The Ukrainian Canadian Professional and Business Federation

Tuesday November 30, 1999

The idea of an inclusive Canadian Genocide Museum has moved up a notch. The "subject matter" of Bill C-224 has been referred unanimously by the House of Commons to the Standing Committee on Heritage. The Committee is to report to the House by mid June 2000.

After a fascinating cat and mouse play between Sarkis Assadourian, the author of the Bill, and the House which denied him the required unanimity despite several amendments, the MPs finally agreed to have it studied further by the Standing Committee. Members found it too prescriptive; and wanted it to be more inclusive.

Following the endorsement Sarkis Assadourian indicated that he was"extremely pleased the the Bill would now get full attention in the Committee."

"We're delighted. This marks a successful end to a chapter in our work towards an inclusive museum. Now on to the next phase. The Ukrainian community will be making its views known to the Heritage Committee in due course, " said Oksana Bashuk Hepburn, President UCC Ottawa who was present in the Parliament Gallery for the debate.

The UCC Ottawa began to lobby for an inclusive Genocide Museum in July , 1998 with letters to decision makers at the Canadian Museum of Civilization. "We sponsored the Famine resolution at the UCC National Congress in October that year and worked to have it accepted at the World Congress in December. At this time we also started promoting Sarkis Assadourian's Bill ," said Peter Sorokan, Vice President.

The resolutions became the underpinnings for recent Canadian and global commemorations of the artificial famine that starved some 10 million Ukrainians in Soviet Ukraine.

"We are proud of what has been achieved by the efforts of our community Canada-wide. We have worked the democratic process and brought the tragedy of the famine to the consciousness of many. It's indicative that most speakers in the debate paid respect to the Ukrainian Famine Genocide. We must keep on working until an inclusive Genocide Museum is a reality," she concluded.

Complete transcripts of the debate on Bill C -224 will be published in Hansard.

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