Blood and Belonging continues: Ignatieff removes leading Ukrainian Canadian from shadow cabinet

On Thursday, January 22, 2009 in his first shadow cabinet, Michael Ignatieff removed Borys Wrzesnewskyj, M.P. for Etobicoke Centre from his previously held position of Critic for Citizenship, Immigration & Multiculturalism, and removed Mr. Wrzesnewskyj from the shadow cabinet altogether.

Since his election in 2004, Borys Wrzesnewskyj has been a very active Member of Parliament and has been a longstanding advocate for the Ukrainian community as well as for many other. Mr. Ignatieff has a history of differences, and an enduring problematic relationship with the Ukrainian community. Mr. Wrzesnewskyj’s removal from the position of critic for Citizenship, Immigration & Multiculturalism seems to once again underline the fears the Ukrainian community has had with Ignatieff, which originate from Ignatieff's writings in his book Blood and Belonging (1993).

Even after Ukraine attained independence in 1991, for the sixth time in its history, Ignatieff questions Ukrainians’ claim of a national identity apart from Russia: "I feel like declaring my basic prejudices on arrival," he writes. "Isn’t nationalism just an exercise in kitsch, in fervent emotional insincerity? Especially so in Ukraine. It has been part of Russia for centuries."

"Into this inauthentic void streams nationalist emotionalism," he continues, "striving to convince them that there always was a Ukrainian nation; that it has been suppressed for centuries; that it has at last found its freedom, and so on. The reality is different,"

Where have we heard this sentiment expressed more recently, although more succinctly? Ah yes, when in Socchi (April 4, 2008) President Putin tutored President Bush on Ukraine’s genesis: “Ukraine is not even a nation!”

What prevents former professor Ignatieff and seemingly aspiring professor Putin to take the opportunity to incorporate new data into their ‘wisdom bank’? Why do they refuse to revise their positions when in 2004 they observed a people’s national spirit, as Ukrainians traveled from all parts of Ukraine to the capital Kyiv to stage the Orange Revolution in Independence Square – immovable even when rumours flew of Russian tanks and planes crossing the border into Ukraine? Indeed, this brought out more supporters, for in fighting for free elections Ukrainians understood that the “shield against its enemies is its own identity, vigorously asserted and framed by a commitment to democratic values”, as articulated by Ukrainian born, Soviet dissident, political prisoner and Israeli cabinet minister Natan Sharansky in Defending Identity (2008).

Mr. Ignatieff guides us to the answer to his and Mr. Putin’s inability, on this subject of Ukrainians, to think rationally and act justly in Blood in Belonging: "My difficulty in taking Ukraine seriously goes deeper than just my cosmopolitan suspicion of nationalists everywhere. Somewhere inside, I’m also what Ukrainians would call a Great Russian, and there is just a trace of old Russian disdain for these "little Russians."

In academia this ideological position is referred to as a Russo-centric, imperialist interpretation of history.

The first academic and political analyst to react to the news of Borys Wrzesnewskyj’s removal was Taras Kuzio: “Borys Wrzesnewskyj is an energetic and committed Ukrainian-Canadian who has accomplished a lot in a short period of time in the Canadian Parliament. His removal from the shadow cabinet undermines the Liberal Party’s professed allegiance to diversity and inclusiveness and throws a dark shadow over Michael Ignatieff’s support for traditional Liberal values. Ukrainian-Canadians need to unite and refuse to be treated as second-class by a new Liberal leader who has repeatedly shown in his past behaviour a contempt for Ukrainians. If Ignatieff continues to treat Ukrainian-Canadians in such a manner the Ukrainian-Canadian community should bring home to the Liberal Party the realisation that Ukrainian-Canadians have a choice in a democracy; that is, to vote for alternative political parties. Ukrainian-Canadians should bring this message home by uniting with other ethnic communities who have suffered from Russian oppression.”

Professor Kuzio’s suggestion will find resonance among many Canadians who do not regret that the Soviet Union fell apart and do not support an orientation that aligns itself with Russia’s Prime Minister/President Putin’s regrets*.

* “The collapse of the Soviet Union was the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century.” President Putin’s address to the nation April 25, 2005.

Author: Myroslava Oleksiuk, Editor, January 28, 2009 -- Vol.10 No.3 e-POSHTA

Photo Caption: Supporters of Borys Wrzesnewskyj who travelled to Ottawa from Toronto to witness his swearing in when he was first elected in 2004. The number of votes he received placed him 7th out of the 135 Liberals who were elected acoss Canada.

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Michael Ignatieff's Offensive Remarks Still a Problem by Ihor Cap - http://articlesandblogs.ezreklama.com/pub/articles/political-punditry/michael-ignatieff-s-offensive-remarks-still-a-problem-147.htm

“Meeting Michael Ignatieff” by Morris Lewicky in The New Pathway Matrch 26, 2009 p.7 -  http://www.infoukes.com/newpathway/12-2009-Page-7-2.html