Cyril Genik
Encyclopedia
Cyril Genik was a Ukrainian
-Canadian immigration agent. He is a Person of National Historic Significance.
, before moving to what is now Ivano-Frankivsk
to complete his teaching education. He completed his baccalaureate
in Lviv
before being appointed as a teacher in 1879 in Nadvirna
county. In 1882, Genik returned to his home village and established a school there. During the 1880s, Genik established a milling business as well as a producers' cooperative that he named the Carpathian Store. In 1890, he was elected to the town council in the town of his initial studies, Kolomyja.
At some point, Genik met Joseph Oleskiw
, a man who had been encouraging immigration by Ukrainians to Canada. Oleskiw asked Genik if he could accompany and lead his second contingent of Ukrainians on their voyage to Canada and help them get settled. Genik and his family of one wife and four children joined a group of 64 Ukrainians in landing at Quebec City
on June 22, 1896. Genik led his contingent firstly to Winnipeg
and then to what was founded as Stuartburn, Manitoba
, which is now considered to be the first Ukrainian Canadian
community in Western Canada. In August, Genik applied for a homestead in Stuartburn, but quickly changed his mind and relocated to Winnipeg. That same month, Oleskiw recommended Genik to the Canadian Department of the Interior as an immigration agent. In September, Genik became an as-needed Department worker for the government's interpreting and translation needs. In his job as an immigration agent, Genik met new Ukrainian Canadian immigrants at Quebec City, encouraged the use of English and the abandonment of traditional customs and served as a counsellor wherever necessary. His workload increased dramatically with the sharp rise in Ukrainian immigration to Canada – so much, in fact, that by 1898 Genik had become a full-time salaried employee of the Canadian government
. In doing so, he had become the first Ukrainian full-time Canadian government public servant.
In 1899, Genik established the Taras Shevchenko Reading Hall in his house, and the first Ukrainian language
newspaper in Canada, Kanadyiskyi farmer (Canadian farmer) in 1903. Despite not being religious himself, Genik believed that a Christian denomination should exist independent of Greek Orthodox and Russian Orthodox norms, and founded the 'Independent Greek Church' in cooperation with Winnipeg Presbyterian Church ministers in 1903–1904. In 1911, following the general election
of that year in which Genik's favoured Liberal Party
had lost office, Genik lost his job, and he finished his life in the public sphere. He lived for a while in the United States but returned to Winnipeg in his later life, where he died on February 12, 1925.
By the time of his death, Genik had become so well known in the Ukrainian Canadian
community that he had become to be known as the "Czar of Canada".
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
-Canadian immigration agent. He is a Person of National Historic Significance.
Biography
Cyril Genik was born in 1857 in Bereziv Nyzhnii, Galicia, to father Ivan Genyk, a village mayor, and Ann Pertsovych. Genik began his studies at KolomyjaKolomyja
Kołomyja may refer to the following places:*Kolomyia, Ukraine *Kołomyja, Podlaskie Voivodeship...
, before moving to what is now Ivano-Frankivsk
Ivano-Frankivsk
Ivano-Frankivsk is a historic city located in the western Ukraine. It is the administrative centre of the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast , and is designated as its own separate raion within the oblast, municipality....
to complete his teaching education. He completed his baccalaureate
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in Lviv
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
before being appointed as a teacher in 1879 in Nadvirna
Nadvirna
Nadvirna is a city located in the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast in western Ukraine. It is the administrative centre of Nadvirna Raion.Until World War I, Nadvirna was integrated into the Austro-Hungarian Empire, in the province of Galicia. In the inter-war years, the borders changed and it was annexed...
county. In 1882, Genik returned to his home village and established a school there. During the 1880s, Genik established a milling business as well as a producers' cooperative that he named the Carpathian Store. In 1890, he was elected to the town council in the town of his initial studies, Kolomyja.
At some point, Genik met Joseph Oleskiw
Joseph Oleskiw
Dr. Joseph Oleskiw or Jósef Olesków was a Ukrainian professor who promoted Ukrainian immigration to the Canadian prairies. His efforts helped encourage the initial wave of settlers which began the Ukrainian Canadian community....
, a man who had been encouraging immigration by Ukrainians to Canada. Oleskiw asked Genik if he could accompany and lead his second contingent of Ukrainians on their voyage to Canada and help them get settled. Genik and his family of one wife and four children joined a group of 64 Ukrainians in landing at Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
on June 22, 1896. Genik led his contingent firstly to Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
and then to what was founded as Stuartburn, Manitoba
Stuartburn, Manitoba
Stuartburn is a small, primarily Ukrainian community in southeastern Manitoba, Canada. Stuartburn is considered to be the first Ukrainian community in Western Canada....
, which is now considered to be the first Ukrainian Canadian
Ukrainian Canadian
A Ukrainian Canadian is a person of Ukrainian descent or origin who was born in or immigrated to Canada. In 2006, there were an estimated 1,209,085 persons residing in Canada of Ukrainian origin, making them Canada's ninth largest ethnic group; and giving Canada the world's third-largest...
community in Western Canada. In August, Genik applied for a homestead in Stuartburn, but quickly changed his mind and relocated to Winnipeg. That same month, Oleskiw recommended Genik to the Canadian Department of the Interior as an immigration agent. In September, Genik became an as-needed Department worker for the government's interpreting and translation needs. In his job as an immigration agent, Genik met new Ukrainian Canadian immigrants at Quebec City, encouraged the use of English and the abandonment of traditional customs and served as a counsellor wherever necessary. His workload increased dramatically with the sharp rise in Ukrainian immigration to Canada – so much, in fact, that by 1898 Genik had become a full-time salaried employee of the Canadian government
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
. In doing so, he had become the first Ukrainian full-time Canadian government public servant.
In 1899, Genik established the Taras Shevchenko Reading Hall in his house, and the first Ukrainian language
Ukrainian language
Ukrainian is a language of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages. It is the official state language of Ukraine. Written Ukrainian uses a variant of the Cyrillic alphabet....
newspaper in Canada, Kanadyiskyi farmer (Canadian farmer) in 1903. Despite not being religious himself, Genik believed that a Christian denomination should exist independent of Greek Orthodox and Russian Orthodox norms, and founded the 'Independent Greek Church' in cooperation with Winnipeg Presbyterian Church ministers in 1903–1904. In 1911, following the general election
Canadian federal election, 1911
The Canadian federal election of 1911 was held on September 21 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 12th Parliament of Canada.-Summary:...
of that year in which Genik's favoured Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
had lost office, Genik lost his job, and he finished his life in the public sphere. He lived for a while in the United States but returned to Winnipeg in his later life, where he died on February 12, 1925.
By the time of his death, Genik had become so well known in the Ukrainian Canadian
Ukrainian Canadian
A Ukrainian Canadian is a person of Ukrainian descent or origin who was born in or immigrated to Canada. In 2006, there were an estimated 1,209,085 persons residing in Canada of Ukrainian origin, making them Canada's ninth largest ethnic group; and giving Canada the world's third-largest...
community that he had become to be known as the "Czar of Canada".