Roman Yereniuk
Encyclopedia
Roman Yereniuk is an educator and former public official in Winnipeg
, Manitoba
, Canada
. He has been the principal of St. Andrew's College
at the University of Manitoba
, and was a trustee with the Winnipeg School Board from 1989 to 1995 and again from 1998 to 2006. He has also ran for the Canadian House of Commons
on two occasions, as a candidate of the New Democratic Party
. Yereniuk is a prominent member of Winnipeg's Ukrainian-Canadian community.
. He also teaches religion at the Center for Ukrainian Canadian Studies at the University of Manitoba. He has served as president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress-Winnipeg Branch, and is its national treasurer for the 2004-07 term. He has also been a board member of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation and head of the Christian and Heritage Education Committee of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada
.
Yereniuk has written extensively about the Ukrainian-Canadian community, in such fields as Ukrainians in politics and the Ukrainian Orthodox faith. He has been vice-chairman of the board of Ukrainian Voice newspaper, and helped oversee the release of the video "Headlines: 90 years of the Ukrainian Voice Weekly" in 2001. In 1990, he co-authored a book entitled Moments to Faith: Ukrainian Churches in Manitoba, released by the University of Manitoba Press. He latter issued a video entitled "The Theotokos
in the Ukrainian Religious Tradition", studying icon
s in Ukrainian religious culture.
Yereniuk has also been active in the labour movement, and has served as vice-president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees
local 3909. He was an international observer to the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election
and the 2006 Ukrainian parliamentary election
.
, but was narrowly defeated for the final position. He tried again in 1989
and won, and was re-elected in 1992
. After the election, he caucused with the New Democratic Party group of trustees.
Yereniuk served as a Regional Director of the Manitoba Association of School Trustees
in 1993-94. In 1994, he voted against a proposal to teach greater tolerance toward homosexuals in Winnipeg schools. Yereniuk indicated that he believed homosexuality should be addressed in schools "with dignity and sensitivity", but argued that it was the responsibility of the provincial government to bring it into the curriculum. He was narrowly defeated in the 1995 municipal election
, losing the final position in Ward Three to Luba Fedorkiw. He later began a court challenge against the election of Mike Babinsky, another successful candidate, on the grounds that he had not fulfilled Winnipeg's residency requirements. He dropped the challenge in May 1996, citing financial strain.
Yereniuk returned to the school board in the 1998 election
, as the school board shifted to the left. In 1999, he supported a proposal to rehire the city's truant officers
. He later opposed the imposition of province-wide language arts exams for grades six and nine, and in 2001 suggested introducing Ukrainian-language
arts courses for grades nine through twelve at a central location in Winnipeg.
He was re-elected in 2002
, and supported a controversial pay raise the following year. In 2003, he called for the Winnipeg School Division
to become a partner in the proposed Canadian Museum for Human Rights
. He later endorsed a complete ban on smoking in the Winnipeg school division.
In 2005, Yereniuk was one of three trustees to vote in favour of introducing major changes to the Winnipeg School Board's system of election. He was defeated in the 2006 election
, again losing the third position in Ward Three.
and 2000
elections, in Winnipeg—St. Paul. On both occasions, he lost to Liberal
incumbent Rey Pagtakhan
.
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...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He has been the principal of St. Andrew's College
St. Andrew's College (Winnipeg)
St. Andrew’s College is an institution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada and is affiliated with the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg...
at the University of Manitoba
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba , in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is the largest university in the province of Manitoba. It is Manitoba's most comprehensive and only research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. It was founded in 1877, making it Western Canada’s first university. It placed...
, and was a trustee with the Winnipeg School Board from 1989 to 1995 and again from 1998 to 2006. He has also ran for the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
on two occasions, as a candidate of the New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
. Yereniuk is a prominent member of Winnipeg's Ukrainian-Canadian community.
Educator and community leader
Yereniuk started working for St. Andrew's College in 1972, and became its principal in 1988. He no longer holds the latter office, although he continues to serve as an Associate Professor of TheologyTheology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
. He also teaches religion at the Center for Ukrainian Canadian Studies at the University of Manitoba. He has served as president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress-Winnipeg Branch, and is its national treasurer for the 2004-07 term. He has also been a board member of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation and head of the Christian and Heritage Education Committee of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada is an Eastern Orthodox Church in Canada, primarily serving Ukrainian Canadians. Its former name was the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Canada ...
