the wrzesnewskyj report winter 2004
DESCRIPTION
Quarterly report to constituents from Borys Wrzesnewskyj, M.P. for Etobicoke CentreTRANSCRIPT
Dear Constituents,
As 2004 comes to an end it will have been a very
memorable year for all Canadians. The federal election
resulted in a minority government, something we
haven’t seen for decades.
The federal and provin-
cial governments reached
a key agreement on
health care funding and
are in the process of
negotiating equalization,
while Finance Minister
Ralph Goodale delivered
an upbeat economic and
fiscal update showing a
resilient Canadian econ-
omy.
To those of you with
family members in the
Canadian Armed Forces
currently serving abroad,
I would like to extend
our thanks for your sacri-
fices on behalf of our
country. Your husbands,
wives, sons and daugh-
ters are protecting the very freedoms and values that all
Canadians hold dear and for that, thank you.
Within our community there are those less fortunate
and in need of a helping hand, a kind word, shelter or
food. Please do not forget them during this holiday
season of giving.
In this report, my activities in the riding and Ottawa
are highlighted. I am very proud that the motion I intro-
duced to send a strong message to Ukraine to ensure a
fair and open election process was passed with all-party
support. Unfortunately, the situation has since rapidly
deteriorated. My prayers go to the long suffering
people of Ukraine.
On behalf of my family, staff and our government I
would like to extend to all of you, our best wishes for
peace and hope this Holiday Season, and a prosperous,
healthy and happy New Year.
“ O U R F U T U R E B E G I N S T O D A Y“ O U R F U T U R E B E G I N S T O D A Y ””
The WrzesnewskyjThe Wrzesnewskyj ( Pronounced Vzes ( Pronounced Vzes -- név név -- ski )ski )
ReportReport
Borys Wrzesnewskyj, M.P. Etobicoke Centre
“Our future begins today.”
Constituency Office:
140 La Rose Ave., Unit 14 Etobicoke, ON M9P 3B2
(416) 249-7322 tel. (416) 249-6117 fax
E-mail: [email protected]
Ottawa Office:
Room 555D, Centre Block House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6 (613) 947-5000 tel. (613) 947-4276 fax
E-mail: [email protected]
Borys joining Donna Canesfield, M.P.P. and Councillor Doug Ford, and the students, teachers and parents at the solemn blessing ceremony at All Saints Catholic School on September 17, 2004.
SEASONS GREETINGSSEASONS GREETINGS
A Remembrance Day A Remembrance Day
Message from BorysMessage from Borys
A day to remember those who paid
the ultimate sacrifice. We’ll never
know them, nor their children and
grandchildren that might have been.
What we do know is that in giving
their lives, they gifted us and future
generations with peace and
consequent prosperity. While we may
not remember their names, “In
Flanders Fields the poppies grow…”
“OUR FUTURE BEGINS TODAY”“OUR FUTURE BEGINS TODAY”
With my “helpers” during the flag raising ceremony at Dixon Grove Junior Middle School on October 8th.
Lest We Forget: Remembrance Day 2004Lest We Forget: Remembrance Day 2004
Paying respect to Canada’s fallen heroes with our veterans at a Remem-brance Day ceremony in Etobicoke on November 6th. Canada’s soldiers paid the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom and democracy we enjoy today.
Here to Serve YouHere to Serve You
The Wrzesnewskyj ReportThe Wrzesnewskyj Report December 2004December 2004
Local Events: Connecting with the CommunityLocal Events: Connecting with the Community
Is the Canadian flag flying at your school torn and worn?
Could your school use a new Canadian flag?
If the answer is yes, my office would be pleased to arrange a flag raising cere-mony.
I enjoy meeting with our children and will personally attend and have a question and answer session about our flag and Canada for the kids.
Please call my office at (416) 249-7322.
School Flag Raising:School Flag Raising: Encouraging Pride in CanadaEncouraging Pride in Canada
Mr. Borys Wrzesnewskyj (Etobicoke Centre, Lib.): Mr.
Speaker, this week the Etobicoke Rotary Club was recognized by
the Trillium Health Centre for its 50 years of continuous support of
the hospital.
The Etobicoke Rotary Club was established in 1930 and has
accomplished an exemplary amount of community service,
including raising $1 million in the last 15 years for various
charitable causes that are essential to the fabric of our community.
To mark this important event and in keeping with the Club’s
commitment to the Trillium Health Centre, Rotary Club president
Sue Foley presented a $50,000 cheque for the new Kingsway
Financial Spine Institute which will open in January 2005.
