Canadian Parliament Apologizes for Recognizing Former Nazi Soldier
In a shocking turn of events, the speaker of Canada’s House of Commons, Anthony Rota, has issued an apology for recognizing an individual who fought for a Nazi military unit during World War II. The incident took place during a parliamentary meeting after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy delivered an address to the Canadian parliament.
Rota introduced 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka as a war hero who fought for the First Ukrainian Division, prompting lawmakers to give him a standing ovation. However, Rota later expressed regret for his decision, stating that he had become aware of more information that led him to apologize.
“I particularly want to extend my deepest apologies to Jewish communities in Canada and around the world. I accept full responsibility for my action,” said Rota.
The speaker mentioned that his fellow parliament members and the Ukrainian delegation were unaware of his plan to recognize Hunka, who is from Rota’s district. Meanwhile, Hunka could not be immediately reached for comment.
During two separate standing ovations, Canadian lawmakers cheered, and President Zelenskiy raised his fist in acknowledgment as Hunka saluted from the gallery. Rota referred to him as a “Ukrainian hero and a Canadian hero” and thanked him for his service.
President Zelenskiy was visiting Ottawa to seek support from Western allies in Ukraine’s fight against the Russian invasion. Despite being Jewish and having lost relatives in the Holocaust, Zelenskiy has been falsely labeled as a “neo-Nazi” by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office released a statement confirming Rota’s apology and stating that no advance notice was given regarding Hunka’s invitation or the recognition in parliament. The statement regarded the apology as the right thing to do.
The First Ukrainian Division, also known as the Waffen-SS Galicia Division or the SS 14th Waffen Division, was a voluntary unit that fought under Nazi command. The Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies condemned the division’s actions, stating that it was “responsible for the mass murder of innocent civilians with a level of brutality and malice that is unimaginable.”
Numerous Jewish organizations and human rights groups have expressed their outrage over the parliament’s recognition of a former member of a Nazi unit. The head of Jewish human rights organization B’nai Brith Canada, Michael Mostyn, called it outrageous.
Members of parliament from all parties applauded Hunka without prior knowledge of his history. The Conservative party stated that they found reports of Hunka’s history troubling and called for an explanation from the Liberal party for inviting him.
This incident has raised questions about how an individual with such a controversial background was allowed to enter the Canadian parliament and receive recognition from the Speaker of the House. The apology has been deemed necessary, with further explanations and clarifications expected in the future.
As the fallout from this incident continues, it serves as a reminder of the importance of thoroughly vetting individuals before recognizing them in a public forum and the need to learn from history’s lessons to ensure that such atrocities are never repeated.