Ottawa CNN —Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons Anthony Rota resigned his post Tuesday, days after he praised a Ukrainian veteran who fought for a Nazi military unit during World War II.
“I accept full responsibility for my actions.”Rota’s recognition of Hunka last week prompted a standing ovation.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has called the incident “deeply embarrassing.”The 14th Waffen Grenadier Division was part of the Nazi SS organization declared a criminal organization by the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg in 1946, which determined the Nazi group had committed war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Dave Chan/AFP via Getty ImagesRecognizing Hunka was “beyond outrageous,” B’nai Brith Canada CEO Michael Mostyn said, adding, “We cannot allow the whitewashing of history.”“Canadian soldiers fought and died to free the world from the evils of Nazi brutality,” he said.
“No one – not even anyone among you, fellow parliamentarians, or from the Ukrainian delegation – was privy to my intention or my remarks prior to their delivery,” he said.
Persons:
Anthony Rota, Volodymyr Zelensky, Rota, Yaroslav Hunka, “, Hunka, ” Rota, Justin Trudeau, ”, Dave Chan, Michael Mostyn, –
Organizations:
Ottawa CNN —, Canadian, of, Nazi, Ukrainian, Waffen Grenadier Division, ”, Liberal, Waffen Grenadier, Nazi SS, International, Getty
Locations:
Ukrainian, Canada, Poland, Nuremberg, Ottawa, AFP, “