Today, Canadians remember and honour the millions of victims of the Holodomor, the famine genocide deliberately inflicted on Ukrainian people in 1932 and 1933 by Joseph Stalin's totalitarian regime.
The Holodomor, which means "death by hunger" in Ukrainian, was deliberately perpetrated by Joseph Stalin to systematically destroy the unique identity of the Ukrainian people, along with their aspirations for freedom and independence. In 1991, Ukraine eventually gained independence, after decades of Soviet rule.
Today, Canada is home to the world's second largest Ukrainian diaspora that has helped, and continues to help, build a strong, inclusive, and diverse society. Holodomor Memorial Day is a reminder of our collective duty to bolster our efforts in condemning all forms of prejudice, discrimination, and racism as well as preventing hatred from taking root in communities from coast to coast to coast to ensure we become consciously more inclusive.
As Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth, I invite all Canadians to take a moment to honour the courage and resilience of the millions of innocent victims of the Holodomor and their descendants. May their memory be eternal. Vichnaya Pamyat.
