David Pugliese’s Work Is A Gift For Ukrainian Canadians Like Me

 

We need more journalists to call attention to the fascist underpinnings of some Ukrainian organizations in Canada and their supporters.

On October 24, former Conservative MP and cabinet member Chris Alexander baselessly accused Ottawa Citizen journalist David Pugliese of being a Russian agent. The remarks came during Alexander’s appearance before a Public Safety and National Security committee meeting, granting him parliamentary privilege and absolute protection from being sued for defamation.   

Alexander’s accusation focused on Pugliese’s important reporting on national defence and Ukrainian Nazis in Canada. He claimed that Pugliese’s work often contains themes that “Moscow would be delighted to promote” and “weaken Canadian support for Ukraine.”

I’m a Ukrainian Canadian, and I disagree with Alexander’s remarks. 

Pugliese’s reporting has been vital in exposing the fascist underpinnings of some Ukrainian organizations in Canada, as well as how the Canadian government welcomed Nazis after the Second World War. In order to deal with Nazis and Nazi sympathizers in the Ukrainian Canadian community, we need to first acknowledge that they exist. Without Pugliese’s work — as well as reporting by The Maple, The Breach and independent journalists such as Moss Robeson — far fewer Canadians would be aware of this blight on the country.

Alexander characterizing Pugliese’s reporting as advancing Russian propaganda is an attempt to divert attention away from the real issue, and is reminiscent of McCarthyism. Moreover, while Alexander frames his accusations as being in solidarity with Ukrainians, he actually ignores or outright denies the existence of Ukrainian Canadians like me who want our community’s Nazi problem to be known to the public. 

It wasn’t always this way in the community, as the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada has a rich socialist and anti-fascist history.  (more...)

David Pugliese’s Work Is A Gift For Ukrainian Canadians Like Me