.
Yereniuk has written extensively about the Ukrainian-Canadian community, in such fields as Ukrainians in politics and the Ukrainian Orthodox faith. He has been vice-chairman of the board of Ukrainian Voice newspaper, and helped oversee the release of the video "Headlines: 90 years of the Ukrainian Voice Weekly" in 2001. In 1990, he co-authored a book entitled Moments to Faith: Ukrainian Churches in Manitoba, released by the University of Manitoba Press. He latter issued a video entitled "The Theotokos
Theotokos
Theotokos is the Greek title of Mary, the mother of Jesus used especially in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic Churches. Its literal English translations include God-bearer and the one who gives birth to God. Less literal translations include Mother of God...
in the Ukrainian Religious Tradition", studying icon
Icon
An icon is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches...
s in Ukrainian religious culture.
Yereniuk has also been active in the labour movement, and has served as vice-president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees
Canadian Union of Public Employees
The Canadian Union of Public Employees is a Canadian trade union serving the public sector - although it has in recent years organized workplaces in the non-profit and para-public sector as well...
local 3909. He was an international observer to the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election
Ukrainian presidential election, 2004
The Ukrainian presidential election, 2004 was held on October 31, November 21 and December 26, 2004. The election was the fourth presidential election to take place in Ukraine following independence from the Soviet Union...
and the 2006 Ukrainian parliamentary election
Ukrainian parliamentary election, 2006
The Ukrainian parliamentary election took place on March 26, 2006. Election campaigning officially began on July 7, 2005. Between November 26 and December 31, 2005 party lists of candidates were formed....
.
School trustee
Winnipeg's school board has nine trustees, elected in multi-member wards. Yereniuk first sought election to the board's third ward in 1986Winnipeg municipal election, 1986
The 1986 Winnipeg municipal election was held on October 22, 1986 to elect a mayor, councillors and school trustees in the city of Winnipeg.Bill Norrie was re-elected to a fourth term as mayor, defeating former Member of the Legislative Assembly Russell Doern and ten other...
, but was narrowly defeated for the final position. He tried again in 1989
Winnipeg municipal election, 1989
The 1989 Winnipeg municipal election was held on October 25, 1989 to elect a mayor, councillors and school trustees in the city of Winnipeg.Bill Norrie was re-elected to a fifth term as mayor without serious opposition.-Councillors:...
and won, and was re-elected in 1992
Winnipeg municipal election, 1992
The 1992 Winnipeg municipal election was held on October 28, 1992 to elect a mayor, councillors and school trustees in the city of Winnipeg.Susan Thompson defeated Greg Selinger in the mayoral contest.-Councillors:...
. After the election, he caucused with the New Democratic Party group of trustees.
Yereniuk served as a Regional Director of the Manitoba Association of School Trustees
Manitoba Association of School Trustees
The Manitoba School Boards Association is a voluntary organization of public school boards in Manitoba, Canada. Its stated purpose is to "enhance the work of locally elected school boards through leadership, advocacy and service, and to champion the cause of public education for all students in...
in 1993-94. In 1994, he voted against a proposal to teach greater tolerance toward homosexuals in Winnipeg schools. Yereniuk indicated that he believed homosexuality should be addressed in schools "with dignity and sensitivity", but argued that it was the responsibility of the provincial government to bring it into the curriculum. He was narrowly defeated in the 1995 municipal election
Winnipeg municipal election, 1995
The 1995 Winnipeg municipal election was held on October 25, 1995 to elect a mayor, councillors and school trustees in the city of Winnipeg.Susan Thompson defeated Peter Kaufmann and Terry Duguid in the mayoral contest.-Councillors:...
, losing the final position in Ward Three to Luba Fedorkiw. He later began a court challenge against the election of Mike Babinsky, another successful candidate, on the grounds that he had not fulfilled Winnipeg's residency requirements. He dropped the challenge in May 1996, citing financial strain.
Yereniuk returned to the school board in the 1998 election
Winnipeg municipal election, 1998
The 1998 Winnipeg municipal election was held on October 28, 1998 to elect a mayor, councillors and school trustees in the city of Winnipeg.Centre-left candidate Glen Murray defeated populist right-winger Peter Kaufmann in the mayoral contest.-Councillors:...
