Back during the second world war, a 21-year-old Yaroslav Hunka volunteered into a notorious Waffen SS military unit. On the 22nd of September 2023, 338 Members of the Canadian Parliament honoured Yaroslav with a standing ovation. The remarkable moment occurred just as Ukraine President Zelensky concluded his speech, and the Speaker of the House announced the presence of a real-life hero, identifying the now 98-year-old Yaroslav sitting in the front row of the gallery.
The following day, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued an apology. The Speaker of the House took full responsibility, admitting that he alone was responsible for not vetting Yaroslav. It came to light that the military unit Yaroslav volunteered into was known for its human rights abuses. In response, both Polish and Israeli organisations swiftly voiced their outrage and expressed an intention to pursue Yaroslav’s extradition.
After expressing his heart-felt apologies to Polish, Jewish and LGBTQ people, Justine Trudeau declared the matter closed. He dismissed any further discussion as Russian propaganda. Speculating how the parliament of the world’s leading exemplar of all things woke and racially sensitive could collectively beclown itself is verboten. Media Footage reveals that all 338 elected members of Canada’s stood up as-one to applaud Yaroslav – not one of them thought hang-on, Russia was our ally during WW2. Not one of them thought if Yaroslav was fighting against Russians, he was almost certain to have been fighting for NAZI Germany and not one of them thought that might be a problem.Top of Form
The backdrop to this incident is of course the on-going attrition in Ukraine and President Zelensky’s now routine global fund-raising tour. Unfortunately, the war in the Ukraine isn’t going well. Despite the high hopes pinned on the Ukrainian summer offensive, it has stalled. Military personnel and equipment are being depleted almost as quickly as they arrive on the battlefield. Public support for the war is waning and even Ukraine’s neighbour, Poland, has announced it has a shortage of equipment to donate to the Ukraine. Meanwhile Military stocks across NATO countries are near exhaustion. In contrast, Russia enjoys a growing exponential advantage in ammunition, artillery, tanks, planes, and troop numbers. There is little sign of the hoped-for anti-Putin coup in Moscow, and perhaps most concerning, the Russian economy is proving its resilience against all 11 rounds of Western economic sanctions.
This incident, reminiscent of “Life of Brian” and “Hogan’s Heroes,” unfolded in a Canadian Parliament determined to showcase its unwavering support for Ukraine. Zelensky had just delivered a rousing speech defending Western democratic values and the Canadian Parliament had announced the approval of a further $300 million in aid for Ukraine, designed buttress waning support by shaming the growing number of NATO laggards. Overwhelmed by emotion, the Speaker turned his attention to the gallery, saw Yaroslav and announced, “release Roger.” Unanimously, all 338 Parliamentarians stood to cheer in unity, channelling Sargeant Shultz, declaring to the world: “we know nothing”.
