Olha Kulybanych, UCC Bow Valley Association, October 28, 2025
Borys Sydoruk, Chair, Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Foundation.
It might not have been the largest commemoration of First World War internment operations this year, but it was likely the highest.
On October 28, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, Bow Valley Association (serving Banff, Canmore, and Lake Louise, Alta.) held a commemoration at the summit of Sulphur Mountain – 2,281 metres (7,486 feet) above sea level – marking WWI National Internment Commemoration Day. The solemn event honoured Canada's first national internment operations, which occurred from 1914 to 1920, and provided an opportunity for remembrance and thoughtful reflection.
Participants ascended the Banff Gondola to view “That Never Happened,” a documentary film detailing the overlooked history of Ukrainian and other European internees detained at 24 internment camps across Canada during the First World War. Screening the documentary at the summit added significant impact, as it marked the first presentation of the film at such an elevation.
It’s also a location connected directly to its subject matter. The Cave & Basin one of the 24 camps, operated nearby more than 100 years earlier. Internees there were compelled to contribute to numerous projects supporting the development of Banff National Park, including extending the road from Banff to Lake Louise and elsewhere, expanding the Banff Springs Golf Course, and working on additional infrastructure initiatives.
Some 50 people attended, including Borys Sydoruk, UCC National Internment Committee Chair and a longtime advocate for internment redress. For the majority of those there, including many Ukrainian newcomers to Canada, the occasion marked their initial introduction to the internment activities that occurred in Banff and other regions nationwide. The evening and the surroundings fostered an environment for reflection, meaningful dialogue, and enhanced understanding, effectively connecting the community's historical experiences with the present.
As Ukrainian newcomers in Canada, standing in Banff — a place of breathtaking beauty that once held great pain — we felt the weight of history. Over a century ago, Ukrainians came here seeking hope, just as many of us have today. But instead of welcome, they found barbed wire. Classified as “enemy aliens,” they were imprisoned in camps like the ones in Banff National Park and forced to work in the very mountains we now admire.
Olha Kulbanych, President of the UCC Bow Valley Association, emphasized the importance of historical awareness. “It is essential for each of us to understand our history,” she said. “If we don’t remember our past, we cannot secure our future.”
We honour the internees for their resilience, dignity, and contributions to this country amid adversity and injustice. Continued study of this history deepens our recognition of the ongoing efforts required to advance justice, understanding, and healing within our community.
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