Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau has stated it’s “deeply embarrassing” members of his parliament gave two standing ovations to a person who fought for the Nazis throughout the Second World War.
Yaroslav Hunka, 98, was recognised within the House of Commons decrease chamber throughout a go to by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday.
Mr Hunka was invited by Speaker Anthony Rota, who launched him as a conflict hero who fought for the First Ukrainian Division.
However, that division was also called the Waffen-SS Galicia Division, a voluntary unit that was below the command of the Nazis.
The Kremlin stated on Monday that it’s “outrageous” Mr Hunka was introduced to Canada’s parliament as a hero.
Mr Rota, who has resisted calls to resign, had earlier apologised for inviting the conflict veteran and recognising him as a “Ukrainian hero”, saying he later turned conscious of “more information which causes me to regret my decision to do so”.
He added that he needed to increase his deepest apologies to Jewish communities in Canada and world wide.
Mr Trudeau has stated the speaker’s apology was the “right thing to do” and “no advance notice” of the transfer was offered to the Prime Minister’s Office or the Ukrainian delegation.
The Canadian prime minister stated: “The speaker has acknowledged his mistake and has apologised, however that is one thing that’s deeply embarrassing to the parliament of Canada and by extension, to all Canadians, I feel notably of Jewish MPs and all members of the Jewish group throughout the nation who’re celebrating, commemorating Yom Kippur right now.
“I think it’s going to be really important that all of us push back against Russian propaganda, Russian disinformation, and continue our steadfast and unequivocal support for Ukraine as we did last week with announcing further measures to stand with Ukraine in Russia’s illegal war against it.”
Mr Rota had launched Mr Hunka and praised him for preventing for Ukrainian independence towards the Russians.
Mr Hunka obtained two standing ovations from members of parliament from all events.
Pierre Poilievre, chief of the opposition Conservative Party, has blamed Mr Trudeau and the Liberal authorities for making a “massive diplomatic embarrassment and shame” for not correctly vetting Mr Hunka.
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Meanwhile, a number of Jewish advocacy organisations have condemned the motion.
The Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies issued a press release on Sunday saying the division “was responsible for the mass murder of innocent civilians with a level of brutality and malice that is unimaginable”.
“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,” the assertion stated.
The episode performs into the narrative promoted by Russian President Vladimir Putin that he despatched his military into Ukraine final yr to “demilitarise and denazify” the nation.
During World War Two, when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union, some Ukrainian nationalists joined Nazi items as a result of they noticed the Germans as liberators from Soviet oppression.
Source: information.sky.com”