still has significant assets and an existing
infrastructure. All we need is our founders strength of conviction that
something new must be done and there is no such word as “can’t”!