Mike Starr was a prominent and trailblazing Canadian politician. In 1957 his appointment as Minister of Labour in the Conservative government of John Diefenbaker created a sensation in the Ukrainian Canadian community, especially among post- Second World War immigrants who experienced difficulty trying to adjust to the social, political, and economic realities of Canada. Myron Momryk's biography traces Starr's political career and discusses his importance as a role model for "ethnic Canadians" aspiring to gain entry into inner circles of power.
Myron Momryk was raised in Oshawa, Ontario, and graduated from the University of Waterloo in 1972 with an M.A. in Canadian History. He is a retired Archivist from Library and Archives Canada, where he worked in the Multicultural Archives Program for twenty-five years. He was responsible for acquiring and organizing archival material from East European groups, and the Ukrainian Canadian community in particular. He continues to research and write in the area of Ukrainian Canadian history.