Ottawa : Canada's Leader of Opposition Pierre Poilievre criticised Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for meeting and honouring a veteran of the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (a Nazi division). He demanded an apology from Trudeau over the matter.
Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, Poilievre said Liberals arranged for Nazi veteran to be recognized on the floor of the House of Commons during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit to Canada this week. He called it an "appalling error" in judgement on the part of Trudeau, whose office is responsible for arranging and vetting all guests and programming for state visits of this kind.
In a post shared on X, Pierre Poilievre stated, "It has come out today that Justin Trudeau personally met with and honoured a veteran of the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (a Nazi division). Liberals then arranged for this Nazi veteran to be recognized on the floor of the House of Commons during the visit of the Ukrainian President."
He further added, "This is an appalling error in judgement on the part of Justin Trudeau, whose personal protocol office is responsible for arranging and vetting all guests and programming for state visits of this kind.
No parliamentarians (other than Justin Trudeau) had the opportunity to vet this individual’s past before he was introduced and honoured on the floor of the House of Commons. Without warning or context, it was impossible for any parliamentarian in the room (other than Mr. Trudeau) to know of this dark past. Mr Trudeau must personally apologize and avoid passing the blame to others as he always does."
He made the statement in response to a post shared by Canadian-based human rights group organisation Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center's (FSWC) post shared on X.
In the post, Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center stated, "FSWC is 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."
Meanwhile, Anthony Rota, Speaker of Canada's House of Commons, has extended apologies to Jewish communities in Canada and around the world. He spoke about introducing an individual in the gallery on September 22 during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's address at the Canadian Parliament.
In a statement, Rota said, "On Friday, September 22, in my remarks following the address of the President of Ukraine, I recognized an individual in the gallery. I have subsequently become aware of more information which causes me to regret my decision to do so. I wish to make clear that no one, including fellow parliamentarians and the Ukraine delegation, was aware of my intention or of my remarks before I delivered them."
He further said, "This initiative was entirely my own, the individual in question being from my riding and having been brought to my attention. I particularly want to extend my deepest apologies to Jewish communities in Canada and around the world. I accept full responsibility for my actions."
On Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the Canadian Parliament and said that Russia's aggression must end with Ukraine's victory. He offered repeated thanks to Canada for its continued support of Kyiv.
Zelenskyy was accompanied by Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska. They received a standing ovation upon arrival in the House of Commons.
In his address at the Canadian Parliament, Zelenskyy said, "This Russian aggression must end with our victory so that Russia will never bring back genocide to Ukraine and will never ever try to do so, Moscow must lose once and for all and it will lose."