Poland seeks extradition of Canada Nazi; Squirming Trudeau throws ex-speaker under the bus for fiasco

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau groveled after the Canadian parliament applauded a former Nazi, blaming the now ex-speaker for the embarrassing fiasco as Poland threatens extradition.

(Video Credit: Sky News Australia)

The Polish government was incensed after the standing ovation for Ukrainian Nazi veteran Yaroslav Hunka took place in parliament. Dozens of parliamentarians and Prime Minister Trudeau all applauded him. Now, Poland is pondering having him extradited for his allegiance to Hitler and any attendant atrocities that he potentially committed under the command of the Nazis.

Poland’s education minister PrzemysÅ‚aw Czarnek announced on Tuesday that he has filed a formal request to extradite the 98-year-old, according to the Daily Mail.

“In view of the scandalous events in the Canadian Parliament, which involved honoring a member of the criminal Nazi SS Galizien formation in the presence of President Zelenskyy, I have taken steps towards the possible extradition of this man to Poland,” he stated on X in Polish.

The minister urged Trudeau to investigate Hunka and determine if he is wanted for any crimes against Poland and Polish Jews.

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Poland’s ambassador to Canada, Witold Dzielski, stated that the investigation into the Ukrainian World War II veteran’s actions was still in the preliminary stage. Hunka served in the 14th Waffen-SS “Galacia” Division, which was a voluntary unit mostly comprised of ethnic Ukrainians under Nazi command. Members of that division have been accused of slaughtering Polish and Jewish civilians during World War II.

The Waffen-SS was found guilty of war crimes by the Nuremberg tribunals. The Galicia Division was not.

“In recently unearthed blog posts dated as recently as 2011, Hunka describes 1941 to 1943 as the happiest years of his life and compares the veterans of his unit, who were scattered across the world, to Jews,” the Daily Mail reported.

After the incident, Trudeau apologized to Canadians and blamed everything on former House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota, who he said was “solely responsible” for the incident.

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This was a mistake that has deeply embarrassed Parliament and Canada,” Trudeau stated before addressing the House of Commons to formally offer Parliament’s “unreserved apologies” for the incident.

(Video Credit: CBC News)

“All of us who were in the House on Friday regret deeply having stood and clapped, even though we did so unaware of the context,” Trudeau asserted.

“It was a horrendous violation of the memory of the millions of people who died in the Holocaust and it was deeply, deeply painful for Jewish people,” he added.

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“It also hurt Polish people, Roma people, to LGBTQI+ people, disabled people, racialized people, and the many millions who were targeted by the Nazi genocide,” the prime minister remarked.

Trudeau also lamented that the incident would be used as propaganda by the Russians.

“It is extremely troubling to think that this egregious error is being politicized by Russia and its supporters, to provide false propaganda about what Ukraine is fighting for,” Trudeau said.

Rota has resigned over the faux pas where he called the Nazi a “Ukrainian hero” and a “Canadian hero.” He figuratively fell on his sword for Trudeau and Canada.

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“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,” he commented.

Rota claimed that “No one, including fellow parliamentarians and the Ukraine delegation, was aware of my intention or of my remarks before I delivered them. This initiative was entirely my own, the individual in question being from my riding [district] 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.”

Approximately 600 members of Hunka’s division relocated to Canada after World War II, according to the Daily Mail.

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