Leader of Canada's House of Commons resigns over inviting to Parliament man who fought for Nazi unit

The leader of Canada's House of Commons resigned Tuesday for inviting to Parliament a man who fought for a Nazi military unit during World War II.

The invitation was to attend the speech given Friday by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The former Nazi soldier, 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka, received a standing ovation at the event, after being introduced by House Speaker Anthony Rota as a war hero who fought for the First Ukrainian Division, according to the Associated Press. 

It was later learned the First Ukrainian Division also was known as the Waffen-SS Galicia Division, or the SS 14th Waffen Division, a voluntary unit that was under the command of the Nazis.

Rota resigned after meeting with House of Commons’ party leaders. Opposition parties had called for Rota to resign, the wire service also reports.