Friday, October 30, 2015

November is Holodomor Remembrance Month. Листопад – місяць Пам’яті Жертв Голодомору.

In memoriam UCU will be holding a food drive. Drop off your dry or canned goods at any UCU branch and they will be donated to a local food bank.

Вшановуючи пам’ять жертв голодомору Українська Кредитова Спілка розпочинає збір продуктів харчування у всіх відділеннях УКС, які будуть передані у місцеві інстанції.

You can see photos from last year's food drive on our Facebook page in the Holodomor Awareness album.

As of November 3, 2015 you can make donations at the following locations:

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Ринки як і раніше залежать від політики ФРС

Пару місяців тому ми писали про потенціал корекції на американських ринках акцій і говорили про вплив відсоткової політики Федеральної резервної системи США на ринки. З тих пір стало ясно, що корекція на фондовому ринку таки відбулася - індекс Доу-Джонс впав майже на 11% у другій половині серпня. Надії на продовження м'якої відсоткової політики підняли ринки у вересні-жовтні, проте ринки ще не досягли своїх попередніх рівнів.


Bчора сталася ще одна демонстрація того, наскільки фондовий ринок США залежить від продовження м'якої грошово-кредитної політики ФРС. До того, як ФРС зробила свою заяву, ринки росли в очікуванні затримки підвищення відсоткових ставок. Коли ФРС випустила заяву, що буде тримати ставки без змін, але більш м'яко висловилася щодо глобальних економічних проблем в порівнянні з попередніми заявами, і вказала, що може підвищити ставки на своєму наступному засіданні в грудні, Dow Jones Industrial Average (важливий фондовий індекс в США) впав майже на 1% протягом 15 хвилин.
Чому фондовий ринок падає, коли економічні умови поліпшуються? Судячи з усього, фондовий ринок, як і раніше, більше виграє від надлишкової ліквідності, наданої ФРС через низькі відсоткові ставки, ніж від фундаментальних економічних чинників, що відбувається вже упродовж семи років. 
Водночас, ринку знадобилася лише година, щоби повернути втрачену територію. Це ще раз демонструє, що балансування підходу ФРС до підвищення ставок створює плутанину і невизначеність для ринків. ФРС у грудні матиме останній шанс для підвищення ставок в 2015 році, отже слідкуйте за триваючою невизначеністю, яка має домінувати на ринку до кінця року.

Українська Кредитова Спілка Лимитед

Markets still depend on Fed’s policies

Some two months ago we wrote about the potential that US stocks could correct downwards, and touched upon the impact of the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy on the market’s value. It has since become clear that the correction of the stock market did materialize – the Dow Jones Industrial Average index dropped by almost 11% in the second half of August. The hopes for continued easy interest rate policy then supported the market which however has not yet recouped all of the corrective drop.


Yesterday was another display of how the US stock market depends on the continuation of the Fed’s easy monetary policy. Before the Fed made its announcement, the markets were growing in anticipation of a delay of the rate hike. When the Fed issued their statement that it would keep interest rates unchanged, but downplayed global economic problems compared to its earlier statements and indicated that it may raise interest rates at its next meeting in December, the DowJones Industrial Average (an important stock market index in the US) plunged by almost 1% over the course of 15 minutes.
Why would the stock market drop when economic conditions improve? Apparently, the stock market still benefits more from the abundant liquidity provided by the Fed through easy money (ie low interest rates) rather than from fundamental economic factors which has been the case for seven years now. That said, in took about 1 hour for the market to regain much of the lost territory after that.  This further demonstrates that with the Fed balancing its approach to raising rates, confusion and uncertainty for the markets is created.  December is the last chance for the Fed to raise interest rates in 2015, so watch for continued market uncertainty heading into the close of the year.

Ukrainian Credit Union Limited

Monday, October 26, 2015

Annual Branch Conference of Hamilton Members


NOTICE/ ПОВІДОМЛЕННЯ

The Annual Branch Conference of Hamilton members will take place on Tuesday, November 3, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. at Ukrainian National Federation, 170 Parkdale Ave., North, Hamilton, Ontario.  Registration will commence at 6:30 p.m.  The agenda will include reports, question and answer period, election of the Hamilton Branch Advisory Committee, and dinner with wine. All members are invited to attend and participate.  
Nominations for election to the Hamilton Branch Advisory Committee need to be submitted no later than 5 pm Friday October 30, 2015. For nomination forms or more information, please contact the Hamilton Branch.

