Canadian Governor General Apologizes for Awarding Honors to Ukrainian-Canadian with Nazi Past

Canadian Governor General Mary Simon has issued a formal apology and expressed “regret” over the awarding of one of Canada’s second-highest honors to Peter Savaryn, a Ukrainian-Canadian who had formerly served in a Nazi unit. This apology comes in the wake of international outrage sparked by the standing ovation received by another Ukrainian-Canadian Waffen-SS veteran, Yaroslav Hunka, in the Canadian parliament last month.

The statement was initially reported by Forward, a Jewish news outlet that had previously played a pivotal role in exposing the controversial past of Yaroslav Hunka. Both Hunka and Savaryn had served in the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, also known as the Galicia Division, a unit formed in 1943 to assist Nazi Germany’s campaign on the eastern front. This division has been accused of committing war crimes against Polish civilians during World War II.

Peter Savaryn’s connection to the Hunka scandal had already surfaced due to his tenure as the 12th chancellor of the University of Alberta from 1982 to 1986. Last month, the university decided to close an endowment that had been named after Hunka, following calls from the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC), a Jewish advocacy group, to acknowledge Savaryn’s past as well.

Notably, the Order of Canada, which is the second-highest merit in the country, can only be awarded to living individuals. Peter Savaryn passed away in 2017, and according to the statement quoted by Forward, the honor cannot be retroactively revoked under the order’s constitution.

In the statement, the Chancellery expressed its commitment to working with Canadians to ensure that the country’s honors system reflects Canadian values. This move comes as Governor General Mary Simon, who assumed her role in 2021, has faced increasing pressure to address the controversial awards.

The Governor General serves as the personal representative of the British monarch in Canada, with the Canadian prime minister providing advice on who should fill this largely ceremonial position. Mary Simon made history as the first Indigenous Canadian to hold this esteemed role.

The Hunka scandal had far-reaching consequences, leading to the resignation of Canadian Parliament Speaker Anthony Rota, who took full responsibility for inviting the 98-year-old Hunka to the parliamentary chamber. In response to the international outcry, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggested that Russia was “politicizing” the controversy to undermine Ukraine’s reputation.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, who had joined Canadian officials in applauding Hunka, has not publicly commented on the situation. It is worth noting that Ukrainian Nazi collaborators are often regarded as national heroes in modern Ukraine due to their perceived role in fighting against the Soviet Union for an independent Ukrainian state.