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Canada and the whitewashing of Nazis
In the late cold war period Canadian scholars were at the forefront of promoting revisionist theories that downplayed the horrors of Nazism – no wonder Justin Trudeau’s apologies over the Hunka affair do not ring true, says KENNY COYLE
The 14th Grenadier Division of the Waffen SS ‘Galizien’ is sworn in. In the foreground, soldiers taking the oath and giving the Nazi salute

“THIS was a mistake that has deeply embarrassed parliament and Canada. All of us who were in this house on Friday regret deeply having stood and clapped even though we did so unaware of the context.”

This was how Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attempted to justify his ovation and that of his fellow parliamentarians for the “Canadian hero” Yaroslav Hunka, a former Waffen SS combatant and, as far as the record shows, an unrepentant Nazi volunteer.

This was no mistake, and “deep embarrassment” should be reserved for those who think blackface is funny. Applauding Nazis is simply in a category all by itself.

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