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Canadian parliament plans new vetting system after honoring Nazi-linked vet

The introduction of Yaroslav Hunka as a “hero” before a speech by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy led to House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota’s resignation.

Yaroslav Hunka, who fought in a Nazi unit during World War II, was inadvertently honored by the Canadian House of Commons, Sept. 22, 2023. Source: YouTube.
Yaroslav Hunka, who fought in a Nazi unit during World War II, was inadvertently honored by the Canadian House of Commons, Sept. 22, 2023. Source: YouTube.

Canada’s parliament has outlined new plans to ensure that those affiliated with the Nazi Party never address legislators in the future.

The proposed vetting procedures come in response to 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka’s appearance in the country’s House of Commons in September, where he received a standing ovation. Former speaker Anthony Rota introduced Hunka as both a “Ukrainian hero” and a “Canadian hero.”

Researchers soon found that Hunka had served in the Waffen SS, a volunteer unit the Nazis had created for fighting the Soviet Union.

The scandal and its subsequent international condemnation led to Rota’s resignation. “I particularly want to extend my deepest apologies to Jewish communities in Canada and around the world,” he said.

The new measures expand the vetting process, going from “physical security threats” to “reputation threats.” The parliament has not yet released details of what these procedures would include.

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