Canada gets criticized over hiding names of supposed Nazi war criminals


(MENAFN) Jewish groups in Canada have condemned the government's decision to keep secret the identities of up to 900 alleged Nazi war criminals who immigrated to the country after World War II. Ukrainian activists have also voiced concerns, arguing that the decision could be exploited by Russian propaganda. The names are part of a report from the 1986 Commission of Inquiry on War Criminals, chaired by retired Quebec judge Jules Deschenes. The Library and Archives Canada (LAC) recently sought public feedback on releasing the names but ultimately decided against disclosing them.

B'nai Brith Canada called the move "disgraceful secrecy," saying it dishonors Holocaust survivors and denies justice. Jaime Kirzner-Roberts of the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center expressed disgust at the government’s refusal to publish the full Deschenes Report, accusing officials of stonewalling efforts to reveal the truth about Nazi war criminals who found refuge in Canada. Despite calls from Jewish and Polish organizations for the report’s release, the LAC delayed publication, citing the need for further review under the Access to Information Act and Privacy Act.

One of the groups consulted on the matter, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, raised concerns that revealing the names of alleged Nazi collaborators could fuel Russian disinformation campaigns about Ukraine and its military operations. Many of the alleged war criminals were members of the 14th Waffen-SS Grenadier Division, which was composed of ethnic Ukrainians. The controversy resurfaced in 2023 when Yaroslav Hunka, a former member of this division, was honored in the Canadian Parliament, leading to public apologies from Speaker of the House and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

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