The Association of United Ukrainian Canadians (AUUC) was founded in Winnipeg as the Ukrainian Labour Temple Association (ULTA) in 1918. By 1928 it had 167 branches across Canada, including Saskatchewan. These Labour Temples became a home for immigrants and their children when discrimination against Eastern Europeans began to intensify in Saskatchewan. They offered a wide range of folk activities as well as English language classes for adults and children. As no form of medicare was available, ULTA founded the Workers Benevolent Association (WBA) in Winnipeg in 1922, with branches and membership rapidly spreading throughout Canada; it even extended its membership to all workers, irrespective of ethnic origin. The AUUC was at the forefront of assistance to Ukraine after World War II; it later fought for ties with that country and sponsored Canadian artists, writers, and choreographers to go there - at times under very difficult conditions, especially during the Cold War. A lasting tribute to the AUUC's dedication to its literary heritage was the establishment of a monument to the great Ukrainian poet Lesya Ukrainka, a gift from Ukraine, on the grounds of the University of Saskatchewan in 1976.
Alex Lapchuk