, as the school board shifted to the left. In 1999, he supported a proposal to rehire the city's truant officers
Truancy
Truancy is any intentional unauthorized absence from compulsory schooling. The term typically describes absences caused by students of their own free will, and usually does not refer to legitimate "excused" absences, such as ones related to medical conditions...
. He later opposed the imposition of province-wide language arts exams for grades six and nine, and in 2001 suggested introducing 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....
arts courses for grades nine through twelve at a central location in Winnipeg.
He was re-elected in 2002
Winnipeg municipal election, 2002
The 2002 Winnipeg municipal election was held on October 23, 2002 to elect a mayor, councillors and school trustees in the city of Winnipeg.Glen Murray, the city's centre-left mayor, was re-elected to a second term over challenger Al Golden.-Councillors:...
, and supported a controversial pay raise the following year. In 2003, he called for the Winnipeg School Division
Winnipeg School Division
The Winnipeg School Division is the largest of six public school divisions in Winnipeg, serving 77 schools and over 33,000 students and their families in the central part of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.The division was founded in 1871...
to become a partner in the proposed Canadian Museum for Human Rights
Canadian Museum for Human Rights
The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is a national museum currently under construction in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada at the historic Forks where the Assiniboine and Red Rivers meet...
. He later endorsed a complete ban on smoking in the Winnipeg school division.
In 2005, Yereniuk was one of three trustees to vote in favour of introducing major changes to the Winnipeg School Board's system of election. He was defeated in the 2006 election
Winnipeg municipal election, 2006
The 2006 Winnipeg municipal election was held on October 25, 2006 to elect a mayor, councillors and school trustees in the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.Sam Katz was re-elected Mayor of Winnipeg over left-leaning challenger Marianne Cerilli.-Council:...
, again losing the third position in Ward Three.
Federal candidate
Yereniuk campaigned for the federal New Democratic Party in the 1997Canadian federal election, 1997
The Canadian federal election of 1997 was held on June 2, 1997, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 36th Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's Liberal Party of Canada won a second majority government...
and 2000
Canadian federal election, 2000
The 2000 Canadian federal election was held on November 27, 2000, to elect 301 Members of Parliament of the Canadian House of Commons of the 37th Parliament of Canada....
elections, in Winnipeg—St. Paul. On both occasions, he lost to Liberal
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...
incumbent Rey Pagtakhan
Rey Pagtakhan
Rey D. Pagtakhan, PC is a Canadian physician, professor and politician. He was a cabinet minister in the governments of Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin, and served as a member of parliament from 1988 until his defeat in the 2004 election....
.
Electoral record
| Election | Division | Party | Votes | % | Place | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 Winnipeg municipal Winnipeg municipal election, 1986 The 1986 Winnipeg municipal election was held on October 22, 1986 to elect a mayor, councillors and school trustees in the city of Winnipeg.Bill Norrie was re-elected to a fourth term as mayor, defeating former Member of the Legislative Assembly Russell Doern and ten other... |
Winnipeg School Board, Ward Three | n/a (New Democratic Party New Democratic Party of Manitoba The New Democratic Party of Manitoba is a social-democratic political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is the provincial wing of the federal New Democratic Party, and is a successor to the Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation... ) |
3,770 | 4/12 | Edward Kowalchuk, Irene Haigh, and Isobel Sudol | |
| 1989 Winnipeg municipal Winnipeg municipal election, 1989 The 1989 Winnipeg municipal election was held on October 25, 1989 to elect a mayor, councillors and school trustees in the city of Winnipeg.Bill Norrie was re-elected to a fifth term as mayor without serious opposition.-Councillors:... |
Winnipeg School Board, Ward Three | n/a (New Democratic Party New Democratic Party of Manitoba The New Democratic Party of Manitoba is a social-democratic political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is the provincial wing of the federal New Democratic Party, and is a successor to the Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation... ) |
5,527 | 3/6 | Irene Haigh, Edward Kowalchuk, and himself | |
| 1992 Winnipeg municipal Winnipeg municipal election, 1992 The 1992 Winnipeg municipal election was held on October 28, 1992 to elect a mayor, councillors and school trustees in the city of Winnipeg.Susan Thompson defeated Greg Selinger in the mayoral contest.-Councillors:... |
