The Senate has unanimously approved a bill declaring September Ukrainian Heritage Month, honoring Canada’s 1.3 million citizens of Ukrainian descent and expressing solidarity with relatives fighting abroad.Sen. Stan Kutcher (N.S.), the son of postwar Ukrainian refugees and sponsor of the bill, called it a “beacon of hope” for those enduring the horrors of war. Kutcher said he maintains daily contact with family in Ukraine, checking each morning to see if they have survived the night.Blacklock's Reporter said the passage of Bill S-210 coincided with Defenders Day, a public holiday in Ukraine since 2015, and now moves to the House of Commons. .Kutcher said Ukraine is “fighting not only for itself, but to uphold the values that the democracies of this world hold dear.”Sen. Denise Batters (Sask.), whose grandparents were Ukrainian homesteaders, warned the war is an assault on the culture itself. “Putin’s war on Ukrainian culture is meant to extinguish the Ukrainian spirit and memory,” she said, adding that increased discussion in Canada helps preserve awareness of Ukraine’s heritage.Liberal MP Yvan Baker (Etobicoke Centre, Ont.), grandson of postwar refugees, echoed the call for Canadian support. “Make sure Vladimir Putin doesn’t win,” he told the Commons finance committee, emphasizing that backing Ukraine is one area where Canadians across political lines remain united.
