Canadian Monument 'Victims of Communism' Includes Nazis, Reports Say
Over 330 names may allegedly be removed from a memorial dedicated to individuals who endured suffering under communism, due to their suspected connections to the Nazis. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Canadian authorities may be required to remove over half of the names inscribed on a memorial dedicated to the victims of communism in Ottawa, as concerns emerge regarding links between these names and Nazi affiliations, local media reported on Monday.
A document obtained by the Ottawa Citizen revealed that the Department of Canadian Heritage discovered that among the initial list of 553 individuals and organizations, 50 to 60 were “likely directly linked to the Nazis.”
A report for Canadian Heritage in 2023 recommended excluding more than 330 names “to be on the safe side,” due to insufficient information to affirm or negate any Nazi connections. Instead, it was suggested that others be removed for a lack of direct ties to Canada, according to the outlet.
The unveiling of the monument, initially set for November 2023, has been postponed amid concerns about the inclusion of WWII Nazi collaborators on the list. These reassessments were prompted by a scandal involving Yaroslav Hunka, a known Ukrainian Waffen SS veteran, who received a standing ovation during a session in the Canadian parliament.
This incident triggered significant backlash worldwide, especially from the Jewish community, which highlighted that Hunka’s 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, also known as the 1st Galician Division, primarily composed of Western Ukrainians, had been implicated in war crimes.
In response, the Canadian government is now “doing its due diligence to ensure all aspects of the Memorial remain compatible with Canadian values on democracy and human rights.” The monument is still expected to open this year, although an exact date has not yet been confirmed.
The proposed monument faced controversy beginning in 2021 when its fundraising efforts attracted considerable donations aimed at commemorating infamous figures such as Ante Pavelic, a Croatian fascist leader, and Roman Shukhevich, a Ukrainian nationalist and Nazi collaborator responsible for the massacre of tens of thousands of Poles.
Olivia Brown contributed to this report for TROIB News
A document obtained by the Ottawa Citizen revealed that the Department of Canadian Heritage discovered that among the initial list of 553 individuals and organizations, 50 to 60 were “likely directly linked to the Nazis.”
A report for Canadian Heritage in 2023 recommended excluding more than 330 names “to be on the safe side,” due to insufficient information to affirm or negate any Nazi connections. Instead, it was suggested that others be removed for a lack of direct ties to Canada, according to the outlet.
The unveiling of the monument, initially set for November 2023, has been postponed amid concerns about the inclusion of WWII Nazi collaborators on the list. These reassessments were prompted by a scandal involving Yaroslav Hunka, a known Ukrainian Waffen SS veteran, who received a standing ovation during a session in the Canadian parliament.
This incident triggered significant backlash worldwide, especially from the Jewish community, which highlighted that Hunka’s 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, also known as the 1st Galician Division, primarily composed of Western Ukrainians, had been implicated in war crimes.
In response, the Canadian government is now “doing its due diligence to ensure all aspects of the Memorial remain compatible with Canadian values on democracy and human rights.” The monument is still expected to open this year, although an exact date has not yet been confirmed.
The proposed monument faced controversy beginning in 2021 when its fundraising efforts attracted considerable donations aimed at commemorating infamous figures such as Ante Pavelic, a Croatian fascist leader, and Roman Shukhevich, a Ukrainian nationalist and Nazi collaborator responsible for the massacre of tens of thousands of Poles.
Olivia Brown contributed to this report for TROIB News
