Item 2008.024.c030-034;036-053 - Decore, John (Judge)

23 audio cassettes (=43 audio files)

Part 1: Born in 1909 (??) in Canada. His grandfather came to Canada in 1898 when his father was 10; his mother arrived from the Sniatyn area, she died in 1913 from TB; Kostiuk family; step-mother Maria Vladok (???) hated him, hard childhood; schools in Sniatyn, teachers Mary Howel (???) and T.B. Tompson (???); school in Vegreville.

Part 2: Trips to school; Edna; his father was among the first to have a Chevrolet-490; father taught him wise things; father was a public school trustee(??); father became Orthodox and was religious; his father died during the Depression; had to take a loan to go to a school; before the Depression his father was financially well-off, had a big house; his father had 4 brothers (Andrew, Ivan, Vasyl’, Stefan), different spelling (Dekur, Decure, Decore); father and his brothers going to Spokane and Seattle.

Part 3: Was a student at Hrushevsky Institute; dating; Natalka Semeniuk marrying Dr. Bachynskyi (???) in Winnipeg; Malakhovskyi store (???); going to Eastwood High School in Edmonton (starting from grade 9), then Hrushevsky Institute; lack of funds; social activities; High School teacher Ms. Anderson; sports activities (basketball, soccer, rugby); Hrushevsky Institute (Halyts’kyi as its Head); Shevchenko Institute; Silvester Tkachuk (???).

Part 4: Sueing the company, Farm Machinery Act, winning the case with big settlement; Hrushevsky Institut, problems with tuition, Prof. Kyriak (??); Shandro (??) as a representative of the farmers; Charnets’kyi; Avramenko and his character; Pavliuchenko (??).

Part 5: Hrushevskyi Institute; Peter ?????? - administrator, taught Ukrainian classes; the Stechyshyns brothers; Ukrainian Self-Reliance League; Svystun; Fr. Savchuk; life at the Hrushevsky institute; Decore taught Ukrainian geography to younger students and also at the Ridna shkola; student club at the Hrushevskoho with the compulsory attendance; newspaper Bursats’kyi holos edited by John Hutsuliak; students of the Hrushevsky Institute carolling in the rural area; SUS organization, Svystun, Savchuk; transferring Hrushevskyi Institute to the South Side.

Part 6: After grade 11 he went to the University; going through the university with the help of teaching; teacher-training; meeting with Silvester Tkachuk (???); teaching in Sochava (???) near Mundare; Methodists; Communists and their public meetings at schools; Hayduk (??); George Volynka - community leader; John Tashchuk (??); Depression; Dobrovetskyi (??); nationalist Zakhariuk (???).

Part 7: Getting a position at a school in the 1930s; Vasyl’ Shapka (??); teaching at Sochava; school inspector Robinson; inspector Giebalt; Communist ideology; Novakovskyi (??) in Mundare; Farmers’ke zhyttia as a Communist press; Dorosh; Tymchak; Romanchyk; Strashok (???); Ilya Kyriyak (??) as a person and writer; university experience.

Part 8: Going back to the Hrushevsky Institute; extracurricular activities; Law school; Prof. McKentire (???); meeting his wife.

Part 9: Practicing law after graduation; regular radio broadcasts on CFIN (???) while still a student (radio program “Ukrainian matters”); Law Society of Alberta; specializing on criminals; practicing law; back injury.

Part 10: A teaching job and public school board; Council; elections and political power; health problems in the past.

Part 11: Community work; being a Ukrainian in a successful world; attitude towards Ukrainians in general; Vegreville Observer; Catholics and Orthodox people in Vegreville; choir conductor; executive of the church; archbishop Terelovych (????); difficulty of the Canadian-Ukrainian identity; Hrushevsky Institute’s environment; ‘apostication of Ukraine’ (?????); his speech about Holodomor of 1932-1933 in the House of Commons; CUC & Samostiinyky about the Famine; Self-Reliance League about the Famine; attitude of Ukrainians in Canada towards Nazi Germany.

