Not in its defence, but I first read the facts both you and Tim outline so clearly here from a Ukrainian gentleman on X. The researcher/reporter? who belatedly brought Hunka’s background to light, should have dug deeper.
I was pretty appalled by last week's fiasco re this topic in the HoC and the Liberal handling. I've also been appalled at the superficial and ignorant discourse about the historical context in Eastern Europe at the time and opinions resulting soonafter.
You mentioned, those in authority should have known about the background of Hunka and why giving him a 'standing O' was probably not advisable given the complexities of eastern Europe at that time and Canada's positioning opposite to Nazi Germany. Freeland, who actually has sufficient personal and professional background and grasp on the subject, should have provided that context directly to Canadians, along with her correct admissions of the mistake that had occured. The Liberal party should have taken responsibility, being the party in charge, but instead deflected to the speaker. The expedient path..
Thank you for going in depth on the nuances that the people living in the borderland republics at the time endured. My grandparents also lived through this reality in Ukraine and were persecuted by the Russians and were forced to flee to avoid harm / deportation.
We have a fundamental problem in this country with how social media and twitter dictates policy, discourse, and the forming of opinions, and the limiting of discussions grounded in facts and reasoning. Twitter likes and knee jerk reactions to "micro aggressions" as you put it, are washing out all nuance.
This piece is the most thorough, and thought through I've read on this topic so far. Unfortunately, the political damage has been done and the Kremlin has been handed a big fat propaganda meatball, but Canadians can still be informed.
Not in its defence, but I first read the facts both you and Tim outline so clearly here from a Ukrainian gentleman on X. The researcher/reporter? who belatedly brought Hunka’s background to light, should have dug deeper.
Tim,
Thank you for weighing in on this.
I was pretty appalled by last week's fiasco re this topic in the HoC and the Liberal handling. I've also been appalled at the superficial and ignorant discourse about the historical context in Eastern Europe at the time and opinions resulting soonafter.
You mentioned, those in authority should have known about the background of Hunka and why giving him a 'standing O' was probably not advisable given the complexities of eastern Europe at that time and Canada's positioning opposite to Nazi Germany. Freeland, who actually has sufficient personal and professional background and grasp on the subject, should have provided that context directly to Canadians, along with her correct admissions of the mistake that had occured. The Liberal party should have taken responsibility, being the party in charge, but instead deflected to the speaker. The expedient path..
Thank you for going in depth on the nuances that the people living in the borderland republics at the time endured. My grandparents also lived through this reality in Ukraine and were persecuted by the Russians and were forced to flee to avoid harm / deportation.
We have a fundamental problem in this country with how social media and twitter dictates policy, discourse, and the forming of opinions, and the limiting of discussions grounded in facts and reasoning. Twitter likes and knee jerk reactions to "micro aggressions" as you put it, are washing out all nuance.
This piece is the most thorough, and thought through I've read on this topic so far. Unfortunately, the political damage has been done and the Kremlin has been handed a big fat propaganda meatball, but Canadians can still be informed.