Too little, too late

 

Federal government’s legacy of inaction allowed Nazi war criminals and collaborators to effectively run out the clock after emigrating to Canada

Greg Fergus, who has been Speaker of the House of Commons since early October, is recommending that in the future the backgrounds of invited guests to the House who are introduced to Members of Parliament be thoroughly vetted. Not only whether they pose a physical threat, which is the current practice, but also if there is anything in their pasts that might be considered controversial.

Fergus’s recommendation is in response to what transpired last September when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered an address to the House of Commons. One of the many guests invited to this special occasion by Fergus’s predecessor Anthony Rota was 98-year-old Ukrainian-Canadian Yaroslav Hunka, who lives in Rota’s Ontario riding. Introduced to the MPs by Rota, Hunka was given a standing ovation for having served in the First Ukrainian Division during the Second World War. A few days later, it was revealed that Hunka’s unit was, in reality, part of the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, the military wing of the German Nazi party. In the aftermath of this debacle, Rota resigned as speaker and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was compelled to give one of his heartfelt apologies.

The Globe and Mail recently reported that a staffer in Trudeau’s office had also invited Hunka to a Toronto reception for Zelenskyy. Though Hunka did not attend the reception and Trudeau had nothing to do with the recognition of Hunka in the House of Commons or the invitation, the entire episode was another reminder of Canada’s shameful dealings with former Nazis.  (more...)

Too little, too late