2014 - News & Events of Doukhobor Interest

June 1, 2014 - USCC Website in Transition

After some two decades of development, USCC online involvement has recently come under extensive review by the USCC Communications Advisory Board (CAB) and other administrative Committees. The consensus of this process has resulted in a decision to pursue a somewhat down-sized vision of ongoing USCC organizational online activity.

In a related decision, the former USCC Web Team tendered its resignation from active duty as of December 31, 2013, while volunteering to continue basic maintenance of online operations through a six-month transition period. On April 15, 2014, the USCC Executive Committee announced its endorsement of the CAB recommendation for a new USCC Web Team, consisting of Brad Zaytsoff, Kelsey Marinov, Kathy Marinov and Cathy Pereverzeff. At a May 16, 2014 meeting with all those concerned, guidelines for ongoing USCC Website activity were outlined and a general schedule of procedures determined. Consequently, further development and routine maintenance of USCC Members Online was suspended on May 20, 2014, followed by that of the primary USCC Website on June 1, 2014.

Some of the dynamic, time-sensitive functions of the original USCC Website will continue to be available on a new USCC Current News and Events WordPress installation: http://uscc-doukhobors.org, Effective June 1, 2014, it is being administered by the newly designated Web Team..

Please direct all News submissions, Funeral Notices, Obituaries, and all other submissions and inquiries as instructed there.

(For additional information see About the USCC Website in the Contact Section.)

May 28, 2014 - Grand Forks Bread Ladies Celebrate 20 Years
The Grand Forks USCC Bread Committee is now celebrating 20 years of baking and still going strong!  We are pleased to be able to acknowledge and celebrate their remarkable contribution to our community with the addition of a new web page to this website, including photos and an account of their accomplishments.

View the Bread Ladies Web Page here ...

May 12, 2014 - Youth Festival Program for May 17, 18 & 19, 2014

Download acrobat pdf file - courtesy of ISKRA staff

May 9, 2014 - Mir Centre Peace Cafe Upcoming Events

1) Learning From the Campesino Movement: Creating Alliances for Resilient Change
June 12, 2014, 7 pm - Location: Mir Centre For Peace at Selkirk College, Castlegar, BC
By Donation

Leocadia Juracán is a Mayan farmer and coordinator of the Campesino Committee of the Altiplano (CCDA) who is on a BC speaking tour sponsored by the BC-Central America Support Committee. His presentation will focus on the power of fair trade to support sustainable land struggles and the pressures currently facing farmers in Guatemala with mega-development projects, in particular, hydro-electric dams and the extraction industry. Their struggles mirror our struggles as we deal with the issues of the ALR being dismantled to open opportunities for oil and gas exploration, the pipeline, etc. The CCDA grows fair trade coffee under the label of Café Justicia and will be for sale at the event.   View Poster

2) SUMMER INSTITUTE: Economics of Happiness
July 14-18, 2014 - Location: Mir Centre For Peace at Selkirk College, Castlegar, BC
Instructor: Dr. Roly Russell
Cost: $499

Develop an understanding of how we measure happiness and peace. Traditional beliefs about economic growth and its relationship to happiness are challenged. Alternative models of sustainability and development will be examined. Can be taken as a credited university
transfer course or for non-credit.
Call 250.365.1208 to register.     View Poster

April 15, 2014 - Upcoming USCC Union of Youth Festival

April 15, 2014 - John J. Verigin Letter to Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada, on the current crisis in the Ukraine

March 24, 2014

The Right Honourable Stephen Harper
Prime Minister of Canada
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2

Dear Prime Minister Harper:

We are writing to express our apprehension over the escalating crisis in Ukraine. Like other Canadians who also have historical, familial, and cultural ties to Russia, Ukraine, and the Crimea, we too have family and friends in that area whose safety and security we are concerned about. Our forebears suffered persecution by Tsars and Commissars and endured exile across Russia, in Siberia, Ukraine, the Crimea, and Georgia prior to receiving their permission to immigrate to Canada in 1899. Members of our organization come from a long pacifist tradition. We are opposed to the use of coercion, force, or violence by any party to this conflict, be they Ukrainians, Russians, or others. Our condolences and prayers go out to those who have lost loved ones, to those who have suffered injuries, and to all who have been traumatized and continue to be fearful of what has transpired and what may come. We are also alarmed that this crisis is not only spinning into another cold war, but may through accident or design become a hot war, and that is why we feel compelled to write to you.

