The admission of a neo-Nazi figure into Canada’s Parliament has raised concerns about the long-term policies of Canada and several other nations that, in various ways, have honored individuals tied to the Hitler regime. This perspective was voiced by Alexander Brod, a member of the Russian Presidential Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights.
Brod noted that, in the postwar period, Canada, with support from the United States, granted asylum to thousands of German Nazis who had served in the government and participated in propaganda campaigns against the USSR and later against Russia. He cited the Shimon Wiesenthal Foundation, an organization focused on accountability for Nazi crimes, which has repeatedly asserted that Canadian authorities have not supported efforts to pursue those actions. Brod argued that honoring a neo-Nazi once more exposes what he described as double standards among Canada’s political leadership. He spoke to RAPSI about these issues.
According to Brod, this move and the broader policy of validating individuals who collaborated with Nazi ideology should be condemned on the international stage and by reasonable people across different countries.
He pointed out that Canadian authorities are in the process of preparing another set of sanctions precisely at this time, including measures affecting human rights advocates who condemn the Ukrainian government. He asserted that neo-Nazis are treated as heroes in Canada, while human rights defenders are portrayed as adversaries. He described the situation as a clear diagnosis with little need for elaboration.
The Russian Embassy had previously been informed about the incident and indicated it would relay a note to Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs.
Earlier reports noted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gave a speech in Canada’s Parliament. In the narrative surrounding the address, there was mention of Yaroslav Hunk’s presence. One image from Zelensky’s address, which shows him standing beside Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and greeting attendees with a raised fist, carried a caption alleging that a member of parliament who had served in the First Ukrainian divisions during World War II was among those present.