Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Toews flyer blasts Ignatieff for remarks on Ukrainians
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Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, centre right, hugs Liberal MP Borys Wrzesnewskyj as Michael Ignatieff, left, looks on, after Yushchenko addressed the House of Commons last year. (SEAN KILPATRICK / THE CANADIAN PRESS)
(WINNIPEG FREE PRESS)
OTTAWA -- Manitoba regional cabinet minister Vic Toews has resurrected allegations Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff is anti-Ukrainian in a flyer sent to communities in his riding with large Ukrainian populations.
The flyer includes a photo of Ignatieff and two excerpts from his 1995 book Blood and Belonging, including Ignatieff saying "Ukrainian independence conjures up images of embroidered peasant shirts, the nasal whine of ethnic instruments, phoney Cossacks in cloaks and boots, nasty anti-Semites" and referring to himself as a "Great Russian" with a "taste of old Russian disdain for these 'little Russians.' "
The same remarks were raised against Ignatieff in 2005 when he ran for the Liberals in the Toronto riding of Etobicoke-Lakeshore and have haunted him repeatedly since, despite his attempts to explain they were meant as irony to rebut long-standing stereotypes of Ukrainians held by Russians.
On the flip side of the flyer, Toews outlines things the Conservatives have done for Ukraine and Ukrainian-Canadians, and includes a photo of Toews with Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko.
Bruce Waite, the president of the Liberal riding association in Provencher, said he first became aware of the flyers about two months ago and has only heard about them arriving in the mailboxes of people who live in communities with higher Ukrainian populations, such as Piney.
He said he lives near Ste. Anne and never received one himself.
Manitoba Liberal MP Anita Neville called the flyer the "worst kind of politics."
"He is the senior minister for Manitoba and there are very serious issues facing our country right now," said Neville. "This is what he chooses to put his publication out about right now? I find it deplorable."
Neville also said the quotes are taken out of context.
Toews' spokeswoman, Christine Cversko, said "the comments made by Mr. Ignatieff are on the record and available for anyone to review."
But Toronto Liberal MP Borys Wrzesnewskyj, a Ukrainian chosen by Ignatieff's office to respond to the flyers, said Toews is stirring up an issue that has been "put to rest."
He said earlier this year Ignatieff met with Ukrainian leaders in Edmonton, Winnipeg and Toronto, in part to explain the book and the comments and said they accepted the explanation and it's now "water under the bridge."
"He expressed his regrets for the wording," said Wrzesnewskyj. "To paint him as being anti-Ukrainian is inaccurate. I've got absolutely no doubts of his respect for Ukrainian-Canadians."
Wrzesnewskyj said Ignatieff is the only leader who has made a concerted effort to meet with that many Ukrainian-Canadian leaders and said Ignatieff also has made a number of promises of assistance such as helping Ukraine establish energy independence from Russia and opening a Canadian consulate in Lviv, in western Ukraine where many Ukrainian Canadians in Manitoba come from.
Wrzesnewskyj said perhaps Toews was afraid of the positive impact to come from the meeting in Manitoba and chose to put out the flyer in response.
In 2006, 167,175 Manitobans reported having Ukrainian ancestry.
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition June 19, 2009 A7
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