Ukrainian Canadian

A Ukrainian Canadian is a person of Ukrainian descent or origin who was born in or immigrated to Canada. In 2001 there were an estimated 1,071,060 persons residing in Canada (mainly Canadian citizens) of Ukrainian origin, making them Canada's eighth largest ethnic group.

Related Topics:
Ukrainian - Canada - Canada's eighth largest ethnic group

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Ukrainian Canadians are concentrated in the parklands belt and cities of the Prairie provinces, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, whose frigid terrain has many similarities with the farmlands and steppes of Ukraine. In addition to the official English and French, many prairie public schools offer Ukrainian-language education for children.

Related Topics:
Prairie provinces - Alberta - Saskatchewan - Manitoba - Steppe - Ukraine - English - French - Ukrainian-language

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There are also large Ukrainian communities in Toronto and Montreal.

Related Topics:
Toronto - Montreal

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The Ukrainians have long been at the heart of Canadian socialism. Most Ukrainians were anti-Soviet, but a significant minority were communists and made up the largest block in the Communist Party of Canada. Ukrainians also played a central role in the formation of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation and the New Democratic Party.

Related Topics:
Socialism - Soviet - Communist Party of Canada - Co-operative Commonwealth Federation - New Democratic Party

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From 1914 to 1920, the political climate of the First World War allowed the Canadian Government to classify Ukrainian immigrants with Austro-Hungarian citizenship as "aliens of enemy nationality". This classification, authorized by the 1914 War Measures Act, permitted the government to legally compel Ukrainian Canadians to register with authorities. About 5,000 Ukrainian men were interned at government camps and work sites. The internment continued for two more years after the war had ended, although most Ukrainians were paroled into jobs for private companies by 1917.

Related Topics:
First World War - Canadian Government - Ukrainian - Austro-Hungarian - War Measures Act - Interned

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There are several plaques and memorials in Canada commemorating the internment, including one at the location of a former internment camp in Banff National Park. In 2005, Prime Minister Paul Martin recognized the Ukrainian-Canadian internment as a "dark chapter" in Canadian history, and pledged $2.5 million to fund memorials and educational exhibits.

Related Topics:
Banff National Park - Ukrainian-Canadian internment - Canadian history

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There are a number of Ukrainian Canadian institutions such as:

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• Ukrainian Canadian Congress, a national organization representing the Ukrainian Canadian community
• Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada
• Centre for Ukrainian Canadian Studies at the University of Manitoba
 
Ukrainian Canadian: Famous Ukrainian Canadians ►