Повідомляємо що Річнa Конференція Відділу членів УКС в Гамільтоні відбудеться у вівторок 3-го листопада 2015 року о 7:00 годині вечора в залі Українського Народнього Обєднання Канади, за адресою 170 Parkdale Ave., North, Hamilton, Ontario.  Реєстрація починається о 6:30 годині вечора. Запрошуємо усіх членів прийняти участь. Програма нарад включатиме звіти, дискусію над звітами, вибір Дорадчого Комітету Відділу, та вечерю з вином.

Номінації до Дорадчого Комітету треба внести до 5-ої години вечора у п’ятницю 30-го жовтня 2015. За формами подання кандидатур та додатковою інформацією просимо звертатися до Гамільтонського відділу.


Friday, October 16, 2015

UCU Helps Ukraine: Valeriy Pavlovych Sazonov

Valeriy Pavlovych Sazonov, born in1971 in the village of Novopokrivka, Kharkiv region. He served under
contract in 79 Mykolaiv Airborne Brigade. Starting from the spring of 2014, the Brigade defended the Donetsk airport. On June 1, while in the first defense line, Valery took a heavy concussion in the head from the shell explosion. He was taken to the Dnipropetrovsk hospital, where the hematoma was removed from his head. He was later treated in the Kharkiv hospital. Now he is the Lviv hospital, his left side is paralyzed. He requires a long and expensive rehabilitation. His younger brother is taking care of him.




To contribute toward Valery's treatments and therapies, please visit your branch or contact the call centre at 1.800.461.0777 to make a donation.

Lots of photos of the injured soldiers we are helping can be found on our Facebook page in the album UCU Helps Ukraine.

To read the stories of some of our other heroes CLICK HERE


Questions and inquiries about this initiative can be directed to the UCU Helps Ukraine committee: 
Kateryna Litvinjuk klitvinjuk@ukrainiancu.com
Michael Zienchuk mzienchuk@ukrainiancu.com
Roman Mlynko rmlynko@ukrainiancu.com

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Banking System Upgrade - What you need to know

Ukrainian Credit Union Limited is upgrading its banking system over the weekend of October 16 to 20. There will be a few things that affect you over this weekend.

First of all, our branches, internet baning, telephone banking and mobile app-based banking will NOT be available after 7pm October 16 until the morning of Ocotber 20. We apologize for the inconveninece.

The ATM network as well as your debit and credit cards will continue to work over the upgrade weekend.

Below are links to important information:

1. Log In IDs for Internet banking will change: click here for more info.

2. If you have a ucublu account, click here to find out about some temporary changes to your service.

3. If you have a business or organizational account, you will need to contact us after October 20 to obtain your new log in ID and password: click here for more info.

4. Download the Banking System Upgrade User's Guide.

If you have questions, please contact the Call Centre 416-922-4407, 1-800-461-0777 CallCentre@ukrainiancu.com or your local branch for assistance.

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Ukrainian Credit Union is upgrading our banking system!

Ukrainian Credit Union is upgrading our banking system and there will be some very important information about our upcoming banking system upgrade that will affect you! 
This weekend Ukrainian Credit Union Limited will be CLOSED October 16, 7:00 pm to October 20, 9:00 am, this includes branches, internet, telephone & app-based banking.  

Also as of Oct. 16 your login ID will have changed. To read our Banking Upgrade Guide CLICK HERE or call our Call Centre for instructions. 


For additional information please visit our website www.ukrainiancu.com, call our call centre 416-922-4407, 1-800-461-0777, or speak to your branch representative.




Monday, October 12, 2015

Spotlight on: Borys Wrzesnewskyj

In just about every election a handful of our members cast their hats into the ring in the hopes of winning the right to represent their neighbours at one or another level of government.
In this federal election we have so far identified only one member running for election as Member of Canada’s Federal Parliament. Borys Wrzesnewsky is the Liberal Party candidate for Etobicoke Centre, a riding that was hotly contested in 2011 and will likely once again act as a primary battle ground come voting day on October 19.

Though Ukrainian Credit Union Limited does not endorse candidates, we always encourage those of our members who get actively involved in the political life of Canada. What better way to contribute to our society than to be directly involved in governing it?

Borys is not a new-comer to politics, he represented Etobicoke-Centre for three terms between 2004 and 2011 when Conservative Ted Opitz won the election in a squeaker of a vote decided by some two dozen votes.

