Yaroslav Hunka, right, who served in a Nazi unit in World War II, in the House of Commons in Ottawa on Friday. His introduction coincided with President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Canada. Credit: Patrick Doyle/The Canadian Press, via Associated Press
In an event that has sparked outrage and led to a public apology, the Canadian House of Commons found itself at the center of a contentious episode last Friday. Speaker Anthony Rota hailed 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka, present in the gallery, as a “hero” for his efforts in fighting for Ukrainian independence during World War II. This commendation was met with applause from lawmakers, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. However, the celebration turned sour as it came to light that Hunka had served in a Nazi SS unit, known for its allegiance to Adolf Hitler and participation in wartime atrocities.
This revelation came as a shock to many, particularly Jewish groups who vehemently condemned the honoring of a former member of the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS. The outcry prompted Speaker Rota to issue a heartfelt apology on Sunday, acknowledging his oversight and extending his regrets to Jewish communities both in Canada and globally. Rota’s statement emphasized his personal accountability, admitting to a lack of awareness regarding Hunka’s controversial past at the time of the introduction.
Heinrich Himmler, one of the top Nazi officials, inspects a line of troops with the 1st Galician Division, also known as the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, in an undated photo (Polish State Archives)
The incident has drawn criticism from various quarters, including B’nai Brith Canada, a prominent Jewish human rights organization, which found the parliamentary acknowledgment of a Nazi unit member appalling. Historical context provided by Dominique Arel, Chair of Ukrainian Studies at the University of Ottawa, highlights the complex motivations behind the formation of the 14th Waffen SS Division, composed mainly of volunteers from the Galicia region, seeking independence from Soviet control. Nonetheless, Arel and others stress the undeniable fact that the division fought under Nazi command, receiving training and ideological indoctrination from SS officers.
The Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center described the moment as “incredibly disturbing,” pointing to the division’s role in the massacre of civilians during the war. The controversy has reignited discussions around Canada’s historical approach to former Nazi war criminals and collaborators, with some accusing the government of leniency. While a 1985 national commission acknowledged the presence of 14th Waffen SS Division members in Canada, it concluded that mere membership did not constitute a war crime.
The incident has also provided fodder for Russia’s long-standing narrative, propagated by President Vladimir Putin, which paints the Ukrainian government and President Zelensky as “neo-Nazis”—a claim vehemently denied by Ukraine. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri S. Peskov condemned the Canadian Parliament’s “sloppiness toward memory” as outrageous.
Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unknowingly applaud a Nazi veteran Yaroslav Hunka
As the dust settles on this episode, the Canadian Parliament and its leaders are left to reckon with the implications of this oversight and the broader conversations it has sparked about history, memory, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. President Zelensky, amidst his efforts to rally international support against Russia’s aggression, has yet to comment on the controversy.
Controversy in Canada: Apology after WWII veteran’s Nazi links come to light
Yaroslav Hunka, right, who served in a Nazi unit in World War II, in the House of Commons in Ottawa on Friday. His introduction coincided with President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Canada. Credit: Patrick Doyle/The Canadian Press, via Associated Press
In an event that has sparked outrage and led to a public apology, the Canadian House of Commons found itself at the center of a contentious episode last Friday. Speaker Anthony Rota hailed 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka, present in the gallery, as a “hero” for his efforts in fighting for Ukrainian independence during World War II. This commendation was met with applause from lawmakers, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. However, the celebration turned sour as it came to light that Hunka had served in a Nazi SS unit, known for its allegiance to Adolf Hitler and participation in wartime atrocities.
This revelation came as a shock to many, particularly Jewish groups who vehemently condemned the honoring of a former member of the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS. The outcry prompted Speaker Rota to issue a heartfelt apology on Sunday, acknowledging his oversight and extending his regrets to Jewish communities both in Canada and globally. Rota’s statement emphasized his personal accountability, admitting to a lack of awareness regarding Hunka’s controversial past at the time of the introduction.
The incident has drawn criticism from various quarters, including B’nai Brith Canada, a prominent Jewish human rights organization, which found the parliamentary acknowledgment of a Nazi unit member appalling. Historical context provided by Dominique Arel, Chair of Ukrainian Studies at the University of Ottawa, highlights the complex motivations behind the formation of the 14th Waffen SS Division, composed mainly of volunteers from the Galicia region, seeking independence from Soviet control. Nonetheless, Arel and others stress the undeniable fact that the division fought under Nazi command, receiving training and ideological indoctrination from SS officers.
The Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center described the moment as “incredibly disturbing,” pointing to the division’s role in the massacre of civilians during the war. The controversy has reignited discussions around Canada’s historical approach to former Nazi war criminals and collaborators, with some accusing the government of leniency. While a 1985 national commission acknowledged the presence of 14th Waffen SS Division members in Canada, it concluded that mere membership did not constitute a war crime.
The incident has also provided fodder for Russia’s long-standing narrative, propagated by President Vladimir Putin, which paints the Ukrainian government and President Zelensky as “neo-Nazis”—a claim vehemently denied by Ukraine. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri S. Peskov condemned the Canadian Parliament’s “sloppiness toward memory” as outrageous.
As the dust settles on this episode, the Canadian Parliament and its leaders are left to reckon with the implications of this oversight and the broader conversations it has sparked about history, memory, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. President Zelensky, amidst his efforts to rally international support against Russia’s aggression, has yet to comment on the controversy.