Bruce Ralston, Minister of Forests and Minister Responsible for the Consular Corps, has released the following statement in recognition of Holodomor Memorial Day:

“On the fourth Saturday in November, we join Ukrainian communities in British Columbia and around the world in remembering the victims of the Holodomor, recognizing the injustice of their suffering and honouring the strength of the survivors.

“Between 1932 and 1933, Joseph Stalin’s totalitarian Soviet regime inflicted mass starvation and genocide on the people of Ukraine. This deliberately organized famine or ‘killing by starvation,’ known as the Holodomor, led to the deaths of millions of children, women and men.

“Though Soviet party officials attempted to silence the extent and gravity of the famine at the time, we continue to acknowledge its horror today. The tragedy inflicted upon the Ukrainian people was an attempt to suppress the nation’s culture and destroy their dreams of an independent, free Ukraine.

“Now, so many years later, the world is again watching in horror as Russia continues its unprovoked and illegal attack on the Ukrainian people. We know that the impact of tragedies like the Holodomor and the ongoing war can last for generations, and we will continue to stand with all Ukrainians and Ukrainian-Canadians.”

Learn More:

In 2019, Ukrainian Famine and Genocide (Holodomor) Memorial Day was officially designated as a day of remembrance in British Columbia. For information on Holodomor, visit: http://holodomor.ca/holodomor-basic-facts/

For information about how to support Ukrainians through United Way British Columbia, visit: https://uwbc.ca/campaign/ukraine/