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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.
Djokovic needs medical attention after getting knocked on the head by a water bottle at Italian Open
Novak Djokovic needed medical attention after apparently getting knocked on the head by a water bottle after a win at the Italian Open on Friday.