In defence of the Ukrainian language

The member organizations of the Canadian Conference in Support of Ukraine have called on the Ukrainian Canadian community of greater Toronto and surrounding communities to gather on Wednesday, July 18, 2012 at the Consulate General of Ukraine, (2275 Lakeshore Blvd. W in Etobicoke) to rally in defence of the Ukrainian language and against Russia’s imperialist ambitions. Ukrainian Canadians and friends of Ukraine will voice their collective support for the mounting protests throughout Ukraine, where tens of thousands of citizens are demanding that the authoritarian regime in Kyiv respect the sanctity of the Ukrainian language as the single constitutionally mandated language of the country and for an end to Russia’s imperialist designs on Ukraine. Russia is intent on re-imposing its colonial control over Ukraine similar to that of Czarist and Soviet-Russia from the 17th through the 20th centuries, when speaking the Ukrainian language contravened government policy and was punishable with ostracization and even arrest. See CHRONOLOGY OF PROHIBITIONS OF THE UKRAINIAN LANGUAGE at: http://www.lucorg.com/UserFiles/File/Prohibitions.pdf