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{{Short description|Canadian politician}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Borys Wrzesnewskyj
| image = Borys Wrzesnewskyj.jpg
| honorific-suffix =
| riding = [[Etobicoke Centre (federal electoral district)|Etobicoke Centre]]
| parliament = Canadian
| term_start = October 19, 2015
| term_end = September 11, 2019
| predecessor = [[Ted Opitz]]
| successor = [[Yvan Baker]]
|
| term_end2 = May 2, 2011
|
| successor2 = [[Ted Opitz]]
| office3
|
|
|
|
| successor3 =
| party = [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]] | birth_date = {{Birth date and age |1960|11|10}}
| birth_place = [[Etobicoke]], [[Ontario]], Canada
| profession = Businessman
| residence = [[Toronto]], Ontario, Canada
| spouse =
| children =
| education = [[Trinity College, Toronto]]
}}
'''Borys Wrzesnewskyj'''
==Background==
Wrzesnewskyj was born in [[Etobicoke, Ontario]], Canada (now a part of [[Toronto]]). He is a third-generation [[Ukrainian Canadian]], of the [[Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church|Ukrainian Catholic Church]], and partly [[
==Humanitarian work==
Wrzesnewskyj is known for his [[humanitarian]] work both in his riding of [[Etobicoke Centre (federal electoral district)|Etobicoke Centre]] and abroad, including helping children causes in [[Ukraine]]. Through Future Bakery, Wrzesnewskyj was one of the original sponsors of the ''Out of the Cold'' program to aid the homeless and numerous other charitable organizations working in a number of Toronto's most challenging neighbourhoods.
In the late 1980s he helped organize and finance the nascent
Through his family foundation, Wrzesnewskyj has provided funding support for the following:
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* In 2014 he sponsored the publication of "This Blessed Land: [[Crimea]] and the [[Crimean Tatars]]" by [[Paul Robert Magocsi]]
In December 2010, he created the ''Roman Wrzesnewskyj Polish Endowment Fund'' with a $35,000 donation toward the preservation and development of advanced [[Polish language]] studies at the Department of [[Slavic Languages]] and Literatures, [[University of Toronto]].<ref>[http://www.artsci.utoronto.ca/main/supporting/news-gift-stories/borys-wrzesnewskyj2019s-gift-to-polish-studies-at-u-of-t-honours-father Borys Wrzesnewskyj’s gift to Polish Studies at U of T honours father] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728125041/http://www.artsci.utoronto.ca/main/supporting/news-gift-stories/borys-wrzesnewskyj2019s-gift-to-polish-studies-at-u-of-t-honours-father |date=2011-07-28 }}. [[University of Toronto]] Faculty of Arts & Science, January 13, 2011.</ref>
==Politics==
Wrzesnewskyj was actively involved in the Canadian delegation to the [[2004 Ukrainian presidential election|contested Ukrainian election of 2004]], [[Orange Revolution]], and has often spoken to Canadian media on its behalf. Then, [[Canadian Prime Minister]], [[Paul Martin]] said that he was personally briefed by him to publicly warn [[Russian President]] [[Vladimir Putin]] "hands off the Ukrainian election" in the [[House of Commons of Canada]] which fundamentally shifted Canada's position (Wrzesnewskyj telephoned Martin from [[
===Legislative work===
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* Bill C-180, "An Act to amend the Criminal Code (hate propaganda)", 6 May 2009; Bill C-181, "An Act to amend the Criminal Code (trafficking and transplanting [[human organs]] and other body parts)", 7 May 2009.
* Bill C-383, "An Act respecting education benefits for spouses and children of certain deceased federal enforcement officers", 12 May 2009.
* Bill C-394 "An Act to acknowledge that persons of Croatian origin were interned in Canada during the [[First World War]] and to provide for recognition of this event", 26 May 2009. This began as his Private Members' Bill C-374, which the ''[[Winnipeg Sun]]'' placed this item in its top ten list of bills (9 November 2006).<ref>{{cite news|last=Granic|first=Stan|title=A Strong Voice for Croatian Canadians: The Legacy of Borys Wrzesnewskyj|url=http://www.croatianchronicle.com/ccn/life/a-strong-voice-for-croatian-canadians-the-legacy-of-borys-wrzesnewskyj|archive-url=https://archive.
* Bill C-450, "An Act respecting a national day of remembrance of the Ukrainian [[Holodomor]]-Genocide".
* Bill C-537, "An Act to amend the Criminal Code (judicial interim release for offenses involving firearms)" to toughen up bail conditions for perpetrators of crimes involving guns, June 2010.
