Comedian Rob Schneider has cancelled a planned visit to Canada in response to the recognition of Ukrainian Nazi Yaroslav Hunka in the House of Commons on Friday.
Hunka, who fought with the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS in the Second World War, was honoured by Speaker of the House and Liberal MP Anthony Rota.
Hunka, 98, was invited to attend a speech given by Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy where Rota recognized him as a “war hero” who “fought for Ukrainian independence against the Russians,” prompting MPs to give him a standing ovation.
Schneider came to fame on the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live and has had a number of blockbuster comedies. He said the scandal was “beyond the pale” and announced that he would be canceling his upcoming trip to Canada.
“This guy fought for Hitler! Not like what we call people Hitler today. THEE Hitler! Like in actual Adolf Hitler,” wrote the 59-year-old comedian on X.
Schneider, whose father is Jewish, also said that the “tyranny” imposed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the “peaceful trucker protestors,” was “insignificant” by comparison to the Hunka scandal.
An outspoken critic of Covid-19 lockdowns and mandates, Schneider took the opportunity to poke fun at the hypocrisy of the situation.
“GOOD NEWS CANADA!! THE NAZI WHO FOUGHT FOR HITLER AND WAS HONORED BY YOUR PRIME MINISTER AND YOUR HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT WAS TWICE VACCINATED AND DOUBLE BOOSTED! SO AT LEAST SOME OF HIS “VIEWS” WERE NOT COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE TO JUSTIN (THE TERRIBLE) TRUDEAU…” he wrote on X.
GOOD NEWS CANADA!! THE NAZI WHO FOUGHT FOR HITLER AND WAS HONORED BY YOUR PRIME MINISTER AND YOUR HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT WAS TWICE VACCINATED AND DOUBLE BOOSTED! SO AT LEAST SOME OF HIS “VIEWS” WERE NOT COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE TO JUSTIN (THE TERRIBLE) TRUDEAU… 🇨🇦 https://t.co/oIdvK99DSs
Schneider has starred in a number of films like 50 First Dates, Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo and The Animal. He is also a frequent collaborator with comedian Adam Sandler: the two have made 15 films together over their careers.
Speaker of the House Anthony Rota resigned yesterday in the wake of his recognition of a Ukrainian Nazi veteran in the House of Commons last week. The Liberal government has said Rota alone is to blame – not Justin Trudeau or anyone else in cabinet. True North’s Andrew Lawton says it’s not so simple. National Citizens Coalition president Peter Coleman joins to discuss.
Also, the Canadian Constitution Foundation is challenging a Calgary bylaw restricting protests of drag story game under the guise of banning “hateful” messaging. Meanwhile, Waterloo, Ontario councillors are weighing whether to ban communication that makes people “feel harassed.” Joanna Baron of the Canadian Constitution Foundation weighs in.
Anthony Rota has resigned as Speaker of the House of Commons days after he honoured a Ukrainian veteran who fought with the Nazis as a “hero.” This comes as all parties, including the Liberals, called for his resignation. Is this the end of the Nazi-invite scandal? Should the government apologize?
Plus, the 98-year-old former soldier of a Nazi-division in World War II who received a standing ovation in Parliament, Yaroslac Hunka, is facing an extradition push from Poland.
And if the ongoing dispute between Canada and India amounts to a trade war, the consequences will be far worse for the Canadian economy than for India’s.
Tune into The Daily Brief with Cosmin Dzsurdzsa and Lindsay Shepherd!
The McGill University student union has denounced last week’s pro-parent Million Person March as “anti-2SLGBTQ+” and backed by “far-right nationalist, religious, conspiracy theorist and anti-public education groups.”
The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) was incensed by the protests in the city “colonially known as Montreal” and the rest of “so-called Canada.”
If you thought the McGill Students Union could not get any more woke. In a statement denouncing the #1MillionMarch4Children & praising trans activists, they refer to our country as "so-called Canada," and say they're in a city "colonially known as Montreal." #CampusWatchpic.twitter.com/plO42LNVWf
Thousands of Canadians gathered across the country on Sept. 20 to demand greater parental rights as they pertain to what children learn in school, but also their ability to change their gender identity in school.
The SSMU, however, claimed the protests were “anti-2SLGBTQ+” and linked to far-right nationalists and conspiracy theorists. “Million Person March” organizers and participants have rejected claims that their protest is against the LGBTQ community.
