House speaker apologises after praising Nazi veteran

The Speaker of Canada's House of Commons has apologised after a person who was part of a Nazi unit was invited to an event in the chamber on Friday in honour of visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

- Anirudh Bhattacharyya

The apology came after outrage was expressed by Jewish groups after 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka was welcomed to the House by Speaker Anthony Rota as a "a Ukrainian hero, a Canadian hero" to applause from MPs, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. It later emerged that Hunka was part of the Nazi-led Waffen-SS Galicia Division, also known as the SS 14th Waffen Division and later First Ukrainian Division, which battled Soviet troops during World War II.

In a statement, Rota said, "On Friday, September 22, in my remarks following the address of the President of Ukraine, I recognised an individual in the gallery. I have subsequently become aware of more information which causes me to regret my decision to do so."