Anthony Rota resigns after Nazi in parliament row
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After meeting party leaders in Ottawa on Tuesday, Anthony Rota resigned after initially resisting calls to step down.
During parliament, he said, “I must step down as your Speaker.”. “I apologize deeply.”.
Global condemnation followed last Friday’s incident.
As Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky visited Yaroslav Hunka on Friday, Mr Rota praised him as a “hero”.
Inviting Mr Hunka to the event, Mr Rota said he did not know of Mr Hunka’s Nazi connections.
Justin Trudeau, Canada’s prime minister, said it was “extremely upsetting”.
“This is something that is deeply embarrassing for the Parliament of Canada and by extension for all Canadians,” he told reporters. Under Nazi command, Mr Hunka served in the 14th Waffen-SS Grenadier Division during World War Two.
Despite the unit’s lack of conviction by a tribunal for war crimes, division members are accused of killing Polish and Jewish civilians.
On Tuesday, Poland’s Education Minister Przemyslaw Czarnek said he had “taken steps” towards extraditing Hunka.
As of yet, Mr Hunka and his family have not commented to Canadian media.
On Tuesday, cabinet members joined cross-party calls for Mr Rota’s resignation.
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly called the mistake “completely unacceptable” hours before the Speaker resigned.
In her opinion, the Speaker should listen to the members of the House and step down. There is no alternative, in my opinion.”