A new president for Canada after a misstep that “deeply embarrassed Parliament”

The House of Commons will elect a new speaker on Tuesday, following the resignation of its current speaker in historic circumstances.

ImageAnthony Rota, the former Speaker of the House of Commons, at Parliament in Ottawa on Monday.Credit...Blair Gable/Reuters

It was Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's first trip to Canada since the full-scale invasion of his country by Russia. And its highlight was Mr. Zelensky's speech at a joint session of Parliament last week, which provoked waves of applause.

Some of this applause was for a 98-year term. -the old Ukrainian Yaroslav Hunka, invited to the House of Commons by President Anthony Rota. Mr. Hunka was a “hero,” Mr. Rota told MPs and guests. Jewish groups were quick to point out that Mr. Hunka had actually been a member of a group of Nazi volunteers who fought on Germany's side in World War II.

Mr. Rota apologized and resigned a few days later, following a growing outcry.

“It was an error that deeply embarrassed Parliament and Canada,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last week before apologizing. on behalf of Parliament on Wednesday.

The episode highlighted a lesser-known but quietly powerful role in Canada's parliamentary tradition.

My colleague Ian Austen covered the consequences of Mr. Rota's error. Here's how Ian described the president's role in his report:

"While Mr. Rota is an MP in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party, he is not not political power. broker like his counterpart in the US House of Representatives. The Speakers of the House of Commons of Canada act as non-partisan arbiters in chambers...