The speaker of Canada’s House of Commons issued an apology on Sunday for recognizing a man who fought for a Nazi military unit during World War II. This incident occurred after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered a speech in the House of Commons on Friday and Canadian lawmakers gave a standing ovation to 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka when Speaker Anthony Rota highlighted him. Rota introduced Hunka as a war hero who fought for the First Ukrainian Division, mentioning that he had fought “against the Russians” in World War II.
In a statement, Rota expressed regret for recognizing Hunka, stating that he had become aware of additional information that led him to apologize. He emphasized that his fellow Parliament members and the Ukrainian delegation were not informed about his plan to recognize Hunka and mentioned that Hunka is from his district.
Rota specifically apologized to Jewish communities in Canada and around the world, taking full responsibility for his actions. Hunka has not responded for comment at this time. During Hunka’s presence in the gallery, Canadian lawmakers cheered and Zelenskyy acknowledged him with a raised fist during two separate standing ovations. Rota referred to him as a “Ukrainian hero and a Canadian hero” and thanked him for his service.
Zelenskyy’s visit to Ottawa aimed to garner support from Western allies for Ukraine’s fight against the Russian invasion. Despite Zelenskyy being Jewish and having family members who perished in the Holocaust, Vladimir Putin has portrayed his enemies in Ukraine as “neo-Nazis.”
The statement from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office indicated that Rota had apologized and accepted full responsibility for extending the invitation to Hunka and recognizing him in Parliament. The statement affirmed that no advance notice was provided to the Prime Minister’s Office or the Ukrainian delegation regarding this invitation.
The First Ukrainian Division, also known as the Waffen-SS Galicia Division or the SS 14th Waffen Division, was a voluntary unit under the command of the Nazis. The Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies condemned the division, holding it accountable for the mass slaughter of innocent civilians with unimaginable cruelty and malice.
Michael Mostyn, CEO of B’nai Brith Canada, expressed outrage at Parliament’s recognition of a former member of a Nazi unit, stating that Ukrainian “ultra-nationalist ideologues” who volunteered for the Galicia Division endorsed ethnic cleansing and aspired to create an ethnically homogenous Ukrainian state. Mostyn emphasized the need for a forthcoming and meaningful apology from Parliament, along with a thorough explanation of how this incident occurred in the heart of Canadian democracy.
Members of Parliament from all parties applauded Hunka, with a spokesperson for the Conservative party expressing concern over his history. Sebastian Skamski stated that Trudeau’s Liberal party would need to explain why Hunka was invited. Karina Gould, leader of the government in the House of Commons, shared a photo of herself holding Hunka’s hand alongside Rota, clarifying that she had no further information beyond what the Speaker had provided and walked by Hunka after exiting the Chamber.
Gould reiterated multiple times on social media that Rota took full responsibility for inviting Hunka to the House, and the government had no involvement or knowledge of his presence. She expressed deep concern over the incident and urged MPs to avoid politicizing it.
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