Winnipeg School Board, Ward Three | n/a (New Democratic Party New Democratic Party of Manitoba The New Democratic Party of Manitoba is a social-democratic political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is the provincial wing of the federal New Democratic Party, and is a successor to the Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation... ) |
6,601 | 2/11 | Edward Kowalchuk, himself, and Bill Sanderson | |
| 1995 Winnipeg municipal Winnipeg municipal election, 1995 The 1995 Winnipeg municipal election was held on October 25, 1995 to elect a mayor, councillors and school trustees in the city of Winnipeg.Susan Thompson defeated Peter Kaufmann and Terry Duguid in the mayoral contest.-Councillors:... |
Winnipeg School Board, Ward Three | n/a (New Democratic Party New Democratic Party of Manitoba The New Democratic Party of Manitoba is a social-democratic political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is the provincial wing of the federal New Democratic Party, and is a successor to the Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation... ) |
4,578 | 4/16 | Mike Babinsky, Liz Ambrose, and Luba Fedorkiw | |
| 1997 federal Canadian federal election, 1997 The Canadian federal election of 1997 was held on June 2, 1997, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 36th Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's Liberal Party of Canada won a second majority government... |
Winnipeg North—St. Paul Winnipeg North—St. Paul Winnipeg North—St. Paul was a federal electoral district in Manitoba, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1997 to 2004.... |
New Democratic Party New Democratic Party The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in... |
9,487 | 2/6 | Rey Pagtakhan Rey Pagtakhan Rey D. Pagtakhan, PC is a Canadian physician, professor and politician. He was a cabinet minister in the governments of Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin, and served as a member of parliament from 1988 until his defeat in the 2004 election.... , Liberal 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... |
|
| 1998 Winnipeg municipal Winnipeg municipal election, 1998 The 1998 Winnipeg municipal election was held on October 28, 1998 to elect a mayor, councillors and school trustees in the city of Winnipeg.Centre-left candidate Glen Murray defeated populist right-winger Peter Kaufmann in the mayoral contest.-Councillors:... |
Winnipeg School Board, Ward Three | n/a (New Democratic Party New Democratic Party of Manitoba The New Democratic Party of Manitoba is a social-democratic political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is the provincial wing of the federal New Democratic Party, and is a successor to the Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation... ) |
6,254 | 2/11 | Mike Babinsky, himself, and Liz Ambrose | |
| 2000 federal Canadian federal election, 2000 The 2000 Canadian federal election was held on November 27, 2000, to elect 301 Members of Parliament of the Canadian House of Commons of the 37th Parliament of Canada.... |
Winnipeg North—St. Paul Winnipeg North—St. Paul Winnipeg North—St. Paul was a federal electoral district in Manitoba, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1997 to 2004.... |
New Democratic Party New Democratic Party The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in... |
7,931 | 3/8 | Rey Pagtakhan Rey Pagtakhan Rey D. Pagtakhan, PC is a Canadian physician, professor and politician. He was a cabinet minister in the governments of Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin, and served as a member of parliament from 1988 until his defeat in the 2004 election.... , Liberal 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... |
|
| 2002 Winnipeg municipal Winnipeg municipal election, 2002 The 2002 Winnipeg municipal election was held on October 23, 2002 to elect a mayor, councillors and school trustees in the city of Winnipeg.Glen Murray, the city's centre-left mayor, was re-elected to a second term over challenger Al Golden.-Councillors:... |
Winnipeg School Board, Ward Three | n/a (New Democratic Party New Democratic Party of Manitoba The New Democratic Party of Manitoba is a social-democratic political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is the provincial wing of the federal New Democratic Party, and is a successor to the Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation... ) |
5,918 | 13.02 | 3/10 | Mike Babinsky, Liz Ambrose, and himself |
| 2006 Winnipeg municipal Winnipeg municipal election, 2006 The 2006 Winnipeg municipal election was held on October 25, 2006 to elect a mayor, councillors and school trustees in the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.Sam Katz was re-elected Mayor of Winnipeg over left-leaning challenger Marianne Cerilli.-Council:... |
Winnipeg School Board, Ward Three | n/a (New Democratic Party New Democratic Party of Manitoba The New Democratic Party of Manitoba is a social-democratic political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is the provincial wing of the federal New Democratic Party, and is a successor to the Manitoba Co-operative Commonwealth Federation... ) |
5,133 | 4/6 | Mike Babinsky, Suzanne Hrynyk, and Sonia Prevost-Derbecker |