Manitoba MP facing backlash over tweet about Ukraine

A Manitoba NDP MP is being asked to apologize for a tweet she made about Ukraine.

Ottawa is providing Ukraine with $120 million in economic aid as tensions continue to mount with Russia.

Winnipeg Centre’s Leah Gazan called the move horrifying, suggesting the funds are earmarked for an anti-Semitic, neo-Nazi militia.

“As a descendent of a Holocaust survivor, the Canadian government’s 120 million dollars of funding for an anti-Semitic, neo-Nazi & fascist militia is horrifying. The rise of white supremacy and fascism is real. Time to stop the cowboy politics!” her tweet said.

Now, Gazan is facing backlash.

“I felt deeply offended and insulted. I was actually shocked by the apparent lack of knowledge," said Andriy Zayarnyuk, a historian at the University of Winnipeg.

Zayarnyuk added that Gazan got her basic facts wrong.

“The $120 million right she mentions, it’s an aid to the Ukrainian state,” Zayarnyuk said.

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress released a statement calling Gazan’s comments appalling, urging the federal NDP to condemn what it described as inaccurate and hurtful remarks.

“It should be retracted and an apology should come from that individual,” said Orest Cap from the Ukrainian Canadian Congress provincial council.

Gazan’s office told CTV News Winnipeg the MP was unavailable for an interview.

In a statement to her website Gazan, explained she is alarmed that Canada may have provided training to far-right groups in Ukraine’s military in the past, citing a CTV News story from last year detailing allegations that some neo-Nazi and far-right groups bragged about training they received from Canada.

“I did not equate the situation in Ukraine to the Holocaust and I do not believe that the vast majority of Ukrainian people or its democratically elected leaders share the beliefs espoused by far-right militias,” the statement said.

“I sincerely regret that my tweet did not include this important context and may have resulted in harm.”

Scholars in the Ukrainian community said these types of sentiments about Ukraine’s military are used as bait by the Russians.

“This is a true Russian disinformation tactic used to create friction,” Cap said.

In her statement, Gazan also said she is concerned by Russia’s actions, and that Canada should use diplomatic measures to ease tensions.