A statement published on the SSMU website ahead of the protest noted that “a nation-wide anti-2SLGBTQ+ protest called ‘1 Million March for Children’ is planned to take place in over 70 cities in so-called Canada. One such protest is planned to take place in Tiohtià:ke (colonially known as Montreal), just outside the Roddick Gates of McGill University at 9AM.”
The statement claims march sought “to eliminate any mention of LGBT people in Canadian school curriculum and policies.”
In response to claims that the #1millionmarch4children participants is hateful, this Muslim mother tells me "I have neighbours and friends who are from different LGBT communities, and we get along really well because they respect me (and) I respect them." pic.twitter.com/MNBN51L5jR
The students union believes the march came amid “rising anti-2SLGBTQ+ and especially anti-trans youth sentiment across so-called Canada” – citing the Conservative Party of Canada’s members voting to oppose irreversible, life altering gender transitions for children, as well as New Brunswick and Saskatchewan implementing new policies requiring parental consent for name and pronoun changes at school.
The SSMU endorsed a counter-protest organized by trans activists, and encouraged students to get involved in countering the parental rights rally.
“The SSMU strongly supports the work of queer and trans activists, including Queer McGill and their allies, in their counter protest efforts. We encourage students and local residents to attend the counter protest on Wednesday, September 20th at 8am in front of Roddick Gates!”
The union asked those attending to wear masks and follow other “safety protocols.”
“Bring signs, masks, and follow safety protocols. To those engaged in this struggle, we will continue to help you in any way you need.”
The SSMU were not the only ones in woke Canadian academia to denounce the march.
University of Victoria president and vice-chancellor Kevin Hall posted on X (formerly Twitter) that there is “no space for hate” in schools, and that his university supports British Columbia’s gender ideology curriculum.
“(U Vic) believes that everyone should have the freedom to live their lives authentically, Trans+ lives matter, there is no space for hate in schools or elsewhere. (U Vic) supports BC’s SO(G)I inclusive education,” wrote Hall.
#UVic believes that everyone should have the freedom to live their lives authentically, Trans+ lives matter, there is no space for hate in schools or elsewhere. @UVic supports BC’s SOCI inclusive education.
Hall also signed a university statement calling the protest an abhorrent “hate-fuelled movement.”
“Hate-fuelled movements like these are abhorrent, misinformed and contradict the values of equity, diversity, inclusion and tolerance that are integral to the University of Victoria community. Schools and post-secondary institutions must be inclusive and safe spaces,” reads the statement.
The undergraduate program director of York University’s Faculty of Education also denounced the march as “hateful.”
The Undergraduate Program Director at @YorkUniversity Faculty of Education @YorkUeducation denounces "Hateful Million Child March," and predicts that its apocalyptic psychic effects could make students "feel unsafe trying to complete program requirements" pic.twitter.com/D7LdwDnuRs
In an email to faculty students, staff and faculty obtained by Quillette journalist Jonathan Kay, the director wrote “as a Faculty of Education, we commit ourselves to working in and outside of our classrooms to confront homophobia, transphobia, and all forms of hate. Every student and teacher – and queer, trans, and non-binary students and teachers in particular – deserve to teach and learn in spaces where they feel empowered, accepted, and valued.”
The director added that “while the demonstrations are over, the impact of the statements, images, and content we may have experienced personally and through social media and news stories might have lingering effects.”
The director committed to examining “how our Faculty’s programs contribute to social change that counteracts cis-hetero hegemony.”
The Students’ Society of McGill University did not return True North’s request for comment.
Canada’s immigration minister has been discussing the possibility of a controversial change to how new Canadians would take their oath of citizenship by replacing an in-person or virtual ceremony with the click of a mouse.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller said that the department is considering the change, which he believes to be a good idea.
In February, the government posted questions regarding how to optimize the procedure to their website to get feedback from Canadians.
No implementation date has been announced, however, initially the change was thought to occur by June 2023.
“You don’t want to take these moments lightly, but we do need technological options,” said Miller before entering Question Period on Monday. “The department has been criticized, rightly, for not being adjusted to the 21st century and that option is one I think that we should preserve.”
Miller claims people living in remote areas and rural communities would benefit from this change, which would relieve them of their commute in order to swear their oath.
