Renewed calls to take down Nazi-linked Ukraine monuments in Edmonton

The fallout continued over Parliament’s recognition last week of a man who fought for the Nazis — a move some have called the most embarrassing international debacle in Canadian history — and now there calls to remove two monuments in Edmonton with ties to the regime.

“We believe that both monuments in question are monuments to people who are complicit in the genocide of six million Jews and millions of other victims of the Nazi regime and their collaborators,” said Dan Panneton, director of allyship and community engagement with the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies (FSWC).


Trudeau apologizes for ‘terrible error’ after Nazi WWII veteran honoured in Canada’s Parliament


On Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued an apology on behalf of Canada and all parliamentarians for the debacle.

“I think a lot of Canadians this week are learning about these monuments for the first time, and are frankly shocked about what they’re learning,” Panneton said, noting in the post-war era, Canada accepted about 2,000 people who used to be in the unit.

“Unfortunately, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the commemoration and celebration of Waffen SS members here in Canada.”

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— With files from Mia Rabson, The Canadian Press

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