Diplomatic blunder in Canadian parliament

A diplomatic blunder was committed in the Canadian parliament as a Ukrainian former SS Galizien volunteer received a standing ovation as a "Ukrainian Hero" from the Canadian lower house, including Prime Minister Trudeau and guest Volodymyr Zelensky. 

Zelensky and Trudeau in the Canadian Parliament.

Photo: PAP/PA/Patrick Doyle

Canada has been forced to issue hasty apologies after a failure of background checking led to a diplomatic blunder in the Canadian parliament. 

A Ukrainian former SS Galizien volunteer, Yaroslav Hunka, received a standing ovation as a "Ukrainian Hero" from the Canadian lower house, including Prime Minister Trudeau and Volodymyr Zelensky. SS Galizien committed several wartime atrocities including the killing of Polish and Jewish civilians.

The House Speaker, Anthony Rota, issued a statement admitting responsibility for the invitation and ovation. 

Poland's Ambassador to Ottawa, Witold Dzielski, stressed in his statement that SS Galizien was comprised of Ukrainian volunteers and that the Division was responsible for the murder of thousands of Jewish and Polish civilians. 

Dzielski later thanked Rota for his swift and full apology:

Much thx to the Speaker @AnthonyRota for a very open and detailed conversation on the past Friday recognition of a 14th Waffen Grenadier Division SS member in @OurCommons. It was not intended. If the mistakes make us wiser and our bond stronger, so be it! Thank you Anthony! pic.twitter.com/XCqX8HKAfE

— Witold Dzielski (@WitoldDzielski) September 26, 2023

Sources: PAP, AP News, X

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