WARMINGTON: A Nazi being cheered in the House of Commons a dark day
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Published Sep 24, 2023 • Last updated 1 hour ago • 4 minute read
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recognize Yaroslav Hunka in the House of Commons on Sept. 22, 2023. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Patrick Doyle) Article content
A full apology was certainly warranted for celebrating a Second World War Nazi in the House of Commons.
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And it finally came on Sunday.
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“The independent Speaker of the House has apologized and accepted full responsibility for issuing the invitation and for the recognition in Parliament. This was the right thing to do,” said a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.
“No advance notice was provided to the Prime Minister’s Office, nor the Ukrainian delegation, about the invitation or the recognition.”
Still, last Friday may go down in history as one of the worst blunders in the history of the House of Commons.
That was the day that a former soldier who fought with a Ukrainian military branch of Adolf Hitler’s Nazi party not only was introduced in a session of Canada’s Parliament during a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but received a standing ovation from MPs.
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Speaker of the House Anthony Rota told the House of Commons, “We have here in chamber, today, a Ukrainian Canadian veteran from the Second World War who fought for Ukrainian independence against the Russians and continues to support the troops today even at his age of 98.”
FSWC is appalled that Canada’s Parliament gave a standing ovation to a Ukrainian veteran who served in a Nazi military unit during the Second World War implicated in the mass murder of Jews and others.
An apology and explanation is owed.https://t.co/ZkzIkOCvBe
— Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (@CanadianFSWC) September 24, 2023 
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Everybody in the commons rose to their feet in applause as Rota spoke.
“His name is Jaroslav Hunka, I am very proud to say he is from North Bay and my riding of Nipissing—Timiskaming. He is a Ukrainian hero, a Canadian hero and we thank him for all his service.”
Historians were confused by how a person could be fighting against the Russians when the then-Soviet army was aligned with the Allied forces, including Canada, against Hitler’s Germany which had occupied Ukraine. They quickly learned that Hunka had served with the volunteer First Ukrainian Division during the war and came to Canada after that.
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That division was also known as the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS — referred to as the SS Galichina — and considered part of the Germany’s Nazi war machine.
“Parliament owes an apology to all Canadians for this outrage, and a detailed explanation as to how this could possibly have taken place at the centre of Canadian democracy,” said B’Nai Brith Canada CEO Michael Mostyn.
It’s as ugly as ugly can get.
“This is an appalling error in judgement on the part of (Prime Minister) Justin Trudeau, whose personal protocol office is responsible for arranging and vetting all guests and programming for state visits of this kind,” said a statement from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who called on Trudeau to apologize.
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“No parliamentarians (other than Justin Trudeau) had the opportunity to vet this individual’s past before he was introduced and honoured on the floor of the House of Commons. Without warning or context, it was impossible for any parliamentarian in the room (other than Mr. Trudeau) to know of this dark past,” he added in a statement.
The reports of this individual’s history is very troubling. The Liberal Government should explain why he was invited and honoured. #cdnpoli
Zelenskyy joins Canadian ovation for veteran who fought with Nazis – The Forward 👇 https://t.co/A7HO2jgkFH
— Melissa Lantsman (@MelissaLantsman) September 24, 2023
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The PMO distanced itself from the controversy, insisting that the Speaker’s Office is independent of Trudeau and that in addition to issuing the invitation, it had an allotment of seats for guests.
But no matter who issued the invitation, the damage is done.
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“We are deeply troubled and disturbed that a Ukrainian veteran of the infamous 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the Nazi SS – which actively participated in the genocide of Jews – was celebrated with a standing ovation in the Canadian Parliament,” the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) said in a posting on X.
Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre added it was “deeply disturbed (by) the Canadian Parliament’s recognition of a Ukrainian veteran who served in a Nazi military unit during the Second World War implicated in the mass murder of Jews and others” and “outraged that parliamentarians in the House of Commons gave a standing ovation to the former soldier.”
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Jaroslav Hunka being invited into the House of Commons with a background of fighting with a unit connected to the Nazi’s is a horrible blunder that won’t soon be forgotten. pic.twitter.com/l2t8wCFHnS
— Joe Warmington (@joe_warmington) September 24, 2023
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They also said, “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.”
There is no question an apology is necessary.
The fallout from this has been reported around the world, including in Russia, where it is being used to show how Nazi’s are being supported by Canada, which has provided arms to Ukraine in its fight against Russia.
In addition to everything else is the shocking lack of understanding about history inside Canada’s political leadership. That this could happen has shaken the confidence people have in the competence of the Liberal government, the House’s elected speaker and the opposition, too, as they were all on their feet clapping.
This will be a mistake not soon forgotten.
WARMINGTON: Zelenskyy has Toronto in the palm of his hand Ukraine’s President was greeted with applause by an awaiting crowd as he left a hotel in the city Friday night 
CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Ukraine enduring genocide by Russia, Zelenskyy says during visit to Canada Article content Share this article in your social network Comments
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