The UCC recently wrote to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Marc Miller, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly, and the Hockey Hall of Fame regarding plans to induct Pavel Datsyuk to the Hall of Fame.
According to reports, in February 2024, Datsyuk attended an event to honour members of the Russian Armed Forces who participated in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Datsyuk’s evident participation in an event honoring individuals involved in the genocide of a nation signifies his endorsement of Russia’s invasion, the terror Russia has brought to Ukrainian cities and towns, and the systemic, brutal atrocities that Russia has committed against Ukrainian civilians.
Evidently, Datsyuk’s support for Russian president Vladimir Putin – a war criminal under international criminal indictment – are long standing, as Datsyuk stated in 2018 to Putin – “You are the captain of our country.” In 2018, Russia had waged war against Ukraine and occupied Ukraine’s Crimea and parts of eastern Ukraine – for over four years.
The UCC asked the Hockey Hall of Fame to rescind Datsyuk’s indictment, and called on Ministers Miller and Joly to ensure that Datsyuk is refused entry into Canada.
The letters can be read below:
