Canada’s House of Commons speaker resigns over chamber invite to Nazi

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. After Mr Zelensky’s speech to Parliament, Mr Rota introduced 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka, a man he described as “a Ukrainian Canadian war veteran… who fought for Ukrainian independence against the Russians.” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mr Zelensky then led a standing ovation for Hunka, who was sat in the parliamentary gallery, which Mr Trudeau has since called “deeply embarrassing.” Mr Trudeau’s office later said that it was given no notice of the presence of Hunka, a Ukrainian veteran who fought in a volunteer unit under Nazi command. After Mr Zelensky’s speech, it emerged that Hunka had been part of the First Ukrainian Division, also known as the Waffen-SS Galicia Division or the SS 14th Waffen Division. open image in gallery Yaroslav Hunka, right, waits for the arrival of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the House of Commons in Ottawa, Onatario on 22 September “This House is above any of us, Therefore, I must step down as your Speaker,” Mr Rota said on Tuesday. open image in gallery Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recognize Yaroslav Hunka, who was in attendance in the House of Commons in Ottawa, Ontario, on 22 September “This incident has compromised all 338 members of Parliament and has also handed a propaganda victory to Russia, distracting from what was a momentously significant display of unity between Canada and Ukraine.