Outrage grows as Canada's Trudeau blocks release of Nazi war criminals' names Jewish organizations demand justice

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has sparked a storm of controversy after refusing to release the names of 900 alleged Nazi war criminals who fled to Canada after World War II.

Jewish organizations have denounced the decision, calling it "disgraceful" and accusing the government of dishonouring Holocaust victims and survivors, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The Canadian government is withholding the names, fearing the release could prove too embarrassing for the country. The list, compiled by the Commission of Inquiry on War Criminals in Canada, contains names of members from the Nazi-led SS Galicia unit. This unit's role in wartime atrocities has been the subject of long-standing inquiry.

The commission consulted with Ukrainian community leaders and select organizations about whether to release the names, but notably, did not include Holocaust survivors or advocates pushing for transparency. This decision has been met with outrage, particularly from the Jewish nonprofit B'nai Brith.

“For decades, B'nai Brith and senior legal counsel David Matas have fought for full access, only to be met with constant delays and stonewalling,” the organization stated. “Canada’s continued secrecy around these Nazi war crimes files is a disgrace and an affront to survivors. This dishonours their memory and denies justice.”

The list of names is part of the second phase of the Deschênes Commission report, which was initiated in the 1980s. The first part, released in 1986, confirmed that Nazis had been allowed to enter Canada and were living there. Jewish, Polish, and Ukrainian groups have long campaigned for the full release of the report’s second part. However, their calls were blocked by some Ukrainian heritage organizations, including the Ukrainian Canadian Congress.

The issue has taken on added significance after Canadian officials faced backlash for inviting former SS soldier Yaroslav Hunka to parliament, where he was celebrated as a war hero. House of Commons speaker Anthony Rota was forced to issue a public apology after he praised Hunka, 99, as a "Ukrainian Canadian war veteran from the Second World War" and a "Canadian hero."

In 1944, Hunka's unit, the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division, which was part of the SS, was visited by Heinrich Himmler, who made notorious anti-Semitic remarks. The division's involvement in war crimes, particularly during the German occupation of Ukraine, remains a source of controversy.

Rota's recognition of Hunka led to public outrage, and he eventually resigned under the pressure. The 14th Waffen Grenadier Division made up largely of Ukrainian volunteers, was formed in 1943 and primarily served to assist German forces in their fight against the Soviet Union. The division’s dark legacy continues to cast a shadow over Canada’s handling of its WWII past.

By Tamilla Hasanova