Canada: The speaker of Canada’s parliament has apologised for giving a standing ovation to a Ukrainian veteran during a visit by President Mr. Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The veteran was accused of fighting for the Nazis in World War II.
Speaker of the House Mr. Anthony Rota paid tribute to Mr. Yaroslav Hunka, a 98-year-old Ukrainian immigrant.
Mr. Rota praised Mr. Hunka as “a Ukrainian Canadian war veteran who fought for Ukrainian independence against the Russians during the Second World War,” calling him “both a Ukrainian and Canadian hero.”
The Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre (FSWC) stated that the comments overlook the disturbing reality that Hunka served in the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, a Nazi military unit with well-documented crimes against humanity during the Holocaust. The Jewish advocacy group described the incident as shocking and very disturbing.
“An apology is owed to every Holocaust survivor and veteran of the Second World War who fought the Nazis, and 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 continued.
Mr. Rota, a Liberal Member of Parliament, apologised on September 24, 2023, stating that he had “subsequently become aware of more information” that led him to “regret” acknowledging Mr. Hunka.
“This initiative was entirely my own … I particularly want to extend my deepest apologies to Jewish communities in Canada and around the world,” Mr. Rota stated.
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