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===International self-financed fact-finding missions===
From 7–14 August 2009, Wrzesnewskyj
===RCMP pension scandal===
In April 2007, Wrzesnewskyj publicly called for a full judicial inquiry into the [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police]] (RCMP) [[Scandals surrounding the RCMP#Pension fund scandal|pension fund scandal]] and spoke to the media on the matter. He was instrumental in bringing forward to the Public Accounts Committee, and pursuing, an investigation into the misuse of the RCMP pension and insurance funds involving the upper echelons of Canada's national police force which pressured the government into establishing the Task Force on Governance and Cultural Change in the RCMP.<ref>Accessed 2 April 2022, https://web.archive.org/web/20070401151008/http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2007/03/28/rcmp-allegations.html</ref> Here again, Canadian Prime Minister [[Paul Martin]] emphatically stated that "nothing would not have been done (with the RCMP pension scandal) if it hadn't been for Borys."
===Hezbollah comments===
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===Special Advisor to the Liberal Leader on Emerging Democracies===
From 2009-11, Wrzesnewskyj held the position of Special Advisor to the Liberal Leader on Emerging Democracies.<ref>[http://boryswrzesnewskyj.liberal.ca/wrzesnewskyj-appointed-special-advisor-for-emerging-democracies/ Borys Wrzesnewskyj appointed Special Advisor to the Liberal Leader on Emerging Democracies] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001142643/http://boryswrzesnewskyj.liberal.ca/wrzesnewskyj-appointed-special-advisor-for-emerging-democracies/
As a [[Canadians|Canadian]] parliamentarian of partial Polish heritage, Wrzesnewskyj is the founder of the Canada-Poland Parliamentary Friendship Group. He has persistently criticized Canadian Minister of Citizenship, Immigration, and Multiculturalism [[Jason Kenney]] for reducing immigration quotas from [[Poland]], and [[Ukraine]] to Canada. He has also spoken to Canadian media on the [[Katyn Massacre]] and [[2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash]] that saw the deaths of Poland's senior government, diplomatic and military leaders, including President [[Lech Kaczynski]].
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In the [[2011 Canadian federal election|2011 election]], Wrzesnewskyj was defeated by [[Conservative Party of Canada|Conservative]] candidate [[Ted Opitz]] by a margin of just 26 votes.<ref name=recount>[https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/995824--recount-confirms-tory-win-in-etobicoke-centre?bn=1 "Recount confirms Tory win in Etobicoke Centre"]. ''[[Toronto Star]]'', May 23, 2011.</ref> A [[judicial recount]] subsequently confirmed Opitz's victory.<ref name=recount />
Nearly a year after the election, allegations of an election dirty tricks campaign linked to the Conservative [[Harper government]] persists.<ref>[http://www.therecord.com/news/local/article/675792--opposition-parties-slam-election-dirty-tricks-campaign-linked-to-tories-that-took-place-in-waterloo-region-guelph-ridings Opposition parties slam election dirty tricks]. ''[[The Record (Waterloo Region)|The Record]]'', February 23, 2012.</ref><ref>[http://globalnews.ca/news/215121/ndp-question-2011-election-results-amidst-robocall-investigation/ NDP question 2011 election results amidst robocall investigation]. [[Global News]], February 23, 2012.</ref><ref>
===After the 2011 election===
Despite the narrow loss in the May 2011 election, Wrzesnewskyj has continued dedicating himself to public service. This includes the closure of the immigration case of Arjan Tabaj, championed by Wrzesnewskyj and immigration lawyer Scott McDonald. Tabaj is a partly paralyzed survivor of an assassination attempt during elections in [[Albania]].<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/family-wrongfully-deported-to-albania-returning-to-canada/article2175575/ | work=The Globe and Mail | title=Family wrongfully deported to Albania returning to Canada|date=22 September 2011}}</ref>
After the arrest of Ukrainian politician [[Yulia Tymoshenko]] in August 2011, Wrzesnewskyj participated in demonstrations at the Ukrainian Consulate in Toronto, calling for the support of democracy in Ukraine and release of all [[political prisoners]]. International organizations, representatives of the [[European Union]] and the [[United States]] called Tymoshenko's arrest "selective prosecution of political opponents".<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14459446 | work=BBC News | title=Q&A: Ukraine's Yulia Tymoshenko on trial | date=11 October 2011}}</ref>
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===Potential Liberal leadership campaign in 2013===
After the Liberal Party suffered their worst defeat in history under [[Michael Ignatieff]] in the May 2, 2011 federal election, and the previous defeat of [[Stéphane Dion]] in 2008, party loyalists have objected to Liberal Party decision makers who reflexively promote and support high-profile or star leadership candidates. Supporters have quietly urged Wrzesnewskyj to run for the [[2013 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election]].{{citation needed |reason=Rumour and speculation|date=June 2015}}
===Supreme Court of Canada case===
Wrzesnewskyj challenged the election results of May 2, 2011 in the Etobicoke Centre. Early in 2012, he launched his case in the [[Ontario Court of Justice]], arguing voting irregularities, including ballots cast by people who did not live in the riding, the possibility that at least some people voted multiple times, and mistakes made in the conduct of the election by Elections Canada.<ref>{{cite news| url=
