A long-time friend says the Hunka family was unaware that 98-year-old Jaroslaw Hunka would be honored in front of the Ukrainian president in the House of Commons last week. This incident sparked an international controversy.
Barb Bonenfant of North Bay, Ont., gave CBC News the message she received from Mr. Hunka’s daughter-in-law after the media storm began. She said her family was shocked by what happened, Bonenfant said. If she and her husband had known what would happen, they would never have brought the 98-year-old to Ottawa.
However, according to the Office of the Speaker of the House of Commons, Mr. Rota’s son himself requested his father’s participation.
North Bay residents say they would like to know more about Mr. Hunka’s past.
Additionally, an expert who lives in Northern Ontario questions why potential war criminals live there.
Guest
Anthony Rota, who invited Mr. Hunka to attend Mr. Zelensky’s visit to Canada, resigned as speaker of the House of Commons amid the controversy. Mr. Rota is also Mr. Hunka’s local MP for the riding of Nipissing-Timiskaming.
Mr Rota said he knew nothing of Mr Hunka’s past. He was a member of the SS Galicia Division, a volunteer unit under the Nazi Waffen-SS command.
The Office of the Speaker of the House of Commons said that Hunka’s son contacted the Rota constituency office and asked whether it would be possible for Mr. Hunka to attend President Zelensky’s speech in the House of Commons. The President’s Office made it clear that it had approved this request. For its part, Mr. Rota’s constituency office said its policy is to forward all invitations to the office of the Speaker of the House of Commons.
However, Ms. Bonenfant said Jaroslaw Hunka’s daughter-in-law sent her a message on Sunday saying her family was in shock.
Open in full screen mode
Barb Bonenfant lives in North Bay, Ontario.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Olivier Hyland/CBC
They just thought he would be in the same room as the president [ukrainien]. Little did they know that his presence would be highlighted.
The family is holed up here in North Bay, she said. I’m sure they’re afraid to show their faces.
Potential war criminals
Why do war criminals or potential war criminals live here in Canada as members of our immigrant community? asks Nipissing University political science professor David Tabachnick. That is the most pressing question. I think it’s pretty insightful [plusieurs personnes] Who really doesn’t know this part of history?
Mr. Tabachnick noted that the Hunka family was quite well known in the community and some had played important roles in business, local charities and fundraising, among other things.
Not only has Anthony Rota’s reputation been damaged, but so has the reputation of this family. We may not feel much sympathy for a former member of this SS unit, but he has children, grandchildren, friends and family here in the community, and many of them probably did not know his passport.
Professor Tabachnick points out that North Bay is not traditionally a liberal district, but that Mr. Rota was elected because of his deep local roots as an MP, former city councilman and businessman, in addition to his work at the university.
Open in full screen mode
A sign for local MP Anthony Rota on the side of the road near North Bay.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Olivier Hyland/CBC
Personal apology
Larry Fuld, a member of the small Jewish community in North Bay, lost loved ones during the Holocaust. He pointed out that the words Nazi and SS conjure up terrible images.
However, Mr. Rota called him on Sunday to apologize in person, he said. He explained that he had made a mistake, that Mr Hunka had been introduced to the House of Commons and that he did not know his past, Mr Fuld said. And he regrets the whole thing, he regrets any pain and embarrassment he caused the Jewish community.
Mr. Fuld accepted his apology. In his opinion, Mr. Rota’s actions were not intentional. He added that he met Mr. Rota about 20 years ago at a synagogue fundraiser and considered him an ardent supporter of Israel.
Open in full screen mode
Larry Fuld says he accepted Anthony Rota’s apology.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Olivier Hyland/CBC
Should Justin Trudeau do more?
In North Bay, many community members said they believed Mr. Rota made a big mistake and did the right thing by resigning, but should not take the blame alone.
Hana and Ivan Srut fled Czechoslovakia in 1968 due to the Soviet occupation and emigrated to Canada. They owned a local restaurant for decades. MM. Hunka and Rota were with him, they say.
The Sruts claim they know nothing about Mr. Hunka’s past.
[Justin Trudeau] In their opinion, they should take more responsibility. If soldiers make a mistake, the general is responsible. The general should be responsible for his soldiers.
Open in full screen mode
Hana and Ivan Srut owned a restaurant in North Bay.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Olivier Hyland/CBC
They also wonder why Canada’s Office of Protocol only conducts a simple criminal record check on people who attend such ceremonies.
And like Mr. Tabachnick, they would like to know why Mr. Hunka is allowed to live in Canada.
Deep embarrassment
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologized sincerely in Parliament on Wednesday for the tribute paid last Friday. Parliamentarians then gave the Ukrainian World War II veteran a standing ovation, unaware that he had fought for Nazi Germany. The Prime Minister also said that this incident caused great embarrassment.
In addition, Trudeau said Canada had contacted Kyiv through diplomatic channels to apologize to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
B’nai Brith Canada and the Friends of the Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies reaffirm their longstanding call for the federal government to release secret documents on Nazi war criminals in Canada.
Mr. Fuld agrees with these demands and adds that Mr. Hunka’s past should be brought to light for the benefit of all.
Either he should be acquitted and we should find out that he immigrated here legally and there is nothing in his past, or we should find out that there is something and the relevant authorities will take care of it, he concludes.
This week, Immigration Minister Marc Miller said Canada has a very dark history with Nazis in Canada and that he may reconsider requests to release documents.
With reporting by CBC’s Ashley Burke