Digital Literacy: Exploring Russian and Ukrainian History in Canada

Filip Konowal Awarded Victoria Cross by King George V

15 October 1917

10 March 1916 Bilingual Schools

Some 10,000 Ukrainian Canadians who did not come from Austro-Hungarian provinces (or who lied and said they didn’t) enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces during the First World War. The most notable was Filip Konowal. Identified as Russian upon immigrating to Canada and therefore never interned, Konowal was decorated for his actions in the Battle for Hill 70. Tasked with clearing a series of tunnels and bunkers, Konowal single-handedly killed at least 16 German soldiers while suffering gunshot wounds to his face, jaw and neck. Shortly after Konowal recovered at a hospital in Britain, King George V personally awarded him the Victoria Cross, saying: “Your exploit is one of the most daring and heroic in the history of my army. For this, accept my thanks.”

Abolished in Manitoba Criticized for slowing the assimilation of Ukrainian children, bilingual schools (in English and Ukrainian) were abolished in Manitoba in 1916, despite Ukrainian opposition. Saskatchewan followed suit in 1918. The schools were never allowed in Alberta. After the First World War, community-run schools expanded rapidly to preserve Ukrainian language and culture. Pioneer institutes also produced many community leaders. Ukrainian Canadians sustained a robust culture, including literature, folk music, church music and folk dance.

Former Minister Sifton Praises Immigration of “Stalwart Peasants”

1 March 1922

Sir Clifford Sifton was the federal minister of the interior and superintendent-general of Indian Affairs from 1896 until 1905. He initiated the program that raised the number of immigrants to Canada from around 16,000 to more than 140,000 per year. He specifically sought Central and Eastern European farm families. In 1922, when asked about bringing so many non-British settlers to Canada, Sifton said, “I think a stalwart peasant in a sheep-skin coat, born on the soil, whose forefathers have been farmers for ten generations, with a stout wife and a half-dozen children, is good quality.”

5 January 1911

Russians Immigrate after the Russian Revolution

1917

Israel Halperin Born Israel Halperin was born to Russian Jewish immigrants. In addition to being a brilliant mathematician, Halperin also worked to free those who were imprisoned by their government due to their political views or activism. When he learned the details of a particular case, he wrote polite but firm letters to the prisoner’s head of government and published them in the media. Halperin’s efforts helped to free Russian scientists Yuri Orlov and Anatoly (Natan) Sharansky, Uruguayan scientist José Luis Massera, and Myanmar’s Nobel Prize winner, Aung San Suu Kyi.

In 1917, the Russian Revolution overthrew the Tsarist government. The revolution was followed by a bitter civil war that lasted for many years. The country was devastated. It is estimated that about 1 million Russians immigrated to Canada as a consequence of these events. Though many of these immigrants traditionally worked in agriculture or industry, Canada’s resource economy required them to try new professions, such as mining and logging.