During his seven years in Parliament, Borys took part in many committees, including as a vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration and the Subcommittee on the Agenda and Procedure on the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration.

Among bills that he helped get passed in the House of Commons was MP James Bezan’s Bill C-459, An Act to establish a Ukrainian Famine and Genocide Memorial Day and to recognize the Ukrainian Famine of 1932-33 as an act of genocide, at all stages through the House of Commons and Senate. He also worked with MP Bob Rae to introduce and pass the Black Ribbon Day motion establishing an annual Canadian Day of Remembrance for the victims of Nazi and Soviet Communist regimes on August 23.

Another of Borys’ achievements was helping the Canadian government to negotiate and sign a historic agreement for $12.5 million with the Ukrainian Canadian community that was to be used for the acknowledgement, commemoration and, education of Canadians about the dark episode of internment operations against Ukrainian Canadians.

Borys at his bakery
A third generation Ukrainian Canadian and local business owner (Future Bakery and MC Dairy), Borys Wrzesnewskyj has lived in Etobicoke Centre for over two decades. Borys received his Bachelor of Commerce from Trinity College – University of Toronto in 1983 and quickly gravitated towards humanitarian and pro-democracy work – helping organize and finance the People’s Movement of Ukraine in the late 1980s, and in support of the referendum for the independence of Ukraine in 1991. One of his projects was an underground printing press which produced and distributed several million pieces of pro-independence literature in the South and East of Ukraine.

Borys Wrzesnewskyj with former Prime Minister
the Rt. Hon. John Turner
Throughout the 1990s, he was involved with various civil society and humanitarian projects in Ukraine, such as the building of libraries and providing scholarships for gifted students.
Borys initiated and was actively involved in organizing the Canadian delegation headed by former PM John Turner to the contested Ukrainian election during the Orange Revolution of 2004. Wrzesnewskyj was actively involved in the Canadian delegation to the contested Ukrainian election of 2004, Orange Revolution, and has often spoken to Canadian media on its behalf. Then, Canadian Prime Minister, Paul Martin said that he was personally briefed by Borys to publicly warn Russian President Vladimir Putin "hands off the Ukrainian election" in the House of Commons of Canada which fundamentally shifted Canada's position. Originally, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in Ottawa took a "hands off" approach to the contested Ukrainian election. Martin says that he, and the Government of Canada would not have stood up for democracy in Ukraine "if it hadn't been for Borys". Subsequently, he was instrumental in securing the Government of Canada's commitment to sending five hundred Canadian election observers to the December 2004 Presidential elections in Ukraine.

If you know of any other candidates who are members of Ukrainian Credit union Limited, please let us know and we will gladly profile them. In the meantime, make sure you are registered to vote and that you know all of the issues and candidates. Exercise your democratic right to vote!

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

The Knowledge Fund helps students in Western Ukraine

A group of students with their new tablets
Ukrainian Credit Union Limited has, from time to time, supported events organized by The Knowledge Fund to raise money for computing equipment for students in some of the poorer regions of Western Ukraine. Anna-Sofia Lesiv, the young lady who is the main organizer of this initiative sent us some photos and a letter updating us on the progress of The Knowledge Fund's efforts. We reproduce the letter below:


Dear UCU
Once again, I wanted to reach out to you and inform you of the latest achievement of The Knowledge Fund. The fundraising initiatives of the organization, in addition to the Ukrainian Credit Union’s generous donations have produced The Knowledge Fund’s latest success. Earlier, this September, just in time for the start of the new school year in Ukraine, 16 tablets were distributed to students in Skolivskyj and Turkivskyj rayony — some of the most under-developed regions in Western Ukraine. The students who received the tablets are orphaned and under the care of the government or a close relative. We hope that this access to technology and the Internet will open up a greater field of possibilities for them, and help them significantly in their studies. 
That being said, students in Skolivskiy and Turkivskiy rayony are not the only ones that need such support —- which is why it is crucial to continue disseminating information about the reality of education in Ukraine, and the goal of The Knowledge Fund. I would really appreciate it if the UCU could include mention of this achievement in its newsletter, Facebook page, other social media to inform its members of The Knowledge Fund’s mission, and of the significant role of the UCU in this success! 
I have incredible gratitude for all that the Ukrainian Credit Union has done so far to help this cause. 
Thank you. 
Anna-Sofia
We wish Anna-Sofia and her group much success in their endeavours.