Part 12: Dyviziia Halychyna - his speech in the House of Commons; WWII; his contacts with Kushnir; Canadian Visti, Ukrains’kyi farmer, Nash shliakh; Fr. Savchuk; supporting CUC; a campaign in Ukrainian newspapers; negative characterization of Kushnir; Ohienko’s interview with the Prime-Minister; Prof Simpson; Prof. Hokama (???).

Part 13: Politics; Peter Nyskiw (???) and his election campaign in 1934; Dr. Archer as a medical practitioner in Lamont and a politician; Social Credit and Hrytsiuk (??); Liberal Party appeal for Dicore; Canadian Citizenship Act in 1948; Elenyak; Archer and his Liberal Party of reform; Peter Zvarych and his support; Decore’s campaign.

Part 14: Political campaign of Decore in 1949; editor Tomko Tymoshevsky (??); Zahalchuk (??); Labor Progressive Party/Communists; Hlynka and a pamphlet about him as a Fascist; Frankl Markel (??) from Communists; Mark Chapowsky (???) as a supporter of Decore; National Hall in Mundare; Hnatyshyn & Skachynskyi (???) (Marks & Sparks); radio CKUA and choir performance; John Hutsuliak (??); Hlynka; Andriiv (???) about Bukovynians; Limestone Wake (???) to the West of Andrew; Artymiychuk (??) about Catholics.

Part 15: His campaign in 1953; Dr. Archer giving a concept of the Pioneer Home in Elk Island Park (???); PM at the Mundare opening ceremony; Dr. Roslak (???); Kozak; religious divisions among Ukrainians in Canada; Lysiuk (??) as a candidate; Hlynka wrote a pamphlet ‘Seven Sins of the Liberal Party’; campaign committees formed in Smoky Lake, Zotex (???), Vilna, and many other places; John Bilyk as a manager of the Decore’s first campaign; Novyi shliakh sued a radio CAIN for something Decore had said.

Part 16: Peter Korotytskyi (???); Farmers’ Union supported Decore in his second campaign; Jack Waldman (??); Hlynka’ religious affiliation; Hlynka as a candidate of the Nationalists and a good Ukrainian; Decore’s vs Hlynka’s strategies as candidates; Bill Thomas (???); Dr. Rice; viche z UNO; Dr. Archer; Hlynka.

Part 17: Hlynka, his ‘Seven Sins of a Liberal Party’ and as a publisher of Nash klych; Hlynka was Decore’s opponent in both elections; a meeting in Mundare; accusations in a deal with Communists; appealing qualities of Hlynka; Catholic priest Danylo Tarnawsky; areas where Decore did not win: Wisel Creek (??), Langstone Lake (??), and ????????? (mostly German population lived there). Strongest support Decore had in Lamont; influence of Communism on communities and elections outcomes.

Part 18: Stefanyk; Roslak (??); Isaiv (??) who became Decore’s fan eventually; Stan Koshyra (??); Decore convincing the PM to visit Ukrainians in Western Canada; statue of Shevchenko donated by the USSR; visit to the Ukrainian Home and an Orthodox church mass, Mundare, Elk Island Park; Prof Lung (??); Isaiv insisted on having Anthony Hilka (??) on a program of the PM’s visit; Communists’ candidate in the second election; Decore’s anti-Communist speech on external affairs in March 1950 (about Stalin, genocide, Ukraine, potential fifth column in the USSR); Communist papers including Canadian Tribune attacked Decore; Dr. Archer’s concept of a Ukrainian pioneer home (a committee consisting of Peter Swarych; Dr. Strilchuk (??) from Mundare, Sam Sysyk from Vegreville, agriculturist Frank Maguera (???), William Stelmack (???)); the house was completed by 1951 and cost $25K; Soltykevych; Archbishop Andrew; visit of the PM of a joint mass; Liberal member Jacob Robin (???) representing the Jasper constituency (???) - speaking about Decore and his anti-Communist stance; Judge ‘Uncle Luis’ (???).

Part 19: ‘Uncle Luis’ (??); Decore deciding not to run in 1957 elections; Stefura (??); Decore in Ottawa; Ukrainian community in Ottawa; CUC; politicians in Ottawa; political life and processes; Decore defending minorities and being the first one to raise the question on cultural pluralism in the House of Commons; Minister of Renovation about the block settlements in Western Canada.

