Liberal Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon testified the Ukraine Canadian Congress (UCC) is to blame for the VIP treatment of former Waffen SS soldier Yaroslav Hunka, per Blacklock’s Reporter..Liberals ‘caught off guard’ by invitation to special event sent to Waffen SS member.In September, Hunka, 98, of North Bay, ON, was introduced to the House of Commons as a “Canadian hero” and received a standing ovation by all MPs and dignitaries present. The same week Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Office invited Hunka to a “special event” held by the UCC in Toronto. .Trudeau invited Nazi Yaroslav Hunka to ‘special’ Zelensky event in Toronto.“The past history of this gentleman was unknown to us all,” MacKinnon told the House of Commons Affairs Committee on Tuesday, adding it was a “horrible incident” and “a terrible error.”“The name of the individual we are discussing in these proceedings was submitted by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress,” MacKinnon told the committee. The UCC, founded in 1940, is a nonprofit umbrella organization consisting of Ukrainians who have immigrated to Canada. It “represents the Ukrainian Canadian community before the people and Government of Canada,” its website states, and includes “all the national, provincial and local Ukrainian Canadian organizations.”“There is no central authority that examines the political leanings of our citizens here,” testified MacKinnon. Bloc Québécois MP Marie-Hélène Gaudreau responded, “No, but a Google search should have raised a red flag.”“I don’t understand how it could have happened,” said Gaudreau. ““Well, we don’t have the thought police here yet in our society,” replied MacKinnon.“How can an ex-Nazi soldier enter Parliament?” asked Gaudreau. House authorities replied they never attempted a Google search on Hunka and it would be impractical to vet so many guests. “We were not aware,” testified Protocol Chief Nancy Anctil. “We had not been told this person posed any threat.”“If you have 500 guests you’d have to do background checks on 500 guests,” said Sergeant-at-Arms Patrick McDonell. “A reputational check on 500 people would take weeks,” he added.“You are saying you typically don’t do these open source vetting processes?” asked Liberal MP Mark Gerretsen. “Never,” replied Sergeant-at-Arms McDonell.“Do you think they would have discovered this had they done that?” asked Gerretsen. “Yes,” replied the Sergeant-at-Arms.Commons Clerk Eric Janse said VIPs are typically checked for criminal convictions, not associations with criminal organizations. “All invitees, all guests, their names are filtered through the security office,” testified Janse. “Even if someone has a bad past, the past is the past. He has been a Canadian citizen for 50 years. Perhaps that is why he didn’t show up on any watchlist.”A feature on Hunka was published in 2011 issue of Ukrainian-language periodical Combatant News, which states he was a volunteer with the 14 Waffen SS Grenadier Division and interned as an enemy prisoner of war in 1945.“My generation was united by two great forces, faith in God and love for Ukraine,” Hunka was quoted by Combatant News.The 1946 Nuremberg Tribunal declared the Waffen SS a criminal organization.The incident prompted the resignation of Speaker Anthony Rota last September 26. Executives with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress have been asked to appear for questioning.
