Canada's House Speaker Resigns Over Controversial Nazi Veteran Honoring
Originally Published 2 years ago — by CBS News
The speaker of Canada's House of Commons, Anthony Rota, resigned after inviting a man who fought for a Nazi military unit during World War II to Parliament and honoring him during a speech by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Rota introduced the 98-year-old man, Yaroslav Hunka, as a war hero without realizing that Hunka fought for the Waffen-SS Galicia Division, a voluntary unit under the command of the Nazis. Rota expressed regret for his decision and accepted full responsibility for causing pain to individuals and communities, including the Jewish community. Opposition parties called for Rota's resignation, and the government House leader stated that lawmakers had lost confidence in him. The incident has been seen as a stain on Canada's legislature and a distraction from the unity displayed between Canada and Ukraine.