I would like to commend the Etobicoke Rotary Club and its
membership for its vision and longstanding commitment to the
community. I join all members of the House in congratulating the
Club on its 75 years of active and exceptional community service.
House of Commons Debates (Hansard) 1st Session, 38th Parliament
October 26, 2004
Sitting in (not really playing) with Ms Natalia Leshchyshyn’s music class at All Saints Catholic School on September 17th.
Encouraging our future soccer stars during a local street festival.
Borys greeting our Veterans at a Remembrance Day ceremony in Etobiocke on November 6th. Etobicoke Rotary Club’s Golden JubileeEtobicoke Rotary Club’s Golden Jubilee
Sharing with constituents in the fellowship of a Ramadan Dinner hosted by the International Muslim Organization on October 31, 2004.
Etobicoke’s Urban Family Outreach Receives FundinEtobicoke’s Urban Family Outreach Receives Fundingg
On September 21, 2004 Etobicoke’s Urban
Family Outreach received $50,000 in funding
under the federal government’s National Crime
Prevention Strategy.
Through the project “Fresh Future,” Urban
Family Outreach will combine recreational
opportunities, academic
support and tutoring,
mentoring, and
workshops focused on
reducing youth
criminality that will
benefit the community
and positively affect all
those who live here.
This project is about
tackling issues before
they become problems,
or worse, tragedies.
To be successful, our
justice system must do
more to prevent the
root causes of crime.
Our strategy must be
about dealing with
factors like illiteracy, poverty, homelessness,
and violence at home which can lead
children, young people, and adults toward
criminal activity in the first place. The costs
to society are too high.
Attending the the National Crime Prevention Strategy announcement in Toronto with federal Human Resources Minister Joe Volpe and provincial Community Safety Minister Monte Kwinter on September 21, 2004.
Federal and Provincial Ministers responsible for
Social Services met recently and agreed on
shared principles to guide the development of a
new national system of early learning and child
care.
The groundwork they have laid for a nation-
wide initiative will become a
pillar of Canada’s social foun-
dations. Ministers agreed to
establish a long-term shared
vision that would include
measurable goals, shared
principles, strong accountabil-
ity, and provincial flexibility.
The agreed-upon principles
include quality, universally
inclusive, accessible, and de-
velopmental.
In the words of Social De-
velopment Minister Ken Dry-
den: “This has been an his-
toric meeting...This is a long-
term effort, but we have a
solid history of collaborative
action, based on a shared
commitment to improve op-
portunities for children and
families. Canadians want and expect us to work
together, and that is what we have done. Early
learning and child care is recognized throughout
Canada as an essential support for parents and
young children.”
Federal and Povincial Ministers also reviewed
progress on the National Child Benefit with Min-
ister Dryden concluding that the results show
“...that the National Child Benefit is achieving a
number of positive impacts for low-income fami-
lies and their children.” This initiative is a con-
crete example of how different levels of govern-
ment can work together to make progress on joint
priorities.
National Page: Reflecting Our Community’s Views in Ottawa
December 2004December 2004 The Wrzesnewskyj ReportThe Wrzesnewskyj Report
The Government of Canada has declared 2005 as the
“Year of the Veteran.”
Throughout the year, special ceremonies and events
will take place across Canada and overseas to pay tribute
to all Veterans and recognize the 60th anniversary of the
end of the Second World War. Expected events will
include:
▪ recognizing Second World War Veterans at Victory
Europe Day in May, and in August to mark Victory in
the Pacific;
▪ opening the new Canadian War Museum with
veterans as guests of honour;
▪ unveiling the Seventh Book of Remembrance at
Parliament Hill to commemorate Canadian Forces
members killed in service since the Korean war;
▪ continuing restoration work at the Vimy Memorial in
France; and
▪ helping veterans share their stories with youth.
Veterans
and veterans
organizations
are already
involved in
the planning
for the Year of
the Veteran.
An official
launch of the
Year of the
Veteran in
January will
outline even
more events
and
ceremonies.
Please
watch the
Veterans
Affairs web
site for
information
on upcoming
events:
www.vac-acc.gc.ca.
Developing a National Early Learning and Child Care SystemDeveloping a National Early Learning and Child Care System
The International ArenaThe International Arena Since my university days I have been keenly
interested in the promotion of civil and human rights.
