Shillong, September 26: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed deep embarrassment over the recent incident in which a Ukrainian Nazi veteran was honored in the Canadian Parliament.
Trudeau stated, “This is deeply embarrassing to the Parliament of Canada and by extension to all Canadians.”
As per India Today, the controversy arose when Trudeau met and honored Yaroslav Hunka, a 98-year-old veteran of the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, a Nazi division, during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Canada. Hunka received two standing ovations from Canadian lawmakers during the visit.
Following widespread criticism of Trudeau’s actions, Speaker of the House of Commons Anthony Rota issued an apology to the Jewish community, acknowledging the Prime Minister’s “appalling error in judgment.”
Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre also demanded an apology from Trudeau and voiced his criticism on social media.
In response to the criticism, Speaker Anthony Rota extended apologies to Jewish communities in Canada and globally. He expressed regret for recognizing an individual in the gallery during Zelenskyy’s address at the Canadian Parliament, a decision he made independently.
The Kremlin, in its response to the incident, characterized it as “outrageous.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized the importance of preserving the memory of Nazi crimes and condemned the careless disregard for historical truth. He remarked that many Western countries, including Canada, have failed to educate younger generations about the events of World War 2 and the threat of fascism.