Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau extended an apology on behalf of the Canadian Parliament for the recent honoring of a Nazi veteran during an event. However, he declined to personally accept blame for the incident, which has drawn strong criticism from the Opposition, labeling it a significant embarrassment for Canada.
The controversial incident occurred on September 22 during Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskyy’s speech in Canada’s Parliament. During the event, 98-year-old Ukrainian Yaroslav Hunka, a former member of the SS division “Galicia” during World War II, was honored by the Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada, Anthony Rota.
In response to the controversy, Trudeau expressed deep regret and acknowledged the embarrassment it had caused. He clarified, “This was a mistake that has deeply embarrassed Parliament and Canada. All of us who were in this House on Friday regret deeply having stood and clapped even though we did so unaware of the context.”
Trudeau emphasized that the Speaker, Anthony Rota, bore sole responsibility for extending the invitation and recognizing Yaroslav Hunka and that Rota had taken full responsibility and resigned from his position.
The Prime Minister condemned the incident as a grave violation of the memory of Holocaust victims and acknowledged the deep pain it had caused to various communities, including Jewish, Polish, Roma, the LGBT community, and other racialized groups who were targeted by the Nazi regime during World War II.
Trudeau also expressed regret for the involvement of Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, who was photographed applauding Hunka during the event, an image that has been exploited by Russian propagandists. Canada issued an apology to Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian delegation through diplomatic channels.
In the midst of the controversy, Trudeau reportedly advised members of his party to refrain from speaking to the press about the incident, anticipating that the media attention would subside with limited commentary.
Meanwhile, the leader of Canada’s opposition, Pierre Poilievre, sharply criticized the Trudeau government, characterizing the incident as a historic diplomatic embarrassment. He asserted that the success of diplomatic visits ultimately rested on the shoulders of Prime Minister Trudeau.
Earlier in the week, Anthony Rota, the Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons, resigned amid mounting pressure over the controversy. Rota announced his resignation in the House of Commons, expressing his profound regret, with his resignation taking effect at the end of the business day.
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