In the wake of a political maelstrom sparked by his congratulatory applause for a World War II veteran who had served the Nazis, Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, did what many modern day politicians do – deflect and tell the public to be aware of “disinformation.”
Despite sidestepping Parliament’s Question Period, Trudeau finally broke his silence when cornered by reporters. “Obviously, it’s extremely upsetting that this happened,” an equally perturbed and embarrassed Trudeau expressed, asserting the predicament as “deeply embarrassing to the Parliament of Canada and by extension to all Canadians.”
The lightning-rod figure at the center of this controversy is 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka, an affiliate of the Nazi Waffen SS. A guest of the Canadian Parliament and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Hunka’s ties to the abominable regime were overlooked, leading to two raucous standing ovations, leaving observers the world over bewildered and aghast, none more so than members of the Jewish community commemorating Yom Kippur.
Trudeau sought to deflect the blame by pointing toward an entirely unrelated issue: the alleged threat of Russian disinformation. Trudeau’s references to Russian disinformation, rather than accepting the blunder of honoring Hunka, provide a significant blow to anti-censorship and free speech, as they set a precedent of ignoring direct responsibility in favor of an equivocal scapegoat.
Critics of Trudeau, including Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, sense Trudeau’s ploy and demand he take personal responsibility. Poilievre asserts Hunka’s honoring to be “an appalling error in judgment on the part of Justin Trudeau.”
Poilievre further highlights the opaque nature of the whole affair, with no warning or context, making it impossible for any parliamentarian in the room to know of Hunka’s notorious past. As a result, he insists, it is Trudeau who should be apologizing, rather than attempting to place the blame elsewhere.
House of Commons Speaker, Anthony Rota, for his part, has apologized, expressing regret for his part in the incident, including not informing fellow parliamentarians of his intention or remarks before they were delivered. He soon after resigned.
