Ottawa, August 10, 2010 — The Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, issued the following statement conveying his condolences on the death of John Yaremko, who served in the Ontario legislature from 1951 to 1975 and as a Minister in the cabinets of three Ontario premiers:
“John Yaremko was an outstanding member of society. I had the honour to meet him last year, and I was deeply saddened to learn of his passing this week. He will be remembered for his dedication to public service.
“Born into a family of immigrants from Ukraine, Mr. Yaremko set a wonderful example of citizenship through his remarkable achievements. There is perhaps no better illustration of his legacy than the central role he played in persuading the Canadian government to offer refuge in Canada to nearly 40,000 Hungarians following the Soviet invasion of Hungary in 1956.
“By helping thousands of Hungarians flee communist oppression, he helped to reinforce our Canadian values of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law. For his efforts, he was awarded the Hungarian government’s Officer’s Cross of the Order of Merit.
“During his many years of community leadership, Mr. Yaremko was also an advocate for education and pluralism. His lifelong dedication to multiculturalism was recognized in 2009 when he became the first recipient of the Paul Yuzyk Award for Multiculturalism, in the Lifetime Achievement category.
“His passing will leave a void in the hearts of the many people he touched throughout his lifetime. As Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, and on behalf of the Government of Canada, I extend my most sincere and heartfelt condolences to Mr. Yaremko’s family and friends.”
For further information (media only), please contact:
Alykhan Velshi
Minister’s Office
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Media Relations
Communications Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-952-1650
CIC-Media-Relations@cic.gc.ca