The president of the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in North Bay is accepting the apology of the Speaker of the House of Commons.
MP Anthony Rota apologized to Jewish communities around the world after Parliament gave a standing ovation to a Ukrainian veteran who served in a Nazi military unit during the Second World War.
Rota says he accepts responsibility for recognizing the person in the gallery.
“Knowing Anthony as well, it was a heartfelt apology,” says Howard Kizell, president of the local Synagogue. “I talked to him personally and he feels horrible about what has happened.”
Kizell says the Canadian government previously did an investigation on the Waffen SS and “absolved them”.
“But unfortunately, it was still the SS,” he says. “Mr. Rota gave a heartfelt apology to me as a president of a Synagogue as well as to Jewish people in the riding here and I accepted it.
The introduction came after Ukrainian President Volodemyr Zelensky addressed Parliament on Friday.
Members of the federal Opposition are asking Rota to resign.
In Parliament on Monday, Rota took personal responsibility for inviting the man and apologized several times for his error saying that it was not his intention to embarrass the House.
However, Rota did not resign.
Other MPs are questioning why the man was not vetted by the national security service and not allowed to attend Zelinsky’s visit.
**With files from Wendy Gray