It has been said that the first casualty of war is the truth, and Mr. Prime Minister, we are concerned that it is more difficult to discern the truth behind all of the inflammatory commentary by governments and media. It almost appears that politicians and pundits miss the rhetoric of the cold war and relish casting a difficult and dangerous situation in simple black and white terms. For the record, we support the legitimate aspirations of Ukrainians to self-determination. We also believe it is up to them to decide their future without external interference. However, not only do Ukrainians themselves appear to be divided, history and geopolitics have made the resolution of this crisis even more difficult. We can appreciate the fact that the Canadian government would like to see Ukraine, including Crimea, align itself with the European Union and other western democracies. This option seems to have the support of many Ukrainians, particularly in the western part of the country. We do not know for certain if the majority of Ukrainians prefer this option. What is certain is that such a choice could bring NATO to Russia's doorstep. We doubt that the Russians would appreciate this especially when former President George Bush Sr. promised them that NATO would not expand east after the collapse of the Soviet Union, a fact rarely if ever mentioned by politicians or the media. We also question the silence around President Putin's proposal made last November that the United States, the European Union, and Russia cooperate on the economic stabilization of Ukraine and that Ukraine have economic relations with both the west and Russia, and why the EU and the US rejected the proposal stating Ukraine had to choose between Russia and the west, or why the EU proposal included putting the Ukrainian military under NATO command. We are also taken aback by the vehemence that charges of violations of territorial integrity, foreign occupation, illegal secession, and safeguarding ones nationals as a pretext for invasion have been leveled against the Russian government particularly by those with a long history of similar actions around the world.

Mr. Prime Minister, the crisis in Ukraine is but one of many challenges in our world that we must deal withas a global community. How do we do so by demonizing today those with whom we must cooperate tomorrow? At times like this the international community would look to Canada, regarded as a voice of moderation, to lower tensions and lead efforts to seek diplomatic solutions, to apply our resources and skills in finding common ground, mediating, peacekeeping, monitoring and verifying agreements. We sincerely appeal to you to review Canada's position. In doing so we wish to clearly state that our concerns over Canadian policy are not based on condoning or defending the policies or position of the Russian government. As Canadian citizens, as people of faith, we feel compelled to convey our concerns over the dangers posed by double standards and provocative rhetoric in a rapidly changing world fraught with tension, and armed with weapons of mass destruction. We respectfully urge you to de-escalate this crisis as called for by the Secretary General of the United Nations, and to pursue diplomatic and peaceful efforts through the UN and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, that will realize the legitimate rights, freedoms, and security of Ukrainians,and those ofother minorities in that country, and that will respect the historical interests of neighbouring states.

As Canadians dedicated to building a more peaceful and just world, who were once a persecuted minority in that region, and still have kith and kin there, we offer you and your government our prayers, as well as our assistance, and look forward to your response.

Respectfully yours,
John J. Verigin
USCC Executive Director
JJV:fm

cc:
Thomas Mulcair, MP, Leader of the New Democratic Party, Ottawa,
Canada Justin Trudeau, MP, Leader of the Liberal Party, Ottawa, Canada

February 10, 2014 - Mir Lecture Series: Chris Hedges, Friday, Feb. 28th
at the Brilliant Cultural Centre, Castlegar, BC

War is a Force That Gives us Meaning

Chris Hedges is an American journalist, author and political activist. He was a war correspondent for over 20 years and reported on wars in more than 20 countries. In 2002, Hedges was part of the team of reporters at The New York Times awarded the Pulitzer Prize for the paper’s coverage of global terrorism. He also received in 2002 the Amnesty International Global Award for Human Rights Journalism.

He has taught at Columbia University, New York University, Princeton University and The University of Toronto. He writes a weekly column for Truthdig and authored the first issue of The Occupied Wall Street Journal, the newspaper giving voice to the Occupy Wall Street protests in Zuccotti Park, New York City.

Time & Date: 7pm, Friday, February 28, 2014
Location: Castlegar: Brilliant Cultural Centre, 1876 Brilliant Road, Castlegar, BC
Cost: Adult $16 | Senior $13 | Student $13
Tickets: Available at Selkirk College Bookstore in Castlegar (phone orders available by calling 250-365-1281), Otter Books in Nelson, and at the door.