The Speaker of the House of Commons did not know that the Ukrainian veteran who was invited and applauded at a ceremony had fought with the Nazis
The speaker of Canada’s House of Commons has resigned after paying tribute to a Ukrainian veteran. The problem is that the former soldier fought for the Nazis in World War II.
“This public recognition has caused pain to individuals and communities, including the Jewish community in Canada and around the world.”said Anthony Rota, the resigning President of the Canadian Parliament, as well as survivors of Nazi atrocities in Poland and other countries.”
Anthony Rota has been under pressure since last weekend: opposition parties have called for his resignation – as have the leaders of his own clan, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals. The latter spoke on Monday of an “unacceptable” and “deeply embarrassing” honor.
The scandal began last week when Canadian parliamentarians hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. After Volodymyr Zelensky’s speech, Anthony Rota highlighted that 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka, the man who received a standing ovation, was described as a “Canadian hero.”
But Jaroslaw Hunka served in the SS’s 14th Waffen Grenadier Division, a Nazi military unit whose crimes against humanity during the Holocaust are well documented.
Parliament’s ineptitude gave Russia a propaganda victory, according to Jewish associations. In fact, Russia accuses Ukrainian leaders of being “neo-Nazis” and cites the need to “denazify” its neighbor as justification for the war.
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