Information on the thesis

Based on a wide range of archival sources and scientific literature, for the first
time in Ukrainian historiography, Canada’s position on human rights violations in the
Ukrainian SSR (1945–1991) was studied in its full complexity. The theme is revealed
from the standpoint of problem-chronological analysis of three levels of socio-
political activity: 1) the public space; 2) bilateral Canadian-Soviet relations;
3) multilateral relations within international organizations.
Historical, political and legal differences in the interpretation of the concept of
“human rights” in Canada and the Soviet Union / Ukrainian SSR are analyzed. The
Canadian political and legal tradition was based on liberal values and the
interpretation of human rights as natural, inalienable and universal. During the second
half of the 20 th century Canada established one of the most comprehensive human
rights systems in the world, and the country itself has become one of the most
dedicated human rights defenders. Instead, in the Soviet Union / Ukrainian SSR after
the World War II, its own, “socialist concept” of human rights was formed, based on
the principles of historical materialism. Its peculiarity was the recognition of the
priority of socio-economic rights, the combination of “citizens’ rights” with
responsibilities. It is established that despite the constitutional enshrinement of basic
human rights, these rights have been systematically violated (right to life, freedom of
movement, choice of language of communication, etc.). Contempt for human rights
within the Soviet Union and the postwar increase in attention to ensuring human
rights and freedoms at the international level stimulated the human rights movement
in the Ukraine. The protection of human rights has become a common denominator
around which different directions of the dissident movement in Ukraine and different
political circles of Canadian Ukrainians have managed to unite. Accepting as a
fundamental liberal tradition of human rights, Canadian Ukrainians focused on the
national rights of both individuals and the people. It is determined that in the
Diaspora, the human rights movement has become not only the embodiment of the
struggle for democracy, but also for national liberation in general.
It is proved that due to the active actions of Canadian Ukrainians, the issue of
human rights violations in the Ukrainian SSR entered the political discourse and
public space of Canada and was constantly updated due to various informational
occasions. Such informational reasons could be both events inside the Ukrainian SSR
(arrests of dissidents in 1965 and 1972) and events of international scale (Expo-67,
Olympic Games in 1976). The main sources of obtaining information overseas about
the facts of human rights violations in the Ukrainian SSR (tourists, non-returnees,
Canadian Communists, expelled dissidents) are revealed. The mechanisms of
drawing the Canadian public’s attention to the state of human rights behind the Iron Curtain are traced on specific examples. At the same time, on the basis of declassified
documents of the former KGB, it was proved that the Soviet secret services took
systematic measures to prevent information about human rights violations from
reaching the West, conducted special operations to discredit human rights defenders,
and through the controlled press and pro-communist organizations. It has been
established that the transfer of the Ukrainian issue to the public space of Canada
prompted Canadian politicians and statesmen to react to the situation in the Ukraine.
The future of individual politicians and political parties depended to some extent on
electoral support from the large and well-organized Ukrainian community in Canada.
The place of human rights in Canadian-Soviet bilateral relations was revealed
and it was established that the talks on this subject were held within the framework of
“quiet diplomacy”. The effectiveness of such negotiations directly depended on the
state of bilateral relations and the international climate, in particular the realities of
the Cold War. “Quiet diplomacy” against the Soviet Union was most actively used in
the issues of re-emigration and reunification of war-torn families, release of
dissidents from imprisonment, and legalization of forbidden churches. “Public
diplomacy” intensified against the background of deteriorating relations and against
the background of official state visits of Canadian government officials to the Soviet
Union, and vice versa – Soviet statesmen overseas. It has been proven that the Soviet
side reacted negatively to the remarks of Canadian diplomats, considering them
interference in internal affairs.
The position of Canadian delegations at international forums within the UN and
the CSCE on the failure of the Soviet Union to fulfill its obligations in the field of
human rights and freedoms was clarified. Under pressure from the Ukrainian
community, the Canadian government was forced to focus on the human rights
situation in the Ukrainian SSR. It has been shown that the most consistent position in
this direction was taken by the government of John Diefenbaker, who combined
human rights rhetoric with an international campaign against Soviet colonialism. As
such actions did not encourage the Soviet side to change, subsequent Canadian
governments in international forums began to combine public revelations with “quiet
diplomacy”. It was found that the problem had reached another level as a result of the
signing of the CSCE Final Act in 1975, which finally included human rights issues in
interstate policy and linked it to the security component. One of the forms of dialogue
initiated by the Helsinki process between the countries was the periodic conferences
of representatives of CSCE member states, at which the Canadian government’s
adviser on the human rights situation in the Ukrainian SSR was NGOs in the
Ukrainian Diaspora, including the Ukrainian Canadian Committee and the Human
Rights Commission of World Congress of Free Ukrainians. It was stated that the
actions of Canadian diplomats in the international arena managed to alleviate the
plight of many Ukrainian dissidents and create an effective lever in the liberalization
of the Soviet regime.
Key words: human rights, Ukrainian SSR, Canada, Cold War, civil liberties,
public space, “quiet diplomacy”.