If implemented, the change is estimated to cut down processing time for people by up to three months, according to documents from government consultants.
The idea was originally pitched as a temporary measure by former immigration minister Sean Fraser to act as a catalyst for the severely backlogged citizenship waiting list.
The government consultation which surveyed Canadians’ thoughts on the change yielded mixed responses. Some thought it to be an appropriate approach for the times, while others felt it diminished the value of the in-person ceremony.
Those responses will “inform the next steps and the development of implementation plans,” according to a statement released by the department on Monday.
“I’ve heard from Canadians and advocates of the importance of actually being in person. I’ve also seen the importance of virtually, when there’s no question about someone’s loyalty or citizenship or oath or the seriousness he should take Canadian citizenship,” said Miller. “It’s about keeping the options open in the 21st century.”
Miller said that he has himself administered the oath three times since he took the position earlier this summer, following the Liberal’s cabinet shuffle and that he feels that preserving in-person ceremonies as an option is “paramount.”
“We have to obviously preserve those,” said Miller, who expects that in-person oaths will become even less prominent if the one-click option is implemented, which means less ceremonies in general.
The Conservative party claims that the one-click option will “cheapen” the reverence of the citizenship oath and have vowed to oppose it.
On Monday, Conservative immigration critic Tom Kmiec released a statement that accused the Trudeau government of wanting to “reduce it all to a click on a website or an app as if citizenship were no more than consenting to terms in a contract.”
“The Trudeau Liberals are abandoning this special tradition and reducing our citizens to a bureaucratic number,” wrote Kmiec.
The practice of immigrants pledging their allegiance to Canada via virtual ceremony was introduced during the pandemic, however the practice has remained in place ever since.
As of July 23, there were 68,287 new Canadians still waiting to take their oaths either in-person or virtually to become citizens, according to the National Post.
Contraband tobacco is a booming black market in Canada and it could be costing billions of dollars in lost tax revenues, according to a new report by the Convenience Industry Council of Canada.
“Efforts to curb smoking are actively undermined by a thriving contraband market, all while taxpayers are being short-changed, and legal retailers are competing with organized crime,” said Anne Kothawala, President & CEO of CICC.
The 72-page report was released last week and it revealed that a downward trend in legal tobacco sales has been happening since 2019, while the demand for illegal tobacco sales has risen dramatically.
“In an effort to reduce smoking rates, federal and provincial governments have increased taxes on legal tobacco products,” said the report. “The result? Many smokers have sought cheaper tobacco on the illicit market instead.”
“The major driver of the explosive growth of illegal cigarettes in Canada: the significant price difference between tax-paid legal cigarettes and contraband cigarettes.”
“Contraband cigarettes may be purchased for only about 40 per cent of the price of legal, tax-paid cigarettes,” the report continued.
The Convenience Industry Council of Canada reviewed tobacco sales in three provinces – British Columbia, Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador – to find that there was a combined loss of $2.47 billion dollars in taxes.
“These cigarettes are illegally sold, tax and duty free, without any Health Canada regulations or inspections and retail for a fraction of legal tobacco prices,” said the report.
The report’s findings claim that there is more money being made in the sale of illegal cigarettes than there is in that of illicit drugs, however the penalty if caught with contraband tobacco remains less severe than with other drugs.
Between 2019 and 2022, the report estimates that B.C. lost anywhere between $215 million and $1.8 billion in tax revenue. Ontario lost an estimated $990 million to $1.8 billion, while Nefoundland lost somewhere between $25 million and $81 million.
The report suggests losses similar to Newfoundland could be expected in other provinces as well.
Ontario’s illegal cigarette trade may account for as much as 67% of the province’s total tobacco market. In B.C. and Newfoundland that number drops down to 45% and 44% respectively.
Lead author of the report Fred O’Riordan said that “gauging the exact size of the contraband market is difficult, but the evidence in this report clearly shows it is growing and now easily represents at least one-third of the total market in these three provinces, and possibly much more,” O’Riordan is also EY Canada’s Tax Policy Leader.
The manufacturing and sales of tobacco on First Nation reserves also complicates the contraband tobacco market because it provides “a confusing legal framework.”
According to the report, “organized crime groups exploit this demand with low-cost cigarettes manufactured on reserve, and then traffic these products to non-status individuals.”
