The Speaker of the Canadian House of Representatives apologizes after celebrating Ukrainian veterans who fought with the Nazi unit in World War II

CNN
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The Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons has apologized after celebrating a former Ukrainian soldier who fought in a Nazi military unit in World War II.

Parliament Speaker Anthony Rutte recognized 98-year-old Jaroslav Hunka in a speech Friday during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to the Canadian Parliament on Friday and praised Hunka as a Ukrainian and Canadian veteran.

The spokesman praised Hanka as a war hero who served in the 1st Ukrainian Division and “fought for Ukraine’s independence against Russian aggressors at that time, and continues to support the troops today.”

“I later learned more information that made me regret my decision to do this,” Rutte said in a statement released by his office on Sunday. He added: “I especially want to extend my deepest apologies to the Jewish communities in Canada and around the world.”

Many human rights and Jewish organizations condemned this confession, saying that Honka served in a Nazi military unit known as the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS.

“Honka, who immigrated to Canada after serving in the 14th Waffen SS Division – a Nazi unit whose members swore allegiance to Adolf Hitler during World War II – received a standing ovation from the members of parliament and senators in attendance,” Jewish human rights organization B’nai B’rith . Canada said in a statement.

Parliament’s recognition of Honka is “beyond outrageous,” Michael Mostyn, CEO of B’nai Brith Canada, said in a statement.

“We cannot allow history to be whitewashed. Canadian soldiers fought and died to liberate the world from the evils of Nazi brutality,” Mostyn said.

The 14th Waffen Grenadier Division was part of Nazi SS organization It was declared a criminal organization by the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg, which ruled that the Nazi group had committed war crimes and crimes against humanity.

In its statement, B’nai Brith condemned the Ukrainian volunteers who served in the military unit, describing them as “extremist nationalist ideologues” who “dreamed of an ethnically homogeneous Ukrainian state and supported the idea of ​​ethnic cleansing.”

The human rights organization says it expects an apology from Parliament.

Ruta said he took full responsibility for the confession by Honka, who he said was from his constituency.

“I would like to clarify that no one, including my parliamentary colleagues and the Ukrainian delegation, knew about my intention or my statements before I made them,” Rutte said. “This initiative was entirely my own, the person in question was one of my riders and it was brought to my attention.”