The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Holodomor Memorial Day:

“Today, we join Ukrainian communities in Canada and around the world to mark 90 years since the Holodomor and to honour the millions of innocent victims who suffered or lost their lives.

“In 1932 and 1933, Joseph Stalin’s Soviet regime inflicted a deliberate famine across Ukraine. The Holodomor – ‘death by hunger’ – was a genocide that resulted in the starvation of millions of innocent Ukrainians, including children. The Soviet regime also arrested, deported, and executed Ukrainians. Stalin perpetrated the Holodomor in an attempt to repress the will of the Ukrainian people, erase their identity, and destroy their aspirations for a free and independent Ukraine.

“In the face of violent, systemic oppression, the Ukrainian people stayed resilient, and nearly six decades later, in 1991, Ukraine declared its independence as a free and sovereign nation. Canada was the first Western country to recognize Ukraine, and to this day, we remain steadfast partners and friends.

“The Soviet regime attempted to cover up the evidence of the Holodomor, and Russia still denies it was a genocide. Today, as Ukraine continues to defend itself against Russia’s brutal war of aggression, Ukrainians are again demonstrating their unbreakable, unwavering spirit. Ukraine will remain free; Ukraine will remain independent; and Canada will continue to support Ukraine for as long as it takes.

“On Holodomor Memorial Day, I encourage Canadians to learn more about this dark chapter of history and honour the millions of innocent lives lost. Canada will continue to stand with Ukrainians as they defend their country and our shared values, and we will continue to build a better world for us all.

“Vichna yim pamyat.”