Canadian Speaker of the House of Commons, Anthony Rota, issued an apology after he celebrated a Ukrainian veteran who fought for a Nazi military unit during World War II. Rota recognized 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka as a Ukrainian and Canadian veteran during a speech given on Friday, in the presence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Canadian parliament. Rota referred to Hunka as a war hero who fought for Ukrainian independence against Russian aggressors.
However, Rota later expressed regret for his decision to acknowledge Hunka, stating that he had become aware of more information that led him to apologize. He particularly apologized to Jewish communities in Canada and around the world.
The recognition of Hunka by the speaker of Canada’s House of Commons has been strongly condemned by several human rights and Jewish organizations. These organizations pointed out that Hunka served in a Nazi military unit known as the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS.
Jewish human rights organization B’nai Brith Canada stated that Hunka, who immigrated to Canada after serving in the 14th Waffen SS, received a standing ovation from members of Parliament and senators in attendance. B’nai Brith Canada’s CEO, Michael Mostyn, called the parliament’s recognition of Hunka “beyond outrageous” and emphasized the importance of not whitewashing history, highlighting the sacrifices of Canadian soldiers who fought against Nazi brutality.
The 14th Waffen Grenadier Division was a part of the Nazi SS organization, which was declared a criminal organization by the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg. The tribunal found that the Nazi group had committed war crimes and crimes against humanity.
B’nai Brith condemned the Ukrainian volunteers who served in the military unit as “ultra-nationalist ideologues” who supported the idea of an ethnically homogeneous Ukrainian state and endorsed ethnic cleansing.
The human rights organization called for an apology from parliament regarding the recognition of Hunka. Rota stated that he takes full responsibility for acknowledging Hunka and clarified that no one, including fellow parliamentarians and the Ukrainian delegation, was aware of his intention or of his remarks before he delivered them.
The controversy surrounding the acknowledgment of Hunka serves as a reminder of the sensitive nature of historical events and the importance of understanding the context and implications of honoring individuals with controversial backgrounds.