Part 20: Visiting Nova Scotia; a Bill for the Farmers’ Union cause (deduction to membership dues); Decore introduced a Bill for trans-Canada pipeline; H.R. Millner from Western Canada; Ottawa period; liberal members from Quebec; relations between French Canadians and Ukrainians; cooperating with the French representative in the Government; using French; McKeen (??) became a Senator in 1949 and Decore met him in the House; liberal Senator Steinbach (???) visited Decore in a hospital; health issues; Calgary member Smith; pressure to go into the Ashawa constituency to give a speech on behalf of the Liberal Party candidate and against Michael Star.

Part 21: Life in Ottawa for the second time; being branded a Communists candidate by the Ukrainian community (Ukrainian press on Decore); Lutskovych (???); Decore’s reputation during his 2 terms (achievements: raised importance of Ukrainians, experimental farm); Dr. Dovgan (???); Ukrainian Pioneer Home; contacts with Lester Pearson (his visit to Elk Island Park); Jack Bigsby (???); Howard as a candidate from Edmonton East; Michael Star; Bill Holuk (???).

Part 22: Cindy Hull (??); John Diefenbaker; Canadian Citizenship Act; immigration problems; Dr. K (Kysylevskyi (???)) bringing Ukrainians into Canada; Peter Zvarych; bureaucrats and civil servants running the country; Farmers’ Union Organization meetings; talking to people in Smoky Lake and Vilna during his campaign; social credit; Dyvizia Halychyna members (Walter Harris (??); Dr. K; CUC; Ukrainian Voice) and a speech in House of Commons about them; Jewish Congress opposing the members of Dyvizia Halychyna; Dave Cole (??).

Part 23: Dyvizia Halychyna members coming to Canada; Peter Savaryn; News from Ukraine about Decore and Dyvizia Halychyna; Decore asking for CBC Ukrainian and Polish sections; July 1, 1952 - Pearson’s speech on CBC; CUC; Ukraine’s issue; Decore going to the UN on behalf of Canada; Pearson’s policy on China as a UN member; Prof. Baranovskyi (??) representing Soviet Ukraine at the UN; Russian propaganda RE Ukraine.

Part 24: International politics; contacts with the Ukrainian delegation to the UN; a delegation to the USSR under Pearson; Paul Martin; privileges of the parlementeries; Decore opened branch-offices in Vegreville, Edmonton, St. Paul; Minister of Internal Affairs Cole (???); life and customs in politics.

Part 25: Favors in politics; a story of a farmer from Mundare, Kopachyk (???); Steve May; a story of two Peters (Lazo????? and Grashchuk (???)); appointments of Osavych (???) in Manitoba and Stechyshyn (???) in Saskatchewan; Decore recommended Bogdan Panchuk for Voice of Canada (for Ukrainian section of CBC international section) and regretted about it; Diakovskyi (???); Iuzyk (??); fights with social creditors; his family’s advantaged and disadvantages while he was in Ottawa; Shevchenko statue in Ontario donated by the USSR.

Part 26: Ukrainian Canadian Committee representation; Kushnir; John Sadnyk (???); Roman Savchuk (??); Savchuk & Kushnir; practicing law after politics in 1957, difference between politics and law; thinking politics; Decore’s family.

Part 27: Practicing law after politics; Decore’s sons; Presidency at the Alberta Liberal Association in 1957; animosity within Liberal Party - Decore trying to heal that fracture; Stainback & Proven (???); keeping the Party together; Proven (??) as a politician; what it means to be a savvy politician; Harper as a politician; Raymond Anderson; Farmers Union and Frankl Mericle (??); Boldmar (??); Ross McDonald.

