November 19, 2012
Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today issued the following statement:
“This week, we stand with people of Ukrainian descent across Canada and around the world in remembering the Holodomor—the catastrophic famine of 1932-33 that claimed the lives of millions of Ukrainian men, women and children.
“The Holodomor was a genocide by starvation perpetrated by the ruthless Stalin regime to stamp out the Ukraine people’s aspirations for a free and independent country.
“In communities across Canada this week, sombre services will honour the memory of those who perished and reaffirm our strong commitment to combatting the type of inhuman evil that has led to the deaths of so many.
“Their suffering and sacrifice compels us to recognize that, still today, far too many people around the world are denied their basic rights, freedoms and dignity. Our shared humanity compels us to keep working toward what is right and just for all.
“In 2008, Canada recognized the Holodomor as an act of genocide and designated the fourth Saturday of November as a memorial day dedicated to remembering the victims of the Ukrainian famine and genocide.”
Comments