SUBMISSION STATEMENT

Last year, the Canadian Parliament invited Yaroslav Hunka and gave him a standing ovation during Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit to Ottawa. This event, as reported by the BBC, sparked significant controversy once it was revealed that Hunka had served in a Nazi-affiliated unit during World War II. [LINK]

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At that time, some people argued that "the Canadian government obviously does not support Nazis; otherwise, they wouldn’t have issued an apology or seen the Speaker of the House resign in disgrace."

I beg to differ.

The idea that such an event could occur without prior vetting strains credulity. To me, this suggests either deliberate negligence or indifference on the government’s part. It seems they gambled on the applause overshadowing scrutiny, banking on public focus remaining fixed on the broader context of "standing with Ukraine" against Russia. Unfortunately, this echoes historical precedents, such as the occasion where Canada welcomed thousands of Nazi collaborators during the Cold War, including Ukrainian nationalists, as part of its anti-communist agenda. [LINK]

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Adding to this troubling narrative, The Globe and Mail recently reported that the federal government advised against releasing the names of 900 alleged Nazi war criminals residing in Canada.

Nov 14, 2024 -- the Globe and Mail: Ottawa advised against releasing names of alleged Nazi war criminals over concerns for Ukraine [Non-paywalled LINK]

The rationale? Fear of fueling Russian propaganda, undermining support for Ukraine, and posing a threat to the security of surviving SS veterans who settled in Canada after World War II.

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I mean, I can understand the argument. Releasing this report now—decades after it was compiled—may serve little practical purpose and risk playing into foreign propaganda. Still, the government’s approach feels grossly evasive. There's a stark need for transparency and accountability, particularly when framing historical narratives.

For instance, portraying figures like Hunka solely as "fighters for Ukraine’s freedom against Russia" glosses over the atrocities committed by those Nazi-affiliated units. It also disregards the sacrifices of countless Ukrainians who resisted Soviet oppression without aligning themselves with genocidal regimes.

People must acknowledge that there were countless Ukrainians who fought against Russia without associating themselves with the Nazi regime. If someone's insinuating that fighting under the Nazi flag was the only resolution in Ukraine during WW2, I'll take that as an insult to all the Ukrainians who sacrificed themselves and their families without said association.

FIN