Part 28: John Garlen (??); Stuart Garson (??); John Solomon; Thomas Good (??); Joseph & David Goua (??); Howard Green; Dick Henna (??) represented Edmonton Strathcona; Henderson (??) a social creditor; Harny saying nasty things about Indians; Douglas Hardness (??); Walter Harris made Division Halychyna popular in Canada; George Hees (??); Paul Heldew (??); William Henderson the multi-millionaire; Andrew ??????? shying away from the Ukrainian matters; Cindy Hull; Stanley Noles (??), a real socialist and pro-Soviet; LaPoint (??); John Message (??) assistant to Pearson, responsible for ‘Quiet Revolution’ in Quebec; James ???; Allan McKekan (???); Endis McGuiness (??), real socialist; George McLoway (??); Daniel Mc???????; McMillan (??); Paul Martin.

Part 29: Weenie (???); George Perks (??) the gentlemen; John Francois Pullier (???),colorful member of the House of Commons; Anthony Hlynka; John Crawford (??); George Prune (??); Victor Crouch (??); Jean Roshar (???); Gill Low (??); Simco (???); Luis Sen Loran (??); Schneider (??); Fred Shaw (??); James Simmons (??); James Sinclair (??) got an injury while visiting USSR; ????? from Maple Creek, SK; Facture (??); Walter Tucker (??); Charles Youl (???); Fred Zaplitnyi (???) from Dauphin; Michael Star; Ukrainians in Montreal.

Part 30: Cindy Hull; Benedickson (??); a speaker Ross McDonald; Kytastyi and Ukrainian choir performing in the House of Commons; Colin Bennett (??); John Blackmore (??); Morris Braver (??) from Quebec, discussions with him about the French situation in Canada; Canadian policy of multiculturalism; Osborn Kempny (???) - Minister of Vancouver Central Bank (???); Lucien Cardin (??) - Minister of Justice, Alberta; Gordon Churchill (??) - real conservative and politician; Tommy Douglas (???); Koziak - the first Ukrainian Minister; Crestol (??); Cole (??) in Ontario; Jewish-Ukrainian relations; ?????????? from Athabaska - true liberal; Bill Hawreliak (??); resigning in 1959.

Part 31: Decore’s advice to Hawreliak (??); Horowets (??) defeated Hawreliak; Diefenbacher's concept of Canadianism; opposition to having French on Canadian money; George Drue (???) - Conservative Party member, ‘Gorgeous George’, supported Ukrainian votes, anti-Communist; Diefenbacher and Ukrainian matters, Kushnir; Dupris (???); Nebrecki (???); Ms. Pollen (??); Donald Fleming (??); David Folten (???) - scandal with a prostitute; appointment process; senator Iuzyk, Bilash; Koziak; Jimmy Gardener (??).

Part 32: Decore’s sons, their education; Decore’s practice as a lawyer; John Shapka (??); Bill Carlson (??); Eugene Tymoshevsky (??); Convention while Decore was the President of the Liberal Party; Pearson; Paul Martin; Trudeau; Chretien.

Part 33: Decore’s decision to become a Judge; Canadian Bar Association (??); the process of becoming a Judge; Pearson; his disappointment in 1965; John Dieffenbacher and his defeat in 1963; Supreme Court appointment; becoming the Chief Judge of a District Court.

Part 34: Committee consisting of Fr. Khomiak (??) and Kost’ Telychko and others - Sobor, how to keep young people in church, having sermons in both languages, shortening the time of a mass; accusations of being a ‘zradnyk ukrains’koho narodu’. Slavutych calling him a zradnyk; Metropolitan Andrew (??); Fr. Kuhlyk (??) opposed Decore; Kobyl’nyk from Calgary was on Decore’ s side; Fr. Sliuzyn (???) supported Decore; Illarion; saving Ukrainian Orthodox church in Canada; Dr. Vohon’ (???); Peter Savaryn; not stopping assimilation but channelling it; 3rd immigration wave.

Part 35: 1960-61 - was the first President of the Ukrainian Professional and Business Club (??); Nyskiw (??), Isaiv (??), Savaryn as his like-minded people; Prof. Simpson from University of Saskatchewan; establishing Chairs for Ukrainian Studies; CUC; Svystun; Smelychans’kyi (??); purpose of Professional and Business Club; 1963 - discussions about biculturalism in Canada; Prof. Luciuk (??); St. John’s Institute.