While participating in meetings of the National Defence
and Foreign Affairs Caucus, these important issues have
been raised in the context of the Darfur region of Sudan;
the Carribean country of Haiti; Canadian forces
assisting in bringing security and stability to
Afghanistan; and the potential dangers to Ukraine’s
democractic development as a result of a worrisome
trend of escalating intimidation and violence against
opposition candidates during that country’s presidential
election campaign.
In response to ongoing reports of political dirty tricks
and violence in Ukraine’s presidential election, I
introduced a Motion (M-156, Ukrainian Elections) on
October 12th urging the Canadian Government to send
a strong message to the Ukrainian government to clean
up its act.
Following intense lobbying of opposition House
Leaders and Foreign Affairs Critics, and following
meetings with Government House Leader Tony Valeri
and Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew, my
Motion received unanimous support and passed in the
House of Commons on October 26th.
* * *
Mr. Borys Wrzesnewskyj (Etobicoke Centre,
Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Having
held consultations with all the parties, if you were to
seek it, I believe that you would find unanimous consent
for the following motion. I move:
That, in the opinion of this House, the government
should impress upon the Government of Ukraine to
ensure a fully transparent election process by: (a)
providing free access for Ukrainian and international
election observers, multiparty representation on all
election commissions, unimpeded access by all parties
and candidates to the media, freedom of candidates
and media from intimidation and/or harassment, and
a transparent process for complaint and appeals
through electoral commissions and the courts; (b)
guaranteeing election monitors from the Office of the
Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, other
participating States of the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe, Ukrainian political
parties, candidates' representatives, non-governmental
organizations, and other private institutions and
organizations, both foreign and domestic; and (c)
providing unobstructed access to all aspects of the
election process for the Ukrainian presidential election
of October 31, 2004 and a potential second round
election on November 21, 2004.
I would therefore ask for the unanimous consent of the
House to adopt Motion No. 156 standing in my name.
The Acting Speaker (Mr. Marcel Proulx): Does the
hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House
to move the motion?
Some hon. members: Agreed.
The Acting Speaker (Mr. Marcel Proulx): The
House has heard the terms of the motion. Is it the
pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?
Some hon. members? Agreed.
(Motion agreed to)
House of Commons Debates (Hansard) October 26, 2004 - 1st Session, 38th Parliament
2005 The Year of the Veteran2005 The Year of the Veteran
Borys with our proud Veterans at the Remembrance Day ceremony in Etobiocke on November 6th.
Borys introducing his Private Member’s Mo-tion (M-156) in the House of Commons on October 26, 2004. The Motion urged the fed-eral government to send a strong message to the Government of Ukraine to clean up its act and ensure a fair and democratic election.
Pictured recently with Social Development Minister Ken Dryden and several members of our community during the Minister’s visit to Etobiocke.
The International Arena The International Arena -- Emergency DebateEmergency Debate
The Wrzesnewskyj Report December 2004
Showing support and solidarity for democracy in Ukraine at a Toronto candle light vigil with former Prime Minister, the Right Honourable John Turner, November 23, 2004.
The Speaker: I wish to advise the House that I
have received notice of an
application for an emergency
debate from the hon. member
for Etobicoke Centre.
Mr. Borys Wrzesnewskyj
(Etobicoke Centre, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to
Standing Order 52, I ask
leave to propose the
adjournment of the House
for the purpose of
discussing a specific and
important matter requiring
urgent consideration,
namely the rapidly
deteriorating situation in
Ukraine as a result of an
attempt at coup d’etat by
the present administration and its impact on our
domestic and foreign policies.
House of Commons Debates (Hansard)
November 24, 2004, 1st Session - 38th Parliament
In response to the concerted and systematic fraud perpetrated
against the will of the
Ukrainian people during the
recent presidential election in
that country, and the hun-
dreds of thousands of
Ukrainians who took to the
streets in defence of their
democratic rights, it was
essential that the House of
Commons turn up the heat
on the corrupt regime that
has brought Ukraine to the
brink. To that end, I spear-
headed in Canada’s House
of Commons the unani-
mously accepted Motion of
October 26th, the emergency
debate that took place in our
nation’s highest legislative body on November 24th, and the
unanimously accepted Motion of November 25th.
Addressing the Toronto rally in support of the students in the streets of Ukraine on November 23th, an hour after flying in from Kyiv.
