The Province of Saskatchewan has proclaimed 2016 to be the Year of Saskatchewan Ukrainians. This designation acknowledges the 125th anniversary of the arrival of the first Ukrainian immigrants in Canada.
Both my husband’s and my ancestors were among those arriving here in the first great immigration wave. Those who came left Ukraine to escape an oppressive regime and many wanted to avoid military duty. But more than this, they were enticed by the promise of obtaining their own farmland and by the hopes of providing better opportunities for their children.
My husband’s paternal grandfather (Gedo) had been drafted into the army by the ruling Austro-Hungarian Empire where his quick wit soon earned him a promotion to sergeant. But when his girlfriend and her family decided to emigrate to Canada, he asked to be released from army duty. His request was promptly denied! For two years he continued to seek permission and for two years he continued to be turned down. He finally realized that if he ever hoped to see his sweetheart again, he would have to find another way. So he hopped on board a cattle ship destined for Canada and finally made his way to his new home as a stowaway. (And for those of you who love a romantic ending – yes, he finally caught up to his girlfriend and married her.)
Interestingly enough, my paternal grandfather’s story is very similar. Although he had not yet been drafted into the army, he did follow his girlfriend to Canada as a stowaway on a ship. He followed his heart, but left behind the rest of his family. The stories of so many of those early settlers are equally as enthralling.
At the time, many Canadians questioned the wisdom of Laurier’s government in allowing these Slavic foreigners into the country. Ukrainians were met with curious stares and sometimes with outright hostility. But Clifford Sifton, Minister of the Interior, defended this decision by declaring that, “a stalwart peasant in a sheep-skin coat, born on the soil, whose forefathers have been farmers for 10 generations, with a stout wife and a half dozen children, is good quality.”
Sifton’s conviction was fulfilled as these settlers became very good farmers, clearing the land and settling the “last, best West” as it was dubbed. Subsequent generations of these early settlers would enter every profession and come to hold many high offices in power. They would contribute to the success of this great province and all of Canada.
Today more than 13 per cent, which is around 136,000 people, trace their ancestry to Ukraine. And today, as part of the most recent immigration wave, Ukraine is the fourth provider of new residents to this ever-growing province.
Ukrainian culture through its food, dance and art has been woven into the very fabric of this great land, so that today in some small way, we can all say we are Ukrainian.
