Throughout history, tens of thousands of people have left Russia, and many of them ended up in Canada. Among them was Michael Starr, also known as Mikhail Starchevsky, who later became the Minister of Labour in Canada. He was born in 1910 in Canada, where his parents emigrated in the early 20th century. At 18, Mikhail worked at a metallurgical plant and changed his name to Michael Starr at the request of the director, as accountants often made mistakes in spelling his Russian surname. Mikhail was actively involved in trade unions, spoke at rallies, and was respected among his colleagues.

At 27, he fully dedicated himself to politics, graduating from the local law faculty. He was elected to the Oshawa city council in Ontario, where he advocated for increased social benefits and support for the underprivileged. In 1949, Starchevsky became the mayor of Oshawa during a challenging time of post-war emigration, rising unemployment, and housing prices. He successfully met these challenges and was elected to the Canadian parliament, where he joined the Progressive Conservative Party. The party leader, with Starchevsky's support, became prime minister, and Mikhail was appointed Minister of Labour.

As Minister of Labour, Starchevsky focused on job creation and poverty reduction. He left this position in 1963, continuing to work in various government roles before retiring. In Oshawa, he is still regarded as one of the most outstanding residents, and one of the government buildings is named in his honor. Mikhail Starchevsky passed away on March 16, 2000.