Speaker of the House of Commons Anthony Rota apologised to the Jewish community on Sunday following the criticism against Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for meeting and honouring a veteran of a Nazi division during the visit of his Ukrainian counter Volodymyr Zelensky.
The apology came after Canada’s Leader of Opposition Pierre Poilievre pointed out Trudeau’s “appalling error in judgment”.
Trudeau met with and honoured a veteran of the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, a Nazi division, during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Canada this week. Poilievre, in criticism, took to social media and demanded an apology from the Prime Minister.
In his tweet, Poilievre said Liberals arranged for a Nazi veteran to be recognised on the floor of the House of Commons during Zelenskyy’s visit. He emphasised that it was an “appalling error in judgment” on Trudeau’s part, as the Prime Minister’s office is responsible for arranging and vetting all guests and programming for state visits.
The Canadian-based human rights group Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) also voiced its outrage on X, stating that it was “appalled that Canada’s Parliament gave a standing ovation to a Ukrainian veteran who served in a Nazi military unit during the Second World War implicated in the mass murder of Jews and others.”
Responding to the criticism, Speaker Anthony Rota apologised to Jewish communities in Canada and worldwide. He regretted recognising an individual in the gallery during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s address at the Canadian Parliament, a decision he made independently.
Rota clarified that no one, including fellow parliamentarians and the Ukrainian delegation, was aware of his intention or remarks before he delivered them. He took full responsibility for his actions and expressed deep apologies.
During his address to the Canadian Parliament, President Zelenskyy stressed the importance of ending Russia’s aggression and expressed gratitude for Canada’s continued support of Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression.
Zelenskyy, accompanied by Ukraine’s First Lady, Olena Zelenska, received a standing ovation upon their arrival in the House of Commons.
In his address at the Canadian Parliament, Zelenskyy said that Russian aggression “must end with our victory so that Russia will never bring back genocide to Ukraine”. “Moscow must lose once and for all, and it will lose,” he said.
It is recalled that Trudeau on 18 September stood before the Canadian Parliament and made a statement with global implications by accusing the Indian government of having links to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
“Over the past number of weeks, Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the Government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen – Hardeep Singh Nijjar,” Trudeau said. Overnight, he became India’s public enemy number one.
‘Trudeau ducks questions’, ‘Trudeau refuses to share evidence’, ‘Trudeau is losing popularity’, ‘Trudeau’s major gamble’—he has dominated the headlines. Suddenly, Canadian domestic politics became a hot topic in Indian conversations like never before. And the spectre of radical Sikh groups plotting against India rose again. This is why Justin Trudeau is ThePrint’s Newsmaker of the Week.
Nijjar, a Khalistan separatist and the head of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, was gunned down in the temple’s parking lot on 18 June 2023. Nijjar was considered to be at the heart of all activities of the Indian-designated terrorist organisation, the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF).
Canada expelled an Indian diplomat, Pavan Kumar Rai, whom its foreign ministry described as the chief of India’s intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), in Canada. This move broke the universal code followed by all countries, which typically avoids naming intelligence officials during expulsions.
In a tit-for-tat escalation, India ordered Olivier Sylvestre, believed to be an agent of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), to leave the country.
India rejected Trudeau’s allegations, dismissing them as “absurd and politically motivated.” The escalation also led to the High Commission of India in Canada temporarily suspending visa issuance to Canadians due to security threats faced by the high commission and consulates in Canada.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) revealed Thursday that Canada is withdrawing its diplomats from the country in response to India’s request.
Trudeau’s startling accusations, delivered with a stern demeanour, ricocheted across continents, eliciting deep concerns from Canada’s allies, including the US, UK, and Australia, while they remained cautious regarding further actions.
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