“It is illegal for non-reserve residents or individuals that are not First Nations to purchase tax-free, First Nations produced tobacco products,” said the report.
A 200-cigarette carton in B.C. will sell legally for around $155 but one can be bought for anywhere between $30-$50 contraband. Individual packs of 20-cigarettes sell for $15-$21 legally and $5-$7 illegally.
According to the report, taxes account for 70% of the retail price of cigarettes sold in Canada.
The report is making five recommendations to combat the illegal sale of tobacco, including demanding stronger federal and provincial penalties for offenders and increasing police resources for this issue.
The Convenience Industry Council of Canada is a not-for-profit organization that represents the interests of the industry at all three levels of government.
An Indian politician railed against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau by telling him to segment part of Canada and create a new country for Sikh separatists as a diplomatic feud between the two nations intensifies.
Indian politician Jai Bhagwan Goyal, leader of the United Hindu Front, called out Trudeau over what Goyal claims to be protecting “anti-India Khalistanis” during a protest held by the group last weekend.
The protest took place in New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and was held to express India’s discontent with the Canadian prime minister, following his comments that there was evidence for “credible allegations” that members of the Indian government orchestrated the murder of Khalistani activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, B.C.
“If the Prime Minister of Canada loves Khalistanis so much, then why doesn’t he break up a part of Canada and create a new Khalistan country? We will be the first to give him recognition,” said Goyal, according to India Today.
The United Hindu Front is a group that aims to “unite Hindus and Hindu organizations across the world under one banner, irrespective of caste, position or their affiliation.”
The escalating fallout between Canada and India took off after Trudeau made explosive allegations that the Indian government had a hand in the assassination of Nijjar, an outspoken Sikh activist and separatist.
The Indian government denied all allegations of involvement and accused the Trudeau government of aiding and harbouring those who they believe to be Sikh extremist terrorists.
In 2019, Amarinder Singh, a Sikh-Indian politician and the Chief Minister of the Punjab region accused Trudeau of pandering to Sikh voters after deciding to remove references to “Sikh extremism” from the Public Safety Canada’s annual reports on terrorist threats within Canada.
Trudeau said he believes that an appropriate resolution to the conflict would be to see “anumber of people thrown in jail, convicted” in a recent interview with the New York Times.
“A series of lessons learned and changes made to the way the Indian government and the intelligence services operate,” said Trudeau.
“This sort of violation of a country’s sovereignty and of the rule of law is absolutely unacceptable. I think people are quietly waiting to see how things unfold. But standing up for the rule of law isn’t a momentary thing. It’s a process that happens over weeks and months.”
Last weekend, in India, political consultant Kapil Kumar allegedly called for a nuclear attack on Canada by India while on a live talk show, according to the National Post.
“This issue must reach its logical end after escalation, it should not be left in the middle. Mr Trudeau, what are you? Today 10 of our submarines will go from Hindustan and nuke you Canada. What is your place?” Kumar said allegedly.
In 2010, Canada and India signed a nuclear cooperation agreement after many years of distrust between the two, after it was revealed that India used Canadian nuclear technology for a weapons test in 1974.
As the federal government grapples with the political fallout over giving former SS soldier Yaroslav Hunka a standing ovation in the House of Commons during Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy’s visit, many Canadians are questioning how former Nazis have managed to enter into Canada over the years.
Although Canada had specific rules in the wake of World War II prohibiting entry to those believed to have fought for Nazi Germany, historical records indicate that things became more complicated when it came to members of the foreign divisions of the Schutzstaffel, or SS.
The Galicia Division, officially designated as the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS in Ukraine (and later called the First Ukrainian Division), was among the Waffen-SS’s several foreign units in Europe formed by Adolf Hitler as he waged World War II and orchestrated the Holocaust. Other countries with their own units included Belgium, Croatia, and Romania.
The Nazi regime scoured occupied countries for volunteers to fill the ranks of its elite paramilitary force, separate from the regular German army.
The Galicia Division was formed in 1943 when Nazi occupiers of Ukraine called for a unit of Ukrainians who met SS leader Heinrich Himmler’s ethnic standard of being “Aryan-like” to strengthen their invasion of the Soviet Union.
At the time, the Ukrainians were already resisting the Soviets and many had direct experience with the Holodomor – a famine orchestrated by communist Russia that led to the death of nearly four million Ukrainians due to starvation.
