“To this day, the deliberate starvation and genocide of millions of Ukrainians and others remains a stain on the history of humankind.

“Holodomor, or ‘death by hunger’ in Ukrainian, was the result of communist policies under the regime of Joseph Stalin in 1932-33. It led to one of history’s most devastating planned famines.

“The Communist state invoked an all-out assault on Ukraine’s people. Landowning farmers were forced to give up their land and join collective farms, from which all production was shipped out of the country. Food was removed from homes. People starved to death by the tens of thousands each day. Dissidents, including intellectuals, political and religious leaders, were silenced by imprisonment and execution.

“The fourth Saturday in November is dedicated to remembering all those lost during this unspeakable tragedy. Today, Alberta has a strong, inclusive society due in part to more than 345,000 people of Ukrainian descent. We are proud to call you friends and neighbours.

“We must honour the memory of the Holodomor’s victims while opposing the denial of its historical reality which continues to emanate from certain quarters, including the Russian regime.”