Internment Plaque Unveiled in Fernie, British Columbia by Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association in October

Nadia Lyzaniwski, Director, UCCLA

(Visnyk Winter 2005 online reference) -- On October 1, 2004, victims of Canada’s first national internment operations were remembered at a solemn ceremony with the unveiling of a trilingual commemorative plaque in Fernie, British Columbia. Since 1994, the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association (UCCLA) has placed 18 trilingual historical plaques and statues at Canadian internment camp sites. The Fernie plaque being the 19th installation, as it was the 19th camp to open in 1915. The plaque records the “truth of injustice” of the period between 1914 and 1920 where 24 internment camps were in operation across Canada holding over 8,000 people of other east European descent, of which approximately 5000 were of Ukrainian descent.

Approximately 50 local residents and guests from across the country were joined by Inky Mark, MP for Dauphin-Swan River-Marquette, and Jim Abbot, MP for East Kootenay at the unveiling ceremony. In addition to the members of UCCLA were Andrew Hladyshevshevsky, President of the Ukrainian Canadian Foundation of Taras Shevchenko, Paul Grod, Vice President of the Ukrainian Canadian Congerss, and Anne Sadelain of Descendents of Ukrainian Canadian Internee Victims Association.

For further information or to make a donation to help install the remaining plaques, please contact www.uccla.ca or 48 Woodcrest Close SW, Calgary, Alberta T2W 3P9.