Originally published September 26, 2023 2:00 pm PDT
Canada’s House of Commons Speaker, Anthony Rota, has resigned from his position after inviting a man who fought for a Nazi military unit during World War II to Parliament.
Rota introduced 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka as a war hero who fought for the First Ukrainian Division, following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s address to the House of Commons.
However, it was later revealed that the First Ukrainian Division, also known as the Waffen-SS Galicia Division or the SS 14th Waffen Division, was a voluntary unit under the command of the Nazis.
Rota said in Parliament, “No one in this House is above any of us. Therefore I must step down as your speaker. I reiterate my profound regret for my error in recognizing an individual in the House during the joint address to Parliament of President Zelenskyy.”
He acknowledged the pain caused to individuals and communities around the world, as well as Nazi survivors in Poland and other nations, and accepted full responsibility for his actions.
Rota’s resignation came after meeting with the House of Commons’ party leaders, as all main opposition parties had called for his departure, The Associated Press reports.
Government Liberal House leader Karina Gould stated that lawmakers had lost confidence in Rota.
She expressed personal hurt, being of Jewish origin and a descendant of a Holocaust survivor, and stated that the incident brought shame and embarrassment to Parliament and all Canadians.
The Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies highlighted the implications of the incident, stating that it had left a stain on Canada’s legislature and handed a propaganda victory to Russia, distracting from the momentously significant unity between Canada and Ukraine.
Rota had previously apologized, taking sole responsibility for inviting and recognizing Hunka, who hails from Rota’s district.
Members of Parliament from all parties applauded Hunka without being aware of his background.
In response to the incident, the Kremlin spokesman described it as “outrageous,” with Russian President Vladimir Putin often portraying his opponents in Ukraine as “neo-Nazis.”
Political science professor Daniel Béland noted the impact this incident could have on Russia’s ongoing military actions in Ukraine, saying, “It’s highly unfortunate, and the only winner here is the Putin regime.”
The opposition Conservatives in Canada blamed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, but Béland clarified that the speaker’s role is non-partisan.
