Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it's upsetting Ukrainian Nazi veteran Yaroslav Hunka was invited to the House of Commons. .“The speaker has acknowledged his mistake and has apologized,” said Trudeau at a Monday press conference. .“But this is something that is deeply embarrassing to the Parliament of Canada and by extension to all Canadians.” .Speaker of the House of Commons Anthony Rota said on Sunday he made a mistake by honouring Hunka in the gallery. .READ MORE: UPDATED: House of Commons speaker apologizes for bringing Nazi to Zelensky speech.“I have subsequently become aware of more information which causes me to regret my decision to do so,” said Rota. .“I wish to make clear that no one, including fellow parliamentarians and the Ukraine delegation, was aware of my intention or my remarks before I delivered them.”.Trudeau went on to say he is thinking about how Jewish MPs and Jews across Canada are feeling about this incident as they commemorate Yom Kippur. .While this incident was upsetting, he said it is going to be “really important all of us push back against Russian propaganda, Russian disinformation, and continue our steadfast, unequivocal support for Ukraine as we did last week with announcing further measures to stand with Ukraine in Russia’s illegal war against it.” .Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said if Trudeau was proud of his conduct, he "would be on the floor of the House of Commons today answering questions instead of hiding under a rock.".“Canadians are sick and tired of a prime minister who never takes responsibility for the things that happen under his watch,” said Poilievre. .“Whether it’s the record high inflation rates or the doubling of housing costs or the constant international embarrassments, he always finds someone else to throw under the bus.” .Poilievre asked if Government House Leader Karina Gould will be that person. .Gould responded by saying the Canadian government had no prior knowledge Hunka was invited or recognized. .“And if they go back and recall what happened on Friday, they will see that indeed it was the speaker of the house that recognized this individual,” said Gould. .“We were all caught off guard.” .Since this incident happened, she said it was embarrassing to Parliament and Canada. She asked people to deal with the incident responsibly. .Gould reiterated before Rota made clear he was responsible for this matter. .“The government played no role,” she said..“It did not know he would be there.”.Gould called for unanimous consent to strike Rota's comments about Hunka from the House of Commons' records. ."I would like to ask for unanimous consent to adopt the following motion: That not withstanding any standing order, special order, or usual practice of the house, the recognition made by the speaker of the individual present in the galleries during the joint address to Parliament by His Excellency Volodymyr Zelensky be struck from the appendix of the House of Commons debates of Thursday, Sept. 21st, 2023 and from any house multimedia recording," she said. .Rota asked for anyone who was opposed to the motion to say nay. The Conservatives shouted out nay. .Conservative MP Marty Morantz (Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia-Headingley, MB) said people who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. ."What happened on Friday was shameful, and it brought embarrassment to this chamber," said Morantz.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it's upsetting Ukrainian Nazi veteran Yaroslav Hunka was invited to the House of Commons. .“The speaker has acknowledged his mistake and has apologized,” said Trudeau at a Monday press conference. .“But this is something that is deeply embarrassing to the Parliament of Canada and by extension to all Canadians.” .Speaker of the House of Commons Anthony Rota said on Sunday he made a mistake by honouring Hunka in the gallery. .READ MORE: UPDATED: House of Commons speaker apologizes for bringing Nazi to Zelensky speech.“I have subsequently become aware of more information which causes me to regret my decision to do so,” said Rota. .“I wish to make clear that no one, including fellow parliamentarians and the Ukraine delegation, was aware of my intention or my remarks before I delivered them.”.Trudeau went on to say he is thinking about how Jewish MPs and Jews across Canada are feeling about this incident as they commemorate Yom Kippur. .While this incident was upsetting, he said it is going to be “really important all of us push back against Russian propaganda, Russian disinformation, and continue our steadfast, unequivocal support for Ukraine as we did last week with announcing further measures to stand with Ukraine in Russia’s illegal war against it.” .Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said if Trudeau was proud of his conduct, he "would be on the floor of the House of Commons today answering questions instead of hiding under a rock.".“Canadians are sick and tired of a prime minister who never takes responsibility for the things that happen under his watch,” said Poilievre. .“Whether it’s the record high inflation rates or the doubling of housing costs or the constant international embarrassments, he always finds someone else to throw under the bus.” .Poilievre asked if Government House Leader Karina Gould will be that person. .Gould responded by saying the Canadian government had no prior knowledge Hunka was invited or recognized. .“And if they go back and recall what happened on Friday, they will see that indeed it was the speaker of the house that recognized this individual,” said Gould. .“We were all caught off guard.” .Since this incident happened, she said it was embarrassing to Parliament and Canada. She asked people to deal with the incident responsibly. .Gould reiterated before Rota made clear he was responsible for this matter. .“The government played no role,” she said..“It did not know he would be there.”.Gould called for unanimous consent to strike Rota's comments about Hunka from the House of Commons' records. ."I would like to ask for unanimous consent to adopt the following motion: That not withstanding any standing order, special order, or usual practice of the house, the recognition made by the speaker of the individual present in the galleries during the joint address to Parliament by His Excellency Volodymyr Zelensky be struck from the appendix of the House of Commons debates of Thursday, Sept. 21st, 2023 and from any house multimedia recording," she said. .Rota asked for anyone who was opposed to the motion to say nay. The Conservatives shouted out nay. .Conservative MP Marty Morantz (Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia-Headingley, MB) said people who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. ."What happened on Friday was shameful, and it brought embarrassment to this chamber," said Morantz.
