The speaker of Canada’s House of Commons recently paid tribute to Yaroslav Hunka, a Ukrainian veteran who fought for Ukraine’s independence against the Russians and continues to support troops today. Anthony Rota, the House Speaker, referred to Hunka as a Canadian-Ukrainian war hero during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit, according to Politico. However, Rota was unaware that Hunka actually fought alongside the Nazis during World War II. After facing backlash, Rota issued an apology on Sunday, as reported by the Washington Post. Rota expressed regret for his decision and extended his deepest apologies to Jewish communities in Canada and worldwide. It was revealed that Hunka fought with the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division, a unit of the Waffen-SS, known for their involvement in mass shootings and guarding Nazi concentration camps. The division consisted of ethnic Ukrainians who supported the idea of an ethnically homogenous Ukrainian state, endorsing ethnic cleansing, according to the Jewish human rights organization, B’nai Brith Canada.
“I have subsequently become aware of more information which causes me to regret my decision to honor Hunka,” expressed Rota, as reported by CNN. In particular, he extended his sincere apologies to the Jewish communities in Canada and around the world. Hunka’s affiliation with the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division, a unit of the Waffen-SS formed by Heinrich Himmler, is widely known for their involvement in atrocities during World War II, including mass shootings and the supervision of Nazi concentration camps. This division primarily consisted of ethnic Ukrainians who held ultra-nationalist ideologies and aspired to establish an ethnically homogenous Ukrainian state through ethnic cleansing. (Read more Canada stories.)
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