Calls for better education after Nazi celebrated in parliament

KAMLOOPS — Monday (Sept. 25) is the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur. Known as the day of atonement, it’s a time for those in the Jewish faith to fast, pray and seek forgiveness. But instead of seeking forgiveness, many Jewish Canadians will be forced with coming to terms and possibly eventually offering forgiveness for a horrendous mistake made by the Speaker of the House of Commons on Friday.

“I subsequently became aware of more information that causes me to regret my decision to recognize this individual. I wish to apologize to the house,” said Speaker Anthony Rota on Monday morning.

Apologies from Rota and calls for his resignation from the NDP welcomed Canadian parliamentarians back to the House of Commons on Monday morning. This after a Ukrainian soldier who fought for the Nazis in World War II was honoured on Friday.

“He’s a Ukrainian hero, a Canadian hero and we thank him for all his service,” said Rota on Friday.

The gross oversight by the Office of the Speaker, and Rota himself, left the Jewish community across Canada hurt and offended. In Kamloops, Jeffrey Meyers was glad to see the speaker take blame.

“It’s revolting that his happened. But, I think in fairness, responsibility has been taken, the mistake has been acknowledged. I think it’s embarrassing for parliament. It makes parliament looking amateurish. It makes it look like there isn’t a clear understanding of history,” said Meyers.

Kamloops-area MP Frank Caputo addressed his party’s call for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to take accountability for the blunder, as Trudeau’s office conducts all security checks.

“Will he finally take responsibility for his latest embarrassment and apologize to Canadians?” asked Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre during Question Period Monday.

“I can’t imagine, especially on the holiest of days of the calendar. It’s just unfathomable. Here we go again, if I can be very direct. It just feels like mess up after mess up after mess up and we have a lot of [pointing fingers]. At some point, somebody needs to take responsibility,” Caputo told CFJC News.

The Tories did not, however, join the calls from the Bloc Quebecois and New Democrats for Rota’s resignation. Caputo noted that they are searching for more information on how the former soldier was allowed to enter the house first.

“How did this person even get there? This person who had his photo taken with the Liberal government house leader, so it’s not just enough to say, ‘It’s the speakers fault. Let’s just blame it all on him.’ There has to be more inquiries. We need to get to the bottom of this before we start calling for resignations, in my view,” said Caputo.

Yaroslav Hunka fought for the First Ukrainian Division in the Second World War.

“Some of them joined with the Nazis as a way to fight the Red Army and the Soviet Union, because of largely, the persecution they had faced at the hands of Stalin,” said Meyers.

Meyers addressed how prior conflicts with Russia led many Ukrainians to fight for Germany and how the history isn’t well known.

“Between the 1930s, beginning with what is called the Holodomor, which is period in time when Ukrainians were effectively starved by Stalin regime and his Five Year Plan,” added Myers.

The lack of understanding of what and who Ukrainians were fighting for further stresses the need for conversations about the Second World War and the Holocaust.