Canada: Speaker apologizes for honoring man who served Nazis

Speaker of Canada's House of Commons Anthony Rota connected Sunday apologized for paying tribute to a antheral who fought for a Nazi subject portion during World War II.

The bungle occurred soon aft Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the House of Commons connected Friday. Canadian lawmakers past gave 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka a lasting ovation erstwhile Speaker Anthony Rota called attraction to him.

Rota introduced Hunka arsenic a warfare leader who fought with the First Ukrainian Division. This part was besides known arsenic the SS 14th Waffen Division, a voluntary portion that was nether the bid of the Nazis.

What did Rota say?

"In my remarks pursuing the code of the President of Ukraine, I recognized an idiosyncratic successful the gallery. I person subsequently go alert of much accusation which causes maine to regret my determination to bash so," Rota said successful a statement.

He added that his chap parliamentarians and the Ukrainian delegation were unaware of his program to admit Hunka. Rota noted that Hunka is from his district.

"I peculiarly privation to widen my deepest apologies to Jewish communities successful Canada and astir the world. I judge afloat work for my action," Rota said.

The Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies issued a connection Sunday saying the part "was liable for the wide execution of guiltless civilians with a level of brutality and malice that is unimaginable."

Trudeau praises the apology

Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's bureau said successful a connection that Rota had apologized and accepted afloat work for issuing the invitation to Hunka and for his recognition.

"This was the close happening to do," the connection said. "No beforehand announcement was provided to the Prime Minister's Office, nor the Ukrainian delegation, astir the invitation oregon the recognition."

Zelenskyy was successful Ottawa to physique enactment among Western allies for Ukraine's warfare against Russian invasion.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has portrayed his enemies successful Ukraine arsenic "neo-Nazis," adjacent though Zelenskyy is Jewish and mislaid relatives successful the Holocaust.

dh/kb (AP, Reuters)