Member of parliament Peter Goldring speaks of Ukrainian Holodomor on Parliament Hill

Ottawa – In the House of Commons today, Peter Goldring, Member of Parliament for Edmonton East, vice-chair of the Canada-Ukraine Parliamentary Group and member of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Dvelopment, called on parliamentarians to learn the lessons of the Holodomor, the murder by starvation of millions in Ukraine in the 1930s.

“For most of 80 years past, the silence has been near complete, stifled behind a Soviet curtain of iron, ne’er to be spoken aloud,” Mr. Goldring said. “Eight million perished, murdered by forced starvation in the Holodomor, the genocide of Ukraine.

“Civilization’s failure must be put on permanent public display so that all can see the dark side of humanity, and hopefully learn not to repeat” he added.

The full text of Mr. Goldring’s statement reads:

UKRAINE GENOCIDE – THE HOLODOMOR

Mr. Speaker:

For most of 80 years past, the silence has been near complete, stifled behind a Soviet curtain of iron, ne’er to be spoken aloud. The enormity of the deliberate annihilation unknown to the world, while Europe’s bread was made from the bountiful crops stolen by Stalin from Ukraine.

Eight million perished, murdered by forced starvation in the Holodomor, the genocide of Ukraine.

Then - freedom ushered in with celebrations of independence, the Soviet yolk of servitude and dictated silence lifted.

The world must be told of the Holodomor, of Ukraine’s genocide of such unimaginable horror in a land of such great plenty.

Civilization’s failure must be put on permanent public display so that all can see the dark side of humanity, and hopefully learn not to repeat.

We remember today and for all time the Holodomor, the genocide in Ukraine.