Feature film. "A successful Ukrainian-Canadian financier is beset with problems, many of them arising within the ethnic community in which he grew up." (description from Film Canadiana)

RECORDED: Vancouver (B.C.), 1985-08-21 SUMMARY: Came from the Western Ukraine in the Soviet Union in 1979 with her husband; difficulties in coming, language problems; graduated and taught French there; husband got language classes; she took ESL; getting permission to immigrate; finding work here; living conditions here and in Russia; people; easier for her daughter; apartments and medical care in Russia; getting clothes and furniture from the government; family left in Russia; spare time; working here; freedom here; Russian communities here; initial politeness from Canadian; two cultures; speaking Russian at home; adjustment from women immigrants; women having a double load, housework and job; keeping old values; childrearing here and Russia; school system there; going to university in Russia; childrearing there; small ethnic communities; some examples of her Russian clients' problems for professional women coming here; freedom of life here; counseling and work as Mosaic; advice to new immigrants; finding jobs here; support from immigration; getting experience; giving up her profession; women from different cultures have different problems; Mosaic very important help.

Amateur film. Apple blossoms (at 10 Bushby Street, home of George F. Lowe). May 8, 1945: V-E Day victory parade in downtown Victoria, with huge crowd surging onto Douglas Street at the parade's end. Victoria's Chinese, Russian and Ukrainian communities are represented in the parade. The final shot shows the V-E Day crowd gathering at Beacon Hill for an outdoor service of thanksgiving.

CALL NUMBER: T3130:0001
SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Strathcona neighbourhood : Ukrainian-Canadians
PERIOD COVERED: 1897-1950
SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Rosie Bezubiak: parents immigrated 1897 from Ukraine; took up farming in Alberta; farm lost during Depression; Rosie, her husband and daughter Hannah move to Vancouver 1929. Rosie did housework for 25 cents an hour in Shaughnessy and Dunbar; her husband worked as a logger. Jobs were scarce, and there were 5 children in all. Discusses poverty, many moves, and relief. The Polowys (Ed's parents and 3 children) moved from Edmonton to Vancouver in 1930; his father began first delicatessen east of Main Street and made his own Ukrainian sausage; family lived in back of store; hard times but always enough to eat; details of store work, making sausages. Ukrainian Hall had many musical concerts. Discussion of musicians in Buzubiak family. TRACK 2: Princess St. house for Bezubiaks: room, rent, neighbours, bootlegging across street and raids. Safe neighbourhood for women. Details of local gangs, their behaviour. Describes a local fight with U.S. Marines, making revenge and visits to Kerrisdale. Life in Strathcona neighbourhood: street games; zoot-suiters; differences between Strathcona and Seymour school gangs; Ed courting Hannah; many kids around Bezubiak home; organized athletics; Pro-Rec program in schools and local halls and churches; Lorne's childhood paper route; hop-picking at Sardis.

CALL NUMBER: T3130:0002
SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Strathcona neighbourhood : Ukrainian-Canadians
SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Life in Strathcona neighbourhood: more on hop-picking in summers as children; Camp Alexander at Crescent Beach; Hannah and sisters working at Carnegie Public Library; Ed's paper route along waterfront and float-house camp; swimming and fishing at foot of Heatley; Japantown -- bigger than Chinatown; Hannah's visit to Japanese Church; Japanese evacuation -- Hastings Park, selling possessions; blackouts and Air Raid Wardens (Lorne was one); ethnic slur words learned at Britannia; discrimination at Templeton and Britannia against East End kids, ethnic minorities; longshoremen's strike -- Polowy store invaded by police horse; role of Ukrainian Hall in 1938 Unemployment March and occupation of post-office; wounded cared for by Dr. Telford; Hall originally "Ukrainian Labourers and Farmers Temple", part of national organization, closed down by government in 1944 for 4 years; ties with Russians, Finns, and Yugoslavs. TRACK 2: Strathcona neighbourhood: Christmas in neighbourhood; beginning of CCF Party -- the Winches, meetings at Powell Street grounds, May Day parades; Andrew Roddan; Father Cooper of St. James; St. James work among youth, Reverend Whitehead, Mrs. Jane; Welfare Office and day care; evictions in neighbourhood and how neighbours helped; characters of the area -- Sam Barrett, junk men, ice man, Crazy Mary, a major, Frenchie, Mr. Zanata. Dr. Fox a good neighbourhood doctor; Yucho Chow the portrait maker. [End of interview]

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Strathcona neighbourhood : the Ukrainian community PERIOD COVERED: 1928-1960s RECORDED: [location unknown], 1977-10 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mike Harahuc discusses: various jobs on prairies after emigrating from the Ukraine in 1928; starting out with 20 acres and a house near Prince Albert for $100 down; buying a horse; doing well and buying a car; coming to Vancouver 1948; working at Excelsior Paper Stock; buying a crooked house on Union Street; back trouble; returns to prairies; describes operation on stomach without anesthetic; urban renewal in Strathcona in the '60s; joining the Chinese to fight City Hall; canvassing door-to-door. TRACK 2: Discusses: city repairs in area; rehabilitation he undertook in his house; converting from wood and coal stove to gas heat; longshoring in the '50s; getting work without being a union member; loading lumber and grain; dispatching office and how numbers are called; convenience of neighbourhood being close to docks; not being admitted to union; majority Chinese in Strathcona and how that should not lead to reverse discrimination against non-Chinese. (End of interview)

RECORDED: [location unknown], 1965-05-20 SUMMARY: Ruth, Mrs. Charles Beguin, came from Switzerland, was married in Montreal and settled in Argenta. Her husband had formerly came from Switzerland to Argenta in 1909, purchased land and started a homestead. In this interview, Ruth Beguin speaks about her Ukrainian and English neighbours, the establishment of the first school in the area, Leander Hanna, Red McLeod, and the Lardeau Valley.

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Steve Sawczuk RECORDED: [location unknown], 1979-01 SUMMARY: Steve Sawczuk was born in Argenta in 1917. He is the son of Ukrainian immigrants. He has remained in the area all of his life, trapping, logging and working at a wide variety of jobs in order to make a living. He discusses early Argenta, the first school and teacher, and homesteading. He describes growing up, making a living, local community history, and particular characters in the community. Anecdotes about early Lardeau Valley people.