Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has apologized to the House of Commons for honoring a man in Parliament who fought for a Nazi unit during World War II. During question period on September 27, Mr. Trudeau expressed his apologies on behalf of all Members of Parliament for the mistake. He acknowledged that recognizing an individual with a Nazi past was a terrible error and a violation of the memory of those who suffered under the Nazi regime, extending his apologies to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian delegation.
The controversy arose during President Zelenskyy’s visit to Parliament in Ottawa on September 22 when then-House Speaker Anthony Rota recognized Yaroslav Hunka, a former member of the Waffen SS, a Nazi division linked to war crimes. All MPs present in the House gave Hunka a standing ovation. Mr. Rota later apologized for his recognition and resigned as Speaker of the House on September 26. Prime Minister Trudeau stated that Mr. Rota was solely responsible for the invitation and recognition of Hunka, and he took full responsibility by stepping down.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre criticized Mr. Trudeau in the House on September 27, calling the incident a monumental shame and asking the Prime Minister to personally apologize on behalf of himself. In response, Mr. Trudeau rejected the idea of vetting visitors to the House of Commons and defended the independence of parliamentarians. Conservative Party Deputy Leader Melissa Lantsman accused Mr. Trudeau of attempting to erase the parliamentary record of Mr. Rota’s remarks but was unsuccessful.
When questioned about taking concrete steps to address the situation, Mr. Trudeau pledged Canada’s continued support to Ukraine through military, humanitarian, financial, and diplomatic aid. He emphasized the importance of standing with Ukraine against Russian propaganda and misinformation. Despite the apologies, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh expressed concern about the damage caused to Canada’s reputation and the Ukrainian war effort and called for concrete action from the Prime Minister.
In conclusion, Prime Minister Trudeau has expressed his apologies for the Parliament’s recognition of a man with a Nazi past and acknowledged the severity of the mistake. He has pledged continued support to Ukraine and emphasized the need to counter Russian propaganda. The incident has generated significant controversy and calls for further action to address the situation.