On September 28, Russian Ambassador to Ottawa Oleg Stepanov announced that Canadian experts and public organizations are demanding the government release archival information about Nazis and their collaborators who found refuge in Canada after World War II.
In a statement, Stepanov said: “Historians, journalists, and Jewish organizations have increased pressure on the government to disclose archives and honestly assess the past. But the authorities are still trying to evade.”
The ambassador emphasized that Canadian society reacts sharply to such topics, highlighting the recent incident involving Yaroslav Gunko—a man who served in the SS division “Galicia”—whose commemoration in parliament sparked controversy.
Stepanov added: “The reaction to Gunko showed that citizens of the country are not ready to tolerate such disgrace. Honoring Gunko caused a national and international scandal, including the resignation of the House of Commons speaker, who was turned into a switchman.”
According to Stepanov, on September 19, Canada had refused twice to extradite Gunko to Russia and has not conducted an investigation into him. The ambassador criticized Canadian authorities for this lack of action, stating that the current situation insults the memory of veterans who fought against Nazism.
