Thank you, Madam Chair.
I would also like to thank all of my parliamentary colleagues for their invitation.
I'm here today to talk about what happened in Parliament in September, when the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, made his address.
It was a historic day for us all. His speech was an opportunity for us to reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine. Let's be clear: Back then, Ukraine was fighting for sovereignty in the face of Russia's illegal incursion into its territory, and it is still doing so now. Ukraine's war against Putin's Russia is a turning point for us. If Ukraine falls, we will all suffer. So we all have the duty, as Canadian parliamentarians, to set partisanship aside, do what's right and show a united front in supporting the Ukrainian people.
Unfortunately, President Zelenskyy's speech was tainted by a shameful incident that aggrieved a great many Canadians, especially those of Jewish and eastern European origin. A man was invited to sit in the gallery and was recognized by the Speaker as a hero. He was applauded by each and every member in the House, on all sides. It really is a horrible moment for our Parliament and for every member of the House. We weren't aware of this man's past in the Second World War. Still, we were called to pay tribute to him, in the presence of President Zelenskyy.
Chair, your committee is examining how this unfortunate incident happened. Let me review the chronology of what occurred in the days that followed President Zelenskyy's address.
The address in the House chamber occurred on a Friday. Over the weekend, details about the individual's involvement in the Second World War emerged. On the Sunday evening, Speaker Rota issued a statement he wrote. I quote:
On Friday, September 22, in my remarks following the address of the President of Ukraine, I recognized an individual in the gallery.
I have subsequently become aware of more information which causes me to regret my decision to do so.
I wish to make clear that no one, including fellow parliamentarians and the Ukraine delegation, was aware of my intention or of my remarks before I delivered them.
This initiative was entirely my own, the individual in question being from my riding and having been brought to my attention.
I particularly want to extend my deepest apologies to Jewish communities in Canada and around the world.
I accept full responsibility for my actions.
That was the explanation from the Speaker. It was concise, and he made it clear that he alone was behind the decision to invite the individual to the House.
The next morning, on Monday, the Speaker rose in the chamber and delivered a similar statement to members of Parliament. He said:
I wish to apologize to the House. I am deeply sorry that I have offended many with my gesture and remarks.
Notwithstanding his clear statement and his apology, there were questions raised by the opposition over whether the government was involved in the invitation to the House. The Speaker intervened in the proceedings and said clearly:
I just want to make it clear that it was my decision and my decision alone. This was a constituent who wanted to be here, and I recognized him. It was my decision, and I apologize profusely. I cannot tell members how regretful it is, which may not be good enough for some of you, and for that I apologize.
Chair, as you will recall, despite Speaker's Rota's explanation and apology, members expressed significant concerns about his actions in this regard. The next day, on Tuesday, September 26, he rose in the House to announce his resignation as Speaker. He reiterated his profound regret for his error. He said that it had caused pain to individuals and communities, including the Jewish community in Canada and around the world. Speaker Rota said:
I accept full responsibility for my actions.
Again, his words were clear and definitive.
Several months later, his explanation had not changed. In a letter he wrote to this committee on January 30, he wrote:
I reiterate that the decision to invite the person was mine, as was the decision to recognize him in my remarks.
In short, it's important to underscore the facts surrounding what happened in September.
The former Speaker clearly said that he alone was responsible for having invited this person to the House and to have decided to pay tribute to him in his speech. It was on his own initiative, and no other parliamentarians were involved.
The government played no role in this matter. Indeed, it was not aware that this person was going to be introduced in the House.
The former Speaker invited his own guests for the speech. He and his office chose them.
When the government learned about this horrible incident that had occurred in the House, the Prime Minister acknowledged just how painful the incident had been for Canadians and for communities affected by the Holocaust. The Prime Minister made a public statement about it outside of the House and also discussed it with members in the House. He noted that the Speaker, Mr.Rota, had sent the invitation, had underscored the presence of this individual in the House and had assumed full responsibility for it. The Prime Minister said that no members of the House of Commons had been aware of this person's background.
The Prime Minister put it as follows:
… on behalf of everyone in the House, I would like to present unreserved apologies for what took place on Friday and for the position that President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian delegation were put in. For all of us who were present to have unknowingly recognized this individual was a terrible mistake and a violation of the memory of those who suffered grievously at the hands of the Nazi regime.
There is another point, Madam Chair, about which I would like to offer some brief remarks.
I'm here to work co-operatively, of course, with all of my colleagues to discuss what occurred in the House last September. However, I expect some of the committee members might plan to ask questions about another separate event that also occurred during that week.
When President Zelenskyy visited Canada, there was a community event in Toronto for him, with over 1,000 people invited. Hundreds of Canadians were invited upon the recommendation of community groups. The name of the individual we are discussing in these proceedings was submitted by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress. Ultimately, the person did not attend the event. It is important to emphasize that these two events—the evening gathering in Toronto and the address on the floor of the House in Ottawa—were two entirely separate events.
The final point to remember, Madam Chair, is that after this unfortunate incident occurred, our government left no doubt about where Canada stands in its unwavering support for Ukraine. The Prime Minister said that our country stands alongside Ukraine in its fight against Vladimir Putin's brutality, lies and violence. He paid tribute to the sacrifices of Ukrainians as they fight for heir democracy, freedom, their language and culture, and for peace.
The Prime Minister also publicly anticipated that this incident would be politicized and turned into false propaganda by Russia to weaken Ukraine. Not surprisingly, Putin himself continued with those efforts in recent days in an interview in Russia with far-right American conservative pundit Tucker Carlson. However, the facts speak otherwise. Canadians won't be fooled by this irresponsible and mischievous propaganda. Canada and Ukraine are allies. Our resolve to support Ukraine at this crucial time is no less strong now than it was then.
These are the facts of what happened last September. The Speaker at the time made a mistake, for which he was solely responsible. He accepted that responsibility and stepped down. However, we cannot and will not allow this to define our relationship with Ukraine. The people of Ukraine are our friends. At this time of peril in their history, they need our friendship. We will not let them down.
I would be happy to take your questions.