Part 36: 1965; deciding to become a Judge; Canadian Bar Association; a process of becoming a Judge; District Court; influence of the Hrushevsky Institute.

Part 37: Ontario - Chief Judge Colleen Bennett (??) cooperating with Decore; reform in the court system; Attorney General Gerhard (???); Minister of Energy Leach (??); Steavenson, Roger Kens (??) - outstanding judges attracted to the Court; 2 Courts (Southern Alberta and Northern Alberta); Prof. Ratushni (??); first female Judge was half-Ukrainian Elizabeth McKagan (??); Judge Moshenskyi (??) in Calgary appointed through Ratushnyi; District Court was given jurisdiction in civil matters under Gerhard (??); 2 District Courts were amalgamated into one; lawyer McKennan (??); changed in the Supreme Court, division of labor; David McDonald - Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice; Prof. Lederman (he & Sopilka wrote a book on authority in Edmonton); renewing the Jury system; a meeting of Judges in Red Deer; Judge Mcentire (??); sentencing; Murdock case (??).

Part 38: Bruce Whitaker (???); amalgamation process; Judges opposing the amalgamation of the District and Supreme Courts; Law Society; Jim Foster (??); Ratushni (??); strategy to achieve amalgamation; Judge Ted Manning (??); Frank Quimby (??) from Calgary; Bill Harren (??); Leach - Attorney General of amalgamation; Grashchuk (??) opposing the amalgamation; Roger Kens (??); Collin Bennett (??).

Part 39: McGilberry (??); Movane (??); Hlynka; Bill Roger (??); spending free time hunting, reading English poetry (Chaucer), books, watching TV (mysteries, documentaries, football); renaming Hawreliak Park; dealing with CBC; ‘svii do svoho’; trip to Africa (Kenia, Tanzania).

Part 40: Trips to Spain, Greece, Caribbeans, Morocco but not to Ukraine or other Communist countries; not pressing his children/grandchildren into adapting Ukrainian identities; multilingualism; Mrs. Stefanyk (??); McDonnel (??); 1963 meeting; President of Alberta Liberal Association; P&B Commission (??); concern with the situation of Ukrainians in Western Canada; David Shein (??); John Lasage (??); Pearson and problems with Quebec; enjoying controversy and competition; Ilya Kiriyak influenced Decore; Peter Rozradych (??); Judge Cliff Cross (??); Decore’s wife.

Part 41: Tragic events - death of his mother; liberal thinking, Liberal Party - introducing changes and reforms in Canada; Reagan's politics; trusting others/politicians; benevolent dictatorship as the best form of governance; family allowances introduced by the Liberals; doctors and lawyers; law as a overpopulated profession; Decore being influential, President of the Liberal Association; opponents of Decore; admiring John Drue (??), John Dieffenbacher; Hlynka as a demagogue; J.I. Jones (??) the best practitioner; being mean in politics - multimillionaire from Calgary Carl Nycol (??), Tomko Tymoshevskyi (??).

Part 42: Why becoming a politician; Decore’ ideology - making a contribution to raise the situation of Ukrainians in Canada, to help Ukrainians to be more comfortable in the Canadian society; Stechyshyn’s (??) thinking; Mike Luckovich (??); what Decore likes about politics - making a contribution; the use/abuse of alcohol in politics (Steinbach; David Folk (??) convicted of impaired driving); financial situation of Decore and charities (CUC, Knyharnia, Red Cross, Symphony, etc.); ambitiousness and other qualities of Decore, admiring other people’s qualities; Trudeau, classes in the society; Decore as a member of the Judiciary; Judge and jury; Charter of Rights; common law system.

Part 43: Judges Grashchuk (??), Bill Moral (??); out of 9 Judges of the Appeal Court 6 came from Decore’s District Court (Bill Harren (??), Bill Stevenson, Rogers Ken (??)); arising reputation of the District Court; benefits and challenges of being a Judge; disappointment with Peter Grashchuk (??) because he opposed amalgamation; Decore’s concept of God (supreme power that nobody knows), power of prayers, going to church but not to priests; being humble; Decore’s regrets; importance of honesty, integrity, and good credit.