Ukrainians ‘nasty anti-Semites,’ Ignatieff quoted in flyer

From Winnipeg Free Press

Michael Ignatieff once viewed Ukrainians as "nasty anti-Semites," according to a flyer distributed by a Conservative cabinet minister.

Vic Toews has resurrected allegations the Liberal leader is anti-Ukrainian in a flyer sent to communities in his Manitoba riding with large Ukrainian populations.

From the Winnipeg Sun:

Toews, whose parents and grandparents were born in Ukraine, said yesterday the Grit leader’s written comments are shocking — particularly in light of Canada’s large Ukrainian population.

"How could he call them anti-Semites, and on that basis say they shouldn’t have their own nation because it’s somehow an artificial nationality?" Toews told the Winnipeg Sun.

"To deny the entire existence of the Ukrainian nationalist movement, it’s just astounding."

 

Nothing we haven’t covered before, other Liberals MPs including Anita Neville  and Borys Wrzesnewskyj (who was removed by Ignatieff from his shadow cabinet earlier this year) are slamming Toews for what they say is an attempt to take Ignatieff’s comments out of context and "drive a wedge" between Canada’s ethnic communities. While Ignatieff has shown some support recently for Ukraine, Marco Levytsky editor of the Ukrainian News in Edmonton wrote recently it’s not enough:

But what Ignatieff failed to do was to specifically rebut those harmful stereotypes he cited in his exercise — namely, the references to "Great Russians," "little Russians" and "nasty anti-Semites." And this is something he must do if wants to get this albatross off his neck and bury it once and for all.

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