The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, issued the following statement on Holodomor Memorial Day:
“From 1932 to 1933, Joseph Stalin’s totalitarian Soviet regime launched a campaign of starvation across Ukraine.
“The Holodomor was sickening. It was a calculated and deliberate famine. Its name, translating to ‘death by hunger’, remains a disturbing reminder of the millions of innocent Ukrainians who were arrested, deported, or executed in a genocide designed to break their will. A genocide that ravaged the Ukrainian countryside. That killed men, women, and children who were just trying to live their lives. That tried to erase the Ukrainian identity.
“In the face of these horrors, Ukrainians endured, protecting their language, their culture, and their identity. In 1991, after decades of Soviet rule and oppression, Ukraine gained its independence. Canada was the first Western country to recognize their freedom.
“The Soviet regime attempted to cover up the evidence of the Holodomor, and Russia denies it was a genocide to this day. But we remember. And it is up to each of us to ensure the stories of the Holodomor are never erased.
“Canada is helping preserve the memory of the victims of the Holodomor and combatting the denial of these atrocities. During my visit to Ukraine earlier this year, I announced that Canada will be supporting the completion of the National Museum of the Holodomor-Genocide in Kyiv.
“When Canada recognized Ukraine’s independence, we knew then – what we reaffirm now – that Ukraine must remain free and independent, and its future must be decided by its own people. As Russia continues its brutal full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Canada stands ready to help Ukraine until victory. The Ukrainian spirit is unbreakable and Canada’s support for Ukraine is unwavering.
“I encourage all Canadians to reflect on the innocent lives lost during the Holodomor. Let us stand in solidarity with Ukrainian communities in Canada and around the world. Ukraine’s hard-won independence won’t be taken away.”
“Vichna yim pamyat.”
Timeline of Key Events
Year |
Event |
Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1929-1930 | Collectivization Policy | Stalin initiates policy forcing peasants to give up land and join collective farms. |
| 1932 (August) | Soviet Law | Harsh penalties introduced for taking food from collective farms. |
| 1932 (Fall) – 1933 (Spring) | Holodomor Famine | Millions die from starvation. |
| 1933 (June) | Death Toll Peaks | Estimates range from 3 to 7 million Ukrainians perishing. |
| 1991 | Ukraine Gains Independence | Ukraine becomes independent after the fall of the Soviet Union; Canada recognizes Ukraine’s independence. |
| 2006 | Holodomor Recognition | Ukrainian parliament recognizes the Holodomor as genocide. |
| 2008 | Canadian Recognition | Canada officially recognizes the Holodomor as an act of genocide. |
| 2024 | Canadian Support |
Sources: THX News & The Canadian Government.
