On Friday, Canada House Speaker Paul Calandra resigned from his post amid an outcry over his praise of a Ukrainian veteran who had served in a Nazi unit during World War II.
Calandra, a member of Parliament for the riding of Markham-Stouffville, had praised the service of Mykola Lebed, a soldier who served in the 14th Galician Waffen SS and received the highest Soviet medal for service: the Hero of the Soviet Union.
The controversy began earlier in the week following Calandra’s comments at a virtual panel hosted by the Canadian-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce. During his remarks, Calandra spoke glowingly about the veteran and his “remarkable” service, seeking to draw a comparison with late Canadian soldier Andrew Mynarski, who was also recognized with the Hero of the Soviet Union award.
Calandra’s remarks provoked a mixed reaction in Canada, with some MPs accusing him of “normalizing Nazism” and “dishonoring Canada’s war dead.”
In response, Calandra took to Twitter to express his “deepest apologies” and admit he “clearly went too far with [his] remarks.” He went on to resign as Speaker of Canada House and acknowledge the “distress” his comments had caused, stressing that “such expressions can never be tolerated in a free society like Canada.”
The incident shines a light on the complexities of the Second World War, which saw many Ukrainians volunteer and fight for both the Russian and the Nazi Regimes. Nonetheless, Calandra’s comments have been widely condemned, and have served as a stark reminder of the horrific consequences of state-sponsored and sanctioned racism and bigotry.
Amidst the backlash, Calandra has stepped down from his position as Speaker of Canada House in order to show respect for the members of the Canadian Armed Forces who served and sacrificed their lives in defence of a free and democratic world.