Emergency Debate on UkraineEmergency Debate on Ukraine
“Last night I came back from Ukraine, having observed the
second round of presidential elections. I have to admit that prior
to leaving for Ukraine, I was naively optimistic. I was optimistic
because, between the two rounds of elections, I had travelled to
Ukraine as part of a parliamentary delegation.
The world condemnation after the first round of fraudulent
elections, coupled with the vote results, ended with the people
choosing the opposition leader, Victor Yushchenko. I believed
that the existing regime would have understood that its time was
up.
As I said, I was naively optimistic. What I saw in the second
round was exponentially worse than what took place in the first
round. There are hundreds of documented cases of electoral
fraud, abuse and intimidation. I would like to categorize what
we saw into six broad areas: ▪ intimidation and bribery; ▪ falsification of lists; ▪ falsification of ballot boxes and ballots; ▪ deprivation of the rights of observers; ▪ lack of a free press; and ▪ outside interference by Russia and its President. (…)
Since Ukraine’s independence 14 years ago, we have talked
about a special relationship between our two countries.
Sometimes people misunderstand that term. They think it is
based on economics. If we take a look at the economic figures,
we quickly realize that it is not based on this. What it is based on
is the hundreds of thousands of family ties between our two
countries. There are 1.1 million Ukrainian Canadians in Canada.
Tonight and in the coming days we have to give meaning to
those words “special relationship”. We have to make it clear that
we do not accept this coup d’etat. (…)
Prime Minister Yanukovych, President Kuchma, their
cronies and their families should face economic and individual
sanctions. They should be prevented from travelling the
countries of the free world. We should also send a message to
Russian President Putin, who directly involved himself in this
election campaign and continues to meddle at this very
dangerous point in time.
I would like to express, on behalf of the people of Canada,
that tonight and in the days to come we will stand by the people
of Ukraine, just as when we were the first country in the western
world to acknowledge Ukraine’s independence in 1991. In the
coming days we will take a lead among the circle of democratic
nations in the world.
Finally, our prayers are with the people of Ukraine as they
stand on the cold, dark streets of Kyiv and all the cities where
the people have come out to protest. Our prayers are with them
during this orange uprising.” House of Commons Debates (Hansard)
1st Session, 38th Parliament - November 24, 2004
UKRAINE ON THE BRINKUKRAINE ON THE BRINK
Borys Wrzesnewskyj, M.P.Borys Wrzesnewskyj, M.P.
New Year’s LeveeNew Year’s Levee
Mr. Borys Wrzesnewskyj (Etobicoke Centre, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. There have been
consultations with all parties and if you seek it I believe
you would find unanimous consent of the House to put
the following motion forward. I move:
That, in the opinion of this House and based on the
observations of several thousand international
observers, including observers from the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the European
Union, the Council of Europe, the European
Parliament, NATO, and the United States, as well as
the observations of approximately 100 Canadian
observers and two Canadian Parliamentary
delegations; a concerted, systemic and massive fraud
has been committed by the current regime and the
Central Electoral Commission of Ukraine against the
will of the people of Ukraine;
That, based on the above mentioned observations, the
electoral commission does not have a legitimate basis
for declaring Mr. Yanukovych the winner of the
presidential election;
That, in the event that President Kuchma and the
Government of Ukraine do not ensure that the
democratic will of the Ukrainian people is respected, the
Government of Canada shall consider the introduction
of appropriate and effective measures, mindful of the
impact on the people of Ukraine and will seek the
cooperation on such measures with the international
community.
The Deputy Speaker: Does the member have the
consent of the House to present the motion?
Some hon. members: Agreed.
The Deputy Speaker: The House has heard the terms
of the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the
motion?
Some hon. members: Agreed.
(Motion agreed to) House of Commons Debates
Nov. 25, 2004
Borys Wrzesnewskyj, M.P.
Etobicoke Centre
Cordially invites you and your
family to attend his
2005 New Year’s Levee
Sunday, January 9, 2005
11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Montgomery’s Inn
4709 Dundas St. W.
Etobicoke, ON M9A 1A8 (corner of Dundas St. W. & Islington)
Cookies and cider will be served!
For more information call (416) 249-7322.
Unanimous Motion on theUnanimous Motion on the
Ukrainian ElectionUkrainian Election
Addressing a rally on Parliament Hill on November 25th with fellow parliamentarians just before introducing my Motion on the Ukrainian election, which received unanimous support from all parties. In front of the Peace Tower with Senators David Smith and Jerry Grafstein, former NDP leader Alexa McDonough, and various members of the Liberal and Conservative caucuses.