Government Unable to Provide Explanation for VIP Invitation to Nazi Unit Veteran

Yaroslav Hunka (R) waits for the arrival of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the House of Commons in Ottawa on Sept. 22, 2023. The Canadian Press/Patrick Doyle

The government was unable to provide an explanation Feb. 6 for the issuance of a VIP invitation to a former Nazi Waffen SS member through the Office of the Prime Minister.

“My understanding is an invitation based on the list submitted by an external party went out to invite 1,000 people to this event in Toronto. We’ll get more of the details when they’re available,” Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon shared, as first covered by Blacklock’s Reporter.

Mr. MacKinnon further clarified, “What we are talking about is a name that came from a community organization. Obviously, the Prime Minister had no knowledge of this.”

Documents accessed by Rebel News Network revealed inconsistencies with prior assertions that the invitation took officials by surprise.

The event in question was organized by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, as acknowledged by the prime minister on Sept. 19, 2023. The invitation was dispatched by the Office of Protocol at the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The individual at the centre of this controversy, 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka from North Bay, Ontario, was honoured in the Commons as a national hero following an address to Parliament by the president of Ukraine. Former Speaker Anthony Rota praised Mr. Hunka for his efforts in fighting for Ukrainian independence during World War II and his ongoing support for the troops, despite his advanced age.

However, the recognition of Mr. Hunka took a dramatic turn when it was revealed that he had served in the 14th Waffen SS Grenadier Division and was interned as an enemy prisoner of war in 1945. The Waffen SS was declared a criminal organization by the Nuremberg Tribunal in 1946. Mr. Rota resigned on Sept. 26 after the disclosure of Mr. Hunka’s past.

Following the incident, Mr. Trudeau offered an apology from Parliament, denouncing the honour given to Mr. Hunka as an insult to those who suffered under Nazi oppression.

The opposition has criticized the government’s handling of the situation, with Conservatives questioning the denials of knowledge about Mr. Hunka’s invitation, highlighting that the invitation came directly from the Prime Minister’s Office.

The House affairs committee has agreed to conduct hearings into the incident to further investigate the circumstances surrounding the invitation and its implications for Canada’s international reputation. Witnesses expected to be called include representatives from the Ukrainian Canadian Congress and the Prime Minister’s Office, though the hearings have yet to be scheduled.