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You can't hold public office and not know who fought who in WWII (rabble.ca)
submitted 2 years ago by to c/canada@lemmy.ca
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[–] 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 child)

I don't remember the particulars of what happened on the Eastern Front being taught in my high school history classes. The Canadian military was concentrated on the Western Front, so what little detail was covered was concentrated there as well.

Also, when I was in high school, the Ukraine was not an independent nation, but part of the USSR—I don't think our classes even mentioned it had ever been separate. Actually, I'm not sure it was even once mentioned by name. This would be the case for the majority of the MPs as well, as I expect more of them than not were born before 1980.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    The "in Ukraine" part was mostly for history nerds and those who'd want to play semantics. My point was that no one had the thought, "Hmmm. He fought against Russia, one of the Allies. That seems suspect." I wouldn't be shocked if a couple people missed it, but surely you'd have more than a couple people invlovled in planning this, and these are people for whom history is more relevant than most. Besides that, even if no one knew that Ukraine involved in the fight between Nazi Germany and the USSR, you'd hope there'd be someone to vet him who would at least find that out.

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  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    The fact that Rota's entire team, who should have done the vetting, appear to have been asleep at the wheel, looks either negligent or malicious on someone's part, yes. Doesn't mean that the other MPs should automatically have known. The fact that Russia was one of the Allies didn't get mentioned a hell of a lot during the Cold War years either, when they were The Enemy. Maybe they collectively should all have gone in for a refresher on eastern European history after the current war started, but I can understand why they might have had other priorities.

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  • [–] 4 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Yeah, I can understand those listening to the speech not immediately picking up the connection, considering there was only one chance (rather than the vetting process) and people probably weren't paying much attention in the first place. I'd have hoped more would have, but its not that suprising. Its just the complete incompetence involved in those who vetted Hunka and who researched, wrote, and editted the speech that shockes me.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago

    Yeah this is it for me. I'm not a liberal, but it's very reasonable of every MP to think:

    the speaker wouldn't invite a Nazi to be celebrated in the HoC, this guy must have been in the underground or something

    Or honestly if Rota had said something like:

    In WW2 Hunka was indoctrinated by Nazi propaganda, and had his patriotism twisted to support the Nazi regime against the Soviets. He fought in the Nazi SS Galician division against the USSR, seeking an independent Ukraine. He is horrified by the atrocities and genocide the SS and others committed in service of Nazism. He renounced his oath to Hitler at the first opportunity, but never gave up his support for an independent Ukraine. He is proud of Ukrainians like Zelensky fighting for a Ukraine that embraces democracy and freedom.

    I think it would have been okay.

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