Justin Trudeau apologizes after Canadian parliament gave Nazi veteran Yaroslav Hunka standing ovation

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has apologized for the ‘deeply embarrassing’ standing ovation the Canadian parliament gave to a Nazi SS veteran.  

Trudeau, 49, spent days scrambling for an answer as to why Nazi veteran Yaroslav Hunka was praised as a ‘hero’ by Canada’s Speaker of the House of Commons Anthony Rota on Friday. 

The Nazi served in the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS during World War II, but appeared alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as he was welcomed in parliament as an apparent ‘Ukrainian hero.’ 

Three days after his parliament commended the Nazi, embattled Trudeau – who has also been locked in a bitter international feud with India in recent weeks – broke his silence to admit the ovation was a ‘mistake.’

‘Obviously it’s extremely upsetting that this happened. The Speaker has acknowledged his mistake and has apologized, but this is something that is deeply embarrassing to the Parliament of Canada and by extension to all Canadians,’ he told reporters on Monday. 

Seconds after apologizing, Trudeau then pivoted as he railed against anti-Semitism and called for a ‘push back against Russian propaganda.’ 

Trudeau addressed the scandal with reporters on Monday as he admitted it was ‘deeply embarrassing’, before he used the moment to call for a ‘push back against Russian propaganda’ 

On Friday, Nazi veteran Yaroslav Hunka was praised as a ‘Ukrainian hero’ in Canada’s parliament in a visit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy 

Hunka’s history was only revealed after he was lauded alongside Zelenskyy on Friday, where the Ukrainian president travelled to bolster his nation’s support in the war with Russia as it heads into the winter.

But while Zelenskyy’s speech was widely praised, people were appalled to discover Hunka’s time in the SS – one of the most feared units in the Nazi arsenal who were often described as ‘Hitler’s personal bodyguards.’ 

According to the Holocaust Encyclopedia, the SS ‘would later become both the elite guard of the Nazi Reich and Hitler’s executive force prepared to carry out all security-related duties, without regard for legal restraint.’

Under mounting pressure from Jewish groups to explain how Hunka ended up being praised by Canadian lawmakers, Trudeau argued: ‘I think it’s gonna be really important that all of us push back against Russian propaganda.’ 

He added that Canada would ‘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.’ 

His pivot to the Russian war machine came just seconds after he apologized for the ovation, admitting it was especially insulting to ‘Jewish MPs and all members of the Jewish community across the country who are celebrating Yom— commemorating Yom Kippur today.’

The scandal came as Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (left) addressed the Canadian parliament to bolster his nation’s support in the war with Russia as the conflict heads into the winter months 

His apology came the day after Speaker Rota also walked back his praise for the Nazi officer, saying: ‘I regret my decision to do so, and accept full responsibility for my actions.’

Rota conceded that the Canadian government failed to properly vet Hunka, and said he ‘subsequently became aware of information which causes me to regret’ inviting the SS veteran.

‘I particularly want to extend my deepest apologies to Jewish communities in Canada and around the world.’ 

Government House Speaker Karina Gould also came under fire after posing for a picture with Hunka in the halls of parliament, but argued she didn’t know his past before the snap was taken. 

‘Like all MPs, I had no further information than the Speaker provided,’ she said on X. 

‘Exiting the Chamber I walked by the individual and took a photo. As a descendent of Jewish Holocaust survivors I would ask all parliamentarians to stop politicizing an issue troubling to many, myself included.’ 

Government House Speaker Karina Gould (left) was criticized after posing for a picture with the Nazi, but argued she did not know of his history before the snap was taken 

Hunka served in the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS during World War II, one of the most feared units in the Nazi arsenal 

While Trudeau has come under scrutiny for his three-day delay in condemning the ovation, Gould sprung to his defense and said the government wasn’t aware of Hunka’s invitation, and claimed it was down to Rota. 

‘The Speaker has now made it clear that he was responsible for inviting this individual to the House,’ she said on X.

‘The government played no role. It did not know he would be there. The PM did not meet him. I am deeply troubled this happened. I urge MPs to avoid politicizing this incident.’

Trudeau’s admission came under mounting pressure from Jewish groups to explain the shameful moment, with the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) leading demands for an apology.

‘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,’ the group said on X, formerly Twitter. 

‘An apology and explanation is owed.’ 

‘The fact that a veteran who served in a Nazi military unit was invited to and given a standing ovation in Parliament is shocking,’ the FSWC added in a statement. 

‘At a time of rising antisemitism and Holocaust distortion, it is incredibly disturbing to see Canada’s Parliament rise to applaud an individual who was a member of a unit in the Waffen-SS, a Nazi military branch responsible for the murder of Jews and others and that was declared a criminal organization during the Nuremberg Trials.

‘There should be no confusion that this unit was responsible for the mass murder of innocent civilians with a level of brutality and malice that is unimaginable.’

The group also called for an apology to ‘every Holocaust survivor and veteran of the Second World War who fought the Nazis’, which was echoed by Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs which said it was ‘deeply troubled’ by the incident. 

CIJA leadership noted Trudeau’s reference to ‘Russian propaganda’ in its rebuke as it added: ‘Canada’s Jewish community stands firmly with Ukraine in its war against Russian aggression… But we can’t stay silent when crimes committed by Ukrainians during the Holocaust are whitewashed.’