Government Issues Committee Report; Wed., July 02, 2003

(1) Invitations were sent to Stephen Harper, Peter MacKay and Jack Layton to meet with UCC-APC to discuss issues of concern to the Ukrainian community in Alberta. This includes Ukraine-Canada relations (Edmonton consulate), denaturalization and deportation policy, Bill C-18 and WWI internment. Only Jack Layton’s organization acknowledged receipt of the invitation. Peter MacKay is supposed to be at the Chateau Louis, Edmonton, on Sunday, July 06 and there is a Stephen Harper barbecue in Sherwood Park on Wednesday, July 16, 2003.

(2) Bill Pidruchney et al has been distributing his brochure calling for the rescission of the revocation of citizenship provisions in Bill C-18 and the current Citizenship Act. Distribution was undertaken at the Multiculturalism Day celebrations at Edmonton City Hall on June 27 and Canada Day celebrations at the Alberta Legislature and Mill Woods suburb on July 01, 2003. Further distribution to various ethno-cultural organizations and across Canada is being undertaken.

(3) On Friday, June 27, 2003, Paul Grod of the UCC National Justice Committee sent an urgent Email informing the Ukrainian community that Canada’s War Crimes Unit via Citizenship and Immigration Minister, Denis Coderre, is once again calling for the revocation of the citizenship of Wasyl Odynsky. A letter/fax/telephone campaign has been organized on E-poshta to lobby the various decision-makers on this issue. A group of concerned individuals in Edmonton met on Sunday, June 29, 2003, to discuss the situation. Eugene Harasymiw and Marco Levytsky have already sent letters to appropriate members of the Privy Council. Bohdan Klid has drafted a letter addressed to Denis Coderre on behalf of UCC_APC, which should be sent as soon as possible.

Respectfully submitted
Will Zuzak, 2003-07-02
UCCreport20030702.doc