29 June 2011, 10:02
Visiting Canada, Mykola Tomenko, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, and Yevhen Suslov, People's Deputy of Ukraine, took part in the project "History Train of Ukrainian Pioneers", dedicated to the 120th anniversary of the first settlement of the Ukrainians in Canada. As it is known, 120 years have passed since the Ukrainians first settled in Canada. To celebrate this date, the Ukrainian Embassy in Canada with the assistance of Canadian-Ukrainian Parliamentary Friendship Group implements a cultural project "History Train of Ukrainian Pioneers" in Canada on June 23-July 8, 2011. The project has the form of a symbolic trip of the first Ukrainian emigrants in Canada.
On June 24, the project "History Train of Ukrainian Pioneers" started in the National Museum of Emigration in the Canadian city of Halifax. It is the primary stage of the railway trip, which starts on June 24. The route is the following: Halifax Montreal Ottawa Saskatoon Edmonton. Apart from the Ukrainian parliamentarians, Ihor Ostash, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Canada, Halifax mayor and Deputy President of Halifax port attended the grand opening. One of the biggest events was opening of the monument to Taras Shevchenko made by the world-known Canadian sculptor of the Ukrainian origin Leo Mol in Ottawa, the capital of Canada. The Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine considers opening of T. Shevchenko's monument to be a historic event for both Ukraine and Canada. During the grand opening of the monument to the Ukrainian poet on June 26, the Deputy Chairman of the Ukrainian Parliaments stated, "Taras Shevchenko has always united Ukrainians, even overseas and through the centuries."
The Deputy Chairman admitted that the lack of attention and respect of the Ukrainian political elite for the Ukrainians might have caused the situation, when we still live "in our, not own land." "However, today's event in the Canadian capital inspires us and I am convinced that Ukraine will soon flourish and live in peace", he stressed.