On May 18, Justice Thomas Lederer agreed with Wrzesnewskyj, declaring the election results null and void, and ordered a by-election in Etobicoke Centre.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/judge-throws-out-federal-election-results-in-toronto-riding/article2437218/ | work=The Globe and Mail | title=Toronto residents receive robo-calls after judge throws out election results|date=18 May 2012}}</ref>
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Despite Justice Lederer's decision, Ted Opitz appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada and has refused to step down as MP from the House of Commons and run again against Wrzesnewskyj in a by-election. Opitz continues to vote in the House of Commons. Wrzesnewskyj has stated Opitz should sit out votes in the House of Commons: "It undermines ... our confidence in the democratic system that we have if we don't know who the actual member of Parliament is."<ref>[http://www.globaltoronto.com/scoc+to+hear+overturned+election+case+this+week/6442675283/story.html SCOC to hear overturned election case this week]. [[Global News]], July 8, 2012.</ref>
On 10 July 2012 the Supreme Court of Canada interrupted its summer break to hear appeals from Ted Opitz and to decide whether a by-election is required. "The Supreme Court will likely make its decision quickly since by law, it has to expedite the case. If the court rules this summer, there could be a by-election in Etobicoke Centre early in the new year, or sooner."<ref name=autogenerated3>[
Instead of accepting the Ontario judge's decision and calling a by-election, the governing Conservatives decided to fight it, becoming the first party to take such a matter to the Supreme Court. Judge Lederer's May ruling was only the sixth time since 1949 that a [[Canadians|Canadian]] court has set aside federal election results in a riding.<ref>[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/canadas-voting-system-at-the-heart-of-etobicoke-elections-case/article4401938/ Canada’s voting system at the heart of Etobicoke elections case]. ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', July 9, 2012.</ref>
While the Tory party is paying Opitz's legal bills, the Liberal Party of Canada refused to pay for Wrzesnewskyj's legal costs.
On Thursday October 25, 2012, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in a split decision in favour of Opitz, allowing him to remain as MP for Etobicoke Center and once and for all putting an end to Wrzesnewskyj's dispute.<ref>[http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/10/25/conservative-mp-ted-opitz-keeps-his-seat-in-etobicoke-centre-after-split-supreme-court-vote/ Conservative MP Ted Opitz keeps his seat in Etobicoke Centre after split Supreme Court ruling]. ''[[National Post]]'', October 25, 2012.</ref>
===2015–
In the 2015 election, Wrzesnewskyj defeated Conservative MP Opitz by a margin of over 9,500 votes.
In late 2018, Wrzesnewskyj announced he would not be running for re-election in the coming [[2019 Canadian federal election|2019 election]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/4593050/borys-wrzesnewskyj-leaving-etobicoke-centre/|title=Liberal incumbent to leave Toronto-area seat, setting up rare GTA opening for Tories|date=October 24, 2018|last=Akin|first=David|website=Global News|
During the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]], Wrzesnewskyj helped organize Canadian volunteers going to Ukraine to serve in the [[International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/world/exclusive-so-many-canadian-fighters-in-ukraine-they-have-their-own-battalion-source-says|work=National Post|title=Exclusive: So many Canadian fighters in Ukraine, they have their own battalion, source says|first=Tom|last=Blackwell|date=March 9, 2022}}</ref>
==Awards and recognition==
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On February 25, 2011 Wrzesnewskyj was awarded the Estonian Canadian Medal of Merit for his outstanding contribution to Canadians of Estonian heritage.
On November 15, 2014, President of [[Poland]] [[Bronisław Komorowski]], awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of Merit to Wrzesnewskyj, which advocated, among others, the abolition of visas to Canada for Polish citizens and donated the program of Polish language and literature at the University of Toronto.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ottawa.msz.gov.pl/en/news/poland_s_independence_day_celebrated_in_ottawa |title=Poland's Independence Day celebrated in Ottawa |access-date=2014-11-17 |archive-date=2014-11-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129021425/http://ottawa.msz.gov.pl/en/news/poland_s_independence_day_celebrated_in_ottawa |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Electoral record==
{{2015 Canadian federal election
{{2006 Canadian federal election/Etobicoke Centre}}
{{2004 Canadian federal election/Etobicoke Centre}}
▲{{Canadian federal election, 2006/Electoral District/Etobicoke Centre}}
▲{{Canadian federal election, 2004/Electoral District/Etobicoke Centre}}
==Notes==
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==External links==
{{
*{{Canadian Parliament links|ID=16783}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wrzesnewskyj, Borys}}
[[Category:1960 births]]
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[[Category:Canadian people of Polish descent]]
[[Category:Canadian people of Ukrainian descent]]
[[Category:Liberal Party of Canada MPs]]
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[[Category:Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Ontario]]
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[[Category:Trinity College (Canada) alumni]]
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