On 8 November 2014 Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) President Eugene Czolij participated in the Annual General Meeting of the Council of Ukrainian Credit Unions of Canada (CUCUC) in Toronto attended by delegates from five credit unions.
In his greetings, the UWC President noted the work of the CUCUC and thanked the Ukrainian credit unions in Canada for their consistent financial support of the UWC and generosity toward projects important to the Ukrainian community. Eugene Czolij also informed the delegates about the priorities of the UWC, whose activities are currently focused on defending the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
The meeting discussed a report on Ukrainian credit unions in Canada presented by the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of Buduchnist Credit Union, Bohdan Leshchyshen. He noted that in 2013 six Ukrainian credit unions in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan supported the Ukrainian community with sponsorships, advertising and donations totalling $2.5 million and returned $2 million to their members in the form of dividends and patronage payments.
The CUCUC, which has been active since 1971, cooperates with six Ukrainian credit unions in Canada with joint assets reaching $2 billion and a net profit in 2013 surpassing $11 million. The President of the CUCUC is Olya Sheweli, who also chairs the UWC World Council of Ukrainian Cooperatives.
During the CUCUC AGM, Ukrainian Credit Union Limited presented the UWC with a donation of $20,000 and Buduchnist Credit Union presented a donation of $10,000. Earlier in 2014 donations were made by Caisse populaire Desjardins Ukrainienne de Montréal in the amount of $15,000 and North Winnipeg Credit Union Limited in the amount of $250.
“The Ukrainian World Congress once again calls upon all Ukrainians in Canada to become members of Ukrainian credit unions that constitute the primary financial base for Ukrainian community life in Canada and support numerous Ukrainian projects throughout the world,” commented UWC President Eugene Czolij.
| In the photo: Participants of the Annual General Meeting of the Council of Ukrainian Credit Unions of Canada. First row center (From left to right): O. Sheweli and E. Czolij. Photo courtesy of Ukrainian Credit Union Limited. |
