Canada’s parliament honours a man who fought for Nazis, Speaker apologises later
Canadian PM Trudeau criticized for meeting and honoring a Nazi division. Opposition leader criticizes Trudeau's office for vetting guests. Speaker of Canada's parliament apologizes for honoring Ukrainian veteran alleged to have fought for Nazis.
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau received massive backlash for meeting and honoring 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (a Nazi division). Following this Canada's Leader of Opposition Pierre Poilievre criticised Trudeau. Trudeau's "personal protocol office is responsible for arranging and vetting all guests and programming for state visits of this kind," Poilievre said.
Besides, the speaker of Canada's parliament also apologised for singling out a Ukrainian veteran Yaroslav Hunka alleged to have fought for the Nazis during World War II.
The incident happened as Ukraninan President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the Canadian parliament, and Speaker of the House Anthony Rota paid homage to the 98-year-old Ukrainian immigrant. The recognition came following a visit by Zelenskiy, who thanked Canada for its assistance in his country's war against Russia.
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Rota hailed Hunka as "a Ukrainian Canadian war veteran from the Second World War who fought for Ukrainian independence against the Russians" and "a Ukrainian hero and a Canadian hero."
The remarks ignore "the horrific fact that Hunka served in the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, a Nazi military unit whose crimes against humanity during the Holocaust are well-documented," the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) said Sunday.
The Jewish advocacy group called the incident "shocking" and "incredibly disturbing".
They said an apology is owed to every Holocaust survivor and veteran of the Second World War who fought the Nazis.
"An explanation must be provided as to how this individual entered the hallowed halls of Canadian Parliament and received recognition from the Speaker of the House and a standing ovation," it continues.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's office denied any involvement in the affair, reiterating its independence from that of the Speaker of the House and saying in a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, that neither it nor the Ukrainian delegation had any advance notice of the incident.
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First Published:25 Sep 2023, 10:47 AM IST
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