After World War II, the entirety of the Waffen-SS was declared a criminal organization at the Nuremberg Trials but no such declaration was made specifically about the Galician Division but accusations of involvement in atrocities continue to linger.
By that time, Canada already had a substantial community of Ukrainian immigrants and many former Galician Division veterans sought out the country.
Canada had a policy of outright refusal for any applicants believed to have ties to the German Wehrmacht or the SS but this was not the case with the Galician Division.
A 1986 federal public inquiry into war criminals residing in Canada shows that members of the Galicia Division received an exemption in 1950 from the Cabinet. The inquiry also came to the conclusion that the war crime charges leveled against the Galicia Division were unsubstantiated.
“When they were taken prisoners of war by our troops in Italy it was recognized by the allied commander that there were special circumstances in connection with that division because they were not treated entirely as other prisoners of war were,” former minister of immigration Walter Harris told the House of Commons on June 15, 1950.
“We have investigated not individuals but the group as a whole, and we are quite prepared to accept them provided they come within the ordinary rules with respect to immigrants; that is, they might be agricultural workers, settlers, and the like.”
It would eventually be revealed that the Canadian government admitted nearly 2,000 former Galicia Division members in 1950 – many of whom were aided by Royal Canadian Air Force member Flight Lt. Bohdan Panchuk and the Ukrainian Canadian Servicemen’s Association.
The Canadian Jewish Congress vehemently opposed this move. It argued that these individuals should not be allowed into Canada, citing their wartime associations with Nazi organizations. However, a successful campaign by Panchuk to portray the former SS members as freedom fighters resisting Soviet occupation was enough to convince federal authorities.
Additionally, famed Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal raised the alarm about the presence of Galicia Division veterans in Canada and even provided the Canadian government with a list of 217 names of suspected members of the unit believed to be in Canada.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) investigated the claims and found that around 11 suspected Galicia Division members had quietly passed away in Canada.
Controversy around the unit persists to this day, as several Canadian cities are home to statues and memorials honoring the Galician Division and certain individual SS members.
Anthony Rota has resigned as Speaker of the House of Commons days after he honoured a Ukrainian veteran who fought with the Nazis as a “hero.”
During Friday’s special session of parliament for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Rota recognized 98-year old Yaroslav Hunka, who fought with the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS. Hunka, a constituent of Rota’s Nipissing—Timiskaming riding, received a standing ovation from all members of parliament present.
Rota had earlier apologized, though this did not assuage calls for him to step aside.
He announced his resignation with a “heavy heart” in the House of Commons Tuesday afternoon.
Anthony Rota has resigned as Speaker of the House of Commons days after he honoured a Ukrainian veteran who fought with the Nazis as a “hero.”
He announced his resignation with a “heavy heart” in the House of Commons Tuesday afternoon. pic.twitter.com/iswVPaKaxN
“It has been my greatest honour as a Parliamentarian to have been elected by you, my peers, to serve as Speaker of the House of Commons for the 43rd and 44th Parliament,” Rota said. “I have acted as your humble servant of this house, carrying out the important responsibilities of this position to the very best of my abilities.”
Rota referenced the “pain” Friday’s recognition of Hunka has caused people, reiterating that he accepts “full responsibility.”
Rota received applause from MPs after his announcement. His resignation will take place at the end of the day Wednesday, though deputy speakers will chair House sittings before then.
Rota will continue to serve as a Liberal member of parliament, though it’s unclear whether he’ll face any repercussions in caucus.
NDP Leader Peter Julian was the first to call on Rota to step down.
NDP MP Peter Julian asks House Speaker Anthony Rota to resign after he took responsibility for inviting a Nazi soldier to the House of Commons. pic.twitter.com/PPX3WZMAkA
“The Speaker has to be above reproach,” Julian said. “This is an unforgivable error that puts the entire House in disrepute. Unfortunately, I believe a sacred trust has been broken.”
Julian said Rota’s apology was “not enough.” These sentiments were echoed by the Bloc Quebecois, who called for Rota’s resignation Monday afternoon.
By Tuesday morning, the Liberals had also joined the chorus.
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly called the incident “completely unacceptable.”
“It was an embarrassment to the House and to Canadians, and I think the Speaker should listen to members of the House and step down,” she said.
