Anthony Rota issues an apology for honoring veteran Nazi unit

•  Anthony Rota issues an apology for honoring the veteran Nazi unit.
• Rota had publicly recognized Yaroslav Hunka as a “Ukrainian hero.”
• This revelation prompted criticism and calls for an apology.

Canada’s House of Commons Speaker, Anthony Rota, issued an apology on Sunday for praising an individual during a parliamentary meeting who had served in a Nazi unit during World War Two.

Just two days earlier, Rota had publicly recognized 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka as a “Ukrainian hero” in the Canadian Parliament.

However, it was later revealed that Hunka had served in World War II as a member of the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS.

This revelation prompted criticism and calls for an apology from various quarters, including the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Jewish human rights group.

In his statement, Rota took full responsibility for what he described as an oversight, stating that the initiative to recognize Hunka was “entirely my own.” He expressed deep regret for his decision and extended his “deepest apologies” to Jewish communities.

The recognition of Hunka occurred during a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who thanked Canada for its support in Ukraine’s conflict with Russia.

Following Zelenskiy’s remarks, Rota acknowledged Hunka, who was present in the gallery, and praised him for his role in fighting for Ukrainian independence against the Russians. This led to two standing ovations from those present in the parliament.

The Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center had strongly condemned the recognition, especially in the context of rising antisemitism and Holocaust distortion.

They demanded an apology and sought an explanation for how Hunka had gained access to the Canadian Parliament and received recognition from the Speaker of the House.

Russia’s ambassador to Canada, Oleg Stepanov, announced that the embassy would send a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and a note to the Canadian foreign ministry, seeking clarification from the Canadian government regarding the incident.

Russia has previously cited the goal of “de-nazification” as part of its justification for its actions in Ukraine.

Rota emphasized in his statement that no one, including fellow parliamentarians or the Ukrainian delegation, was aware of his plans or remarks beforehand.

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