Prime Minister Justin Trudeau finally emerged from the shadows today to address the regrettable incident on the floor of the House of Commons last Friday—a tribute to former SS soldier Yaroslav Hunka. Trudeau continues to lay the blame solely on Anthony Rota, the former Speaker of the House, avoiding any responsibility on his part, whether trivial or significant.
This insistence on blaming Rota makes the prime minister susceptible to accusations of ineptitude, a criticism often directed at him and his government. We can’t forget the excuses from ministers claiming not to have read their emails, being unable to access their email accounts, or bureaucrats using vacation as an excuse for neglecting national security matters. All of these excuses are akin to saying, “The dog ate my homework.” And we know the PM lacks the maturity to apologize in earnest.
Moreover, Trudeau’s credibility has been tarnished by numerous instances of falsehoods, making it challenging to believe he is genuinely being honest when he says “good morning.”
Yet, setting all these issues aside, his apology remains insufficient. He has yet to apologize personally for his office’s failure to vet Hunka. He is the prime minister, and this happened on his watch. Instead, he offers apologies on behalf of others, avoiding taking direct responsibility for his actions or lack thereof. His apology falls short of expectations. It was Parliament’s apology, Canada’s apology. Not his.
Trudeau’s non-apology, while claiming not to be politicized, remains highly political. The list of groups he apologizes to is limited, including Ukrainians, Jewish people, Holocaust victims, Poles, Roma, 2SILGBTQ individuals, and “racialized” people.
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