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly says that House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota should step down after taking responsibility for the invite of a Nazi soldier to Parliament. pic.twitter.com/HPgmg4r8jc
Joly’s comments were a departure from the approach taken by Liberal House Leader Karina Gould a day earlier. On Monday, Gould expressed her disappointment in the Speaker but stopped short of calling for his resignation.
Gould herself struck a different chord Tuesday, saying Rota would not continue to have the support of Liberal members of parliament and should step down.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said House leaders from the respective parties would be having “very important conversations” Tuesday.
Liberal House leader Karina Gould says House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota has lost the confidence of Liberal MPs. She is calling on Rota to step down. pic.twitter.com/jUEQXiWJmM
“I’m sure (Rota) is reflecting now on how to ensure the dignity of the House going forward,” Trudeau said. “I know that House leaders are going to be meeting later this morning and I’m sure they will have very important conversations.”
Trudeau (and his Liberal Speaker) have brought shame on Canada.
The Liberal Speaker will have to resign.
But that does not excuse Justin Trudeau’s failure to have his massive diplomatic and intelligence apparatus vet and prevent honouring a Nazi.
The Conservatives initially tried to lay the blame at Trudeau’s feet rather than Rota’s, but ultimately called on Rota to resign.
“Trudeau (and his Liberal Speaker) have brought shame on Canada,” Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre wrote in a statement Tuesday. “The Liberal Speaker will have to resign. But that does not excuse Justin Trudeau’s failure to have his massive diplomatic and intelligence apparatus vet and prevent honouring a Nazi.”
A monument in commemoration for the Huta Pieniacka massacre, which saw the Galician SS carried out a massacre of Polish civilians.
Yarsolav Hunka, the 98-year-old former soldier of a Nazi-division in World War II who received a standing ovation in Parliament on Friday is facing an extradition push from Poland, according to a letter from Polish Education Minister Przemyslaw Czarnek.
“In view of the scandalous events in the Canadian parliament, which involved honouring, in the presence of President Zelensky, a member of the criminal Nazi SS Galizien formation, I have taken steps towards the possible extradition of this man to Poland,” announced Czarnek.
Czarnek published a copy of his letter to be reviewed by the Institute of National Remembrance (abbreviated as IPN in Polish), according to the Notes from Poland.
The IPN is a state historical body that has the power to prosecute. Czarnek asked the IPN in his letter to “urgently [establish] whether Yaroslav Hunka is wanted for crimes against the Polish nation or Poles of Jewish origin.”
“Such crimes constitute grounds for applying to Canada for his extradition,” he added.
Hunka came to international attention after he was recognized in the House of Commons Friday during a special section of Parliament in honour of Volodymyr Zelensky.
He was invited by Liberal MP and Speaker of the House Anthony Rota, who has since faced numerous calls to resign amid a feverish backlash from Jewish advocacy groups and opposition parties.
Rota referred to Hunka as a “war hero” and “Canadian hero” during a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Hunka then received a standing ovation.
The fallout from the scandal led to protests, international coverage and a resurgence in the discussion of how or why Canada accepted so many Ukrainian soldiers who fought under Nazi command after World War II.
Hunka had volunteered with the Nazi Waffen-SS Galicia Division in World War II, a unit that has been accused of war crimes.
According to the IPN, soldiers from Hunka’s division were involved in the massacre of approximately 850 ethnic Poles in the village of Huta Pieniacka.
Hunka was among about 600 members of that division who were granted permission to settle in Canada after the war had ended. He now has dual citizenship with Canada and Ukraine.
During the 1980’s, a Canadian commission of inquiry into the Ukrainian SS division concluded that “charges of war crimes” were “never” substantiated.
IPN prosecutors attempted to have Micheal Karkoc, another member of the Ukrainian SS division extradited from the U.S. in 2017, however Karkoc died two years later at the age of 100 before the extradition process was completed.
World War II history is a serious bone of contention between the otherwise allied nations of Poland and Ukraine, predominantly as a result of Poles being massacred at the hands of Ukrainian nationalist during their Nazi occupation.
In July, president Zelensky and Polish president Andrzej Duda commemorated the 80th anniversary of the Volhynia massacres together, which was a landmark moment of unity for the two countries. As many as 100,000 ethnic Poles were killed in the Volhynia massacres.
