VICTORIA, B.C. – Andrew Weaver, leader of the B.C. Green Party, issued the following statement in recognition of International Holodomor Memorial Day:
“November 24th marks International Holodomor Memorial Day. The term “Holodomor” is derived from the words морити голодом, meaning extermination by hunger. Between 1932 and 1933 as many as ten million Ukrainians were killed by the Soviet government in a deliberate, state-induced famine. Today we remember those who were killed and who suffered, many of whom were children.
“As home to the world’s third-largest Ukrainian population, this day has special significance for Canada. It also has personal significance for me. As part of Stalin’s collectivization of farms, my grandfather was shipped to northern Russia. My mother was born in the Ukraine and fled as a refugee during the Second World War.
“Last year I tabled the Ukrainian Famine and Genocide (Holodomor) Memorial Day Act, or private members’ Bill M211. The B.C. government also proclaimed, as a one time event, November 25, 2017 as Holodomor Memorial Day. I am hopeful that in the future British Columbia will have a formal, annual recognition of this genocide to reaffirm our commitment to freedom, equality and human rights.
“As we reflect on the events that occurred in the Ukraine we must not overlook the current humanitarian crisis unfolding in Yemen, where war and blockades have induced widespread famine. This event is not unlike the Holodomor and it is essential that in reflecting upon those who lost their lives in the Ukraine, we recommit to a future free from genocide and famine.”
-30-
Media contact
+1 250-882-6187 | [email protected]