Prime Minister Extended Invitation to Nazi Unit Veteran for Zelenskyy’s Official Welcoming Event

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)

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau extended an invitation to Yaroslav Hunka, the veteran of the Ukrainian Waffen-SS who was applauded in the House of Commons during Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Sept. 22 visit, for a reception in Toronto celebrating the Ukrainian president later that evening.

During a parliamentary session coinciding with President Zelenskyy’s visit, Mr. Hunka, who previously served in the Waffen-SS, a Nazi-led unit known for its involvement in numerous Second World War atrocities, was lauded with applause by the attending MPs.

Mr. Hunka was a constituent of Liberal MP Anthony Rota, the Speaker of the House at the time who had extended the invitation to Mr. Hunka and praised him as both a “Ukrainian and Canadian hero.”

Mr. Trudeau subsequently issued an apology on behalf of Parliament, condemning the tribute to Mr. Hunka as disrespectful to the victims of Nazi brutality.

According to a record obtained by Rebel News, the Office of Protocol of Canada on Sept. 19, 2023, sent an email to Mr. Hunka, informing him that Mr. Trudeau was inviting him to a reception to be held on Sept. 22 at 8:30 p.m.

The email, titled “Invitation from the Prime Minister of Canada,” requested a prompt response by the following day for the issuance of a formal invitation with comprehensive details on registration and entry.

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Additionally, the email inquired about any mobility issues, emphasizing that the invitation was exclusively for Mr. Hunka, without the option to bring a guest and was non-transferable.

The reception, attended by roughly 1,000 individuals, was a significant gathering of members from Canada’s Ukrainian-Canadian community. It also included the participation of Mr. Trudeau, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, Mr. Zelenskyy, and his spouse Olena Zelenska, alongside various notable figures and representatives of Canada’s Ukrainian community.

The Office of the Prime Minister told The Globe and Mail that the recommendation to invite Mr. Hunka came from the Canadian Ukrainian Congress, which also suggested other figures from Canada’s Ukrainian community, and Mr. Trudeau was not aware that his name was on the invitation list. A spokesperson for Mr. Rota had previously said the speaker’s guest list for the event had not been shared with the Prime Minister’s Office. Mr. Hunka did not attend the Toronto reception.

Conservatives say the latest revelation shows that the Liberal government “lied” about their responsibility over the incident.

“Instead of admitting that he and his office personally invited a Nazi to his reception with the Ukrainian President—he lied about it—for months,” Conservative Deputy Leader Melissa Lantsman said on X on Feb. 5.

The Epoch Times reached out to the Ukrainian Canadian Congress and the Prime Minister’s Office but did not receive a response before press time.

Vetting Processes Questioned

The incident raised questions about vetting processes for guests appearing in Parliament, especially when the prime minister and special guests are in attendance.

Mr. Rota eventually resigned over the incident on Sept. 26. He maintained that he was solely responsible for the incident as the Speaker of the House, while the Conservatives said Mr. Trudeau should take responsibility.

“I reiterate my profound regret for my error in recognizing an individual in the house during the joint address to Parliament of President Zelenskyy,” Mr. Rota said in his resignation letter.

Following Mr. Trudeau’s apology on behalf of Parliament on Sept. 27, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Mr. Trudeau should apologize for the event personally, rather than on behalf of the Parliament.

Speaking in the House on Sept. 27, Mr. Poilievre said that by allowing people who had not been vetted for their security background into Parliament, the prime minister was allowing for “massive diplomatic disasters” to potentially take place.

“Is he really saying that he did absolutely nothing to protect the Ukrainian president from all of those many risks?” Mr. Poilievre said.

Mr. Trudeau said Mr. Rota had been the one to invite Mr. Hunka to Parliament and deliver the recognition, and had taken responsibility for doing so.

Mr. Trudeau was also asked by Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet if he had personally called the Ukrainian president to apologize for the incident. Mr. Trudeau said the government had sent “several direct messages to the Ukrainian people and President Zelenskyy.”

“At the same time, we will continue to stand strong against propaganda and misinformation stemming from Russia,” he said.

Matthew Horwood contributed to this report.