It wasn't lost on some people marking Ukraine's Independence Day during a festival at Alberta's legislature grounds on Sunday that their loved ones were still defending their own sovereignty back home.
Anastasiya Kvashyna said she immigrated to Alberta from Ukraine when she was 10, and commemorating the 34th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence in Edmonton felt bittersweet.
"I have a lot of family in Ukraine, it's emotional roller-coasters all the time," the Edmonton resident said.
"I connect to both Canadian and Ukrainian culture. I have two homes. So this day is very close to my heart ... especially when Ukraine is still continuing to fight for independence."
Tanya Marchenko, a board member of the Alberta branch of the Ukrainian Museum of Canada, said the festivals' vibe felt solemn, but she was uplifted when she heard Prime Minister Mark Carney was also marking the day in Kyiv with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a surprise visit.
"Canada was the second country to recognize Ukrainian independence 34 years ago so it's nice to kind of come full circle and have our prime minister there celebrating with all the Ukrainians," she said.
Marchenko said it reflects the reputation Canada has had of a caring, generous country in her family since her Ukrainian parents lived in a refugee camp in Germany before moving to Alberta in 1969.
"While they were in (a) displaced persons camp in Germany, they remembered getting care packages from Canada," she said.
The president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress -- Alberta Provincial Council, the group behind Sunday's festival, said Carney's visit just goes to show the strong partnership Canada has with Ukraine.
"Going to a country during war is not the easiest ... there are risks associated," Orysia Boychuk said.
"That shows a testament to the support our government has for Ukraine."
Boychuk said Ukrainians have been living in Alberta for 133 years and the community appreciates Canada for welcoming so many more since February 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine.
During his surprise visit, Carney did not rule out putting Canadian troops on the ground in Ukraine as part of an eventual security guarantee against Russia.
"Mr. President, dear friends, my message today is simple: Canada will always stand in solidarity with Ukraine," Carney said during a speech at a ceremony marking the Ukrainian holiday Sunday as a guest of Zelenskyy.
Carney said his own upbringing reflected Ukraine and its diaspora in Canada.
"I grew up on the Canadian prairies where my horizon looked like your flag. Where my classmates bore your names, and their parents and grandparents spoke your language," he said.
"The Ukrainian people are part of Canada’s story, a story whose best chapters are yet to be written."
Alexandra Chyczij, president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, was in Kyiv for Carney’s speech, which she called a proud moment for the Canadians in attendance.
Chyczij said it was a “wonderful speech” that aligns with many of the recommendations her group has been making to the government.
“There are many moments that our diaspora commemorates. Independence Day is one of the biggest ones, because it represented years of the yearning of the diaspora for a free and independent Ukraine following the breakup of the Soviet Union,” she said.
“And of course we commemorate, with sorrow, the anniversary of the full-scale invasion in February of 2022.”
The Ukrainian Canadian Congress website listed dozens of events celebrating Independence Day across Canada on Sunday.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said in a social media post his province was marking the day.
"Today, we join Ukrainian people here in Saskatchewan and around the world in celebrating Ukraine’s Independence Day," the post said.
"Saskatchewan is proud to stand with our strong and vibrant Ukrainian community, whose culture and contributions have shaped our province for generations."
In New Brunswick, Premier Susan Holt also commemorated the day on social media.
"34 years after Ukraine gained its independence, now more than ever is the time to reaffirm our support for the freedom and sovereignty of Ukraine and its people," she said.
Back in Edmonton, Marchenko said she felt optimistic about the war ending.
"We'll be so grateful when Ukraine can live its own peaceful, democratic life," Marchenko said.
"I believe in Ukraine," Kvashyna added. "I believe in our people. They're strong, resilient."
Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fakiha Baig
