About our Anthony Rota news
Latest news on Anthony Rota, the Liberal MP for Nipissing—Timiskaming who served as the speaker of the House of Commons from 2019 to 2023.
On 22 September 2023, Rota introduced Yaroslav Hunka, a former Waffen-SS veteran, following an address to the Canadian parliament by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Rota would identify Hunka as a 'war hero' who fought for the First Ukrainian Division, leading to two standing ovations from members of all parties. Media reports would later identify Hunka as a member of the 14th SS Division, a Nazi unit responsible for atrocities in Poland, Slovakia and the Slovenian-Austrian border. Rota subsequently issued an apology, claiming he was unaware of Hunka's Nazi ties and made a mistake inviting him to attend the event. On 26 September 2023, Rota announced his resignation as House Speaker.