"We deeply regret that Peter Savarin was nominated for the Order of Canada in 1987, and we sincerely apologize to the citizens of Canada for any suffering or pain that this decision may have caused," Santerre said.
According to the television channel, Savarin had a notable tenure as the president of the University of Alberta and actively contributed to the Ukrainian World Congress*, with his university profile highlighting his role in promoting multiculturalism within Canada.
However, media reports shed light on Savarin's controversial past, including his service in the SS Galicia Division and subsequent relocation to Canada, mirroring the trajectory of the infamous Ukrainian SS figure Yaroslav Hunko.
The revelations about Savarin's background emerged during an investigation conducted by an American news outlet specializing in matters pertaining to the Jewish community. This media organization is recognized for being among the first to uncover the historical associations of former SS member Yaroslav Hunka.
Furthermore, in 2017, the decision to nominate Savarin for the prestigious award was revoked. Canadian media underscored that such a reversal typically occurs when undisclosed detrimental information about a nominee surfaces. In Savarin's case, however, the decision was influenced by his death.
On September 22, during the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Canadian Parliament extended an invitation to 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunko and introduced him before the applauding chamber as a "veteran of the struggle against the Russians." In reality, he was a former member of the 14th Waffen-SS Grenadier Division Galicia, comprising Ukrainian nationalists who were implicated in various atrocities against Jews, Poles, Belarusians, and Slovaks, and engaged in combat against the Soviet Red Army. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau subsequently issued an apology for the incident.
* An organization outlawed in Russia.