Controversy over Canadian PM Justin Trudeau’s standing ovation to former WWII fighter with Nazi ties in Parliament
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has lamented the Canadian Parliament’s accidental standing ovation to a veteran who fought for Ukrainian independence on behalf of the Nazi unit during the Second World War.
Talking to reporters on Monday at the House of Commons of Canada, Trudeau termed the incident as “extremely upsetting“.
“The Speaker has acknowledged his mistake and has apologized,” Trudeau told reporters, adding “but this is something that is deeply embarrassing to the Parliament of Canada and by extension to all Canadians”.
Trudeau’s remarks came amid the revelation that Canadian lawmakers gave the special honour to Yaroslav Hunka, a 98-year-old Ukrainian-Canadian, shortly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the House of Commons on Friday as part of his visit to the country.
Speaker Anthony Rota, in his parliamentary speech on Friday, had hailed Hunka as “a Ukrainian-Canadian war veteran from the Second World War who fought for Ukrainian independence against the Russians” and “a Ukrainian hero and a Canadian hero“.
After the revelation, there are growing calls against Rota for stepping down from the post for extending an invitation to the former Ukrainian soldier, Xinhua news agency reported.
Amid growing anger against him, the Speaker apologized to the Canadian lawmakers immediately after the opening of Parliament on Monday.
Rota said he personally regrets inviting this constituent and giving him attention after Zelensky’s remarks.
“I am deeply sorry I offended many with my gestures and remarks,” he added.
“This initiative was entirely my own.”
“I want to really tell you that the intention was not to embarrass this House,” he said.
[With Inputs from IANS]
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This man is doomed for he is vicious clutches of international rogue elements, sponsored by USA
They forgot that world could not do anything on Journalist Khashoggi murder in Turkey by Saudi.
Joe Biden forgot what he said & how he had to eat his own words from Saudi Prince.