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Ukrainian Canadian Congress

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The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC; Ukrainian: Конгрес Українців Канади; French: Congrès des Ukrainiens Canadiens) is a nonprofit umbrella organization of Ukrainian-Canadian political, cultural, and religious organizations founded in 1940.

Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC)
FormationNovember 6, 1940; 84 years ago (1940-11-06)
Legal statusNonprofit organization
HeadquartersWinnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
MethodPolitical advocacy, lobbying, cultural activities
President
Alexandra Chyczij
CEO
Ihor Michalchyshyn
Websiteucc.ca

History

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Pre-UCC

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Advertisement for Ukrainians stating that there is free land available over 200 million acres.

Ukrainians immigrated to Canada at the turn of the 20th century, settling mostly in rural areas of the prairie provinces. Given the church services were required all the more by the new settlers, and in 1918 the autonomous Ukrainian Greek-Orthodox Church of Canada was established. Between 1903 and 1920 Ukrainian Canadians started many organizations and institutions (Ridna Shkola, Taras Shevchenko Institute in Edmonton, Andrey Sheptycky Ukrainian Bursa in Winnipeg among others).

With the outbreak of WWI many Ukrainian immigrants were detained being deemed "enemy aliens" as they arrived from countries at war with Canada. Formed in 1917, the Ukrainian Canadian Citizens' Committee, consisting of various lay and church organizations sent a delegation to Ottawa to protest the classification of immigrants from western Ukraine as "enemy aliens".

A number of organizations became active in the '20s and '30s including USRL, UNF, the Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood and others.

The need for unified action by the Ukrainian community became urgent in 1938 to react to events affecting Ukrainians in Europe and the beginning of WWII. The community was anxious to unite under one representative committee.

UCC

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The final and conclusive impetus for unity came in 1940 from the National War Services of Canada which was anxious that young Ukrainians enlist in military services.

Originally known as the Ukrainian Canadian Committee (by which it was known until 1989), it was established as a result of the efforts of the Ukrainian Canadian community in November 1940. The main reason that UCC was formed was to have an umbrella organization which could speak for all Ukrainian Canadians and co-ordinate their common goals.[1] The first congress of Ukrainian Canadians occurred June 22–24, 1943. This was attended by over 600 Ukrainian Canadians. The slogan of this congress was "Victory and Freedom".

In 1952 to combat Soviet propaganda, radio services such as the Voice of America and Radio Canada International Ukrainian-language service, broke through the information blockade and broadcast into the Soviet Union. This was achieved in no small part due to the hard work of the UCC and the Ukrainian Congressional Committee of America.

By 1959, during the sixth Congress of Ukrainian Canadians 25 organizations comprised the membership of the UCC. Resolutions were approved dealing with financial, organizational, social, educational, cultural and political issues as well as student and women's activities, all aimed at strengthening the community and the UCC. In August 2022, Russia designated the Ukrainian Canadian Congress as an "undesirable organization".[2]

Leadership

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The UCC National President is Alexandra Chyczij. The previous UCC National President was Paul M. Grod (2007–2018), who later became the President of the Ukrainian World Congress.

List of presidents of the UCC
No. Name Term of office Duration
1 Wasyl Kushnir 1940 1953 13 years[a]
2 Antony Yaremovich 1953 1957 4 years
3 Serge Sawchuk 1957 1959 2 years
– Wasyl Kushnir 1959 1971 12 years[a]
4 Dr. Peter Kondra 1971 1974 3 years
5 Serge Radchuk 1974 1980 6 years
6 John Nowosad 1980 1986 6 years
7 Dmytro Cipywnyk 1986 1991 5 years
8 Oleh Romaniw 1991 1998 7 years
9 Eugene Czolij 1998 2004 6 years
10 Orysia Sushko 2004 2007 3 years
11 Paul M. Grod 2007 2018 11 years
12 Alexandra Chyczij 2018 Present 6 years

Shevchenko Medal

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The UCC has issued the Shevchenko Medal to the following recipients within the last ten years:

2013 Triennial Conference (Toronto)

2016 Triennial Conference (Regina)

2019 Triennial Conference (Ottawa)

2022 Triennial Conference (Winnipeg)

Members

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Provincial Councils and Branches

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There are six Provincial Councils under the UCC National umbrella, which bring together hundreds of provincial Ukrainian Canadian community groups.

Branches of the Ukrainian Canadian community work at the local/civic level.  They are all under the umbrella of UCC National however they are separate legal entities.

  • Alberta Provincial Council
    • Calgary
    • Edmonton
  • British Columbia Provincial Council
    • Vancouver
    • Victoria
  • Manitoba Provincial Council
  • Ontario Provincial Council
    • Bradford
    • Durham Region
    • Hamilton
    • London
    • Niagara
    • Ottawa
    • Toronto
    • Waterloo - Wellington
    • Windsor
  • Quebec Provincial Council
    • Montreal
  • Saskatchewan Provincial Council
    • Canora
    • Regina
    • Saskatoon
    • Yorkton
  • Other Local Branches
    • Halifax
    • Prince Edward Island

Member organizations

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In addition to its provincial councils and local branches, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress consists of numerous national members:

Source:[3]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b For a total of 25 years.

References

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  1. ^ Kondra, Peter (1993). A Review of Half Century of Leadership. Winnipeg, Canada: Trident Press Limited. p. 1.
  2. ^ "Российский Минюст объявил "нежелательными" три канадских организации. Две из них связаны с Украиной". Meduza (in Russian). 2022-08-19. Retrieved 2022-09-01.
  3. ^ "Membership - The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) official website". 2020-02-19. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
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