Ottawa - The Speaker of Canada's House of Commons has stepped down following an incident where he invited a Ukrainian individual with ties to a Nazi unit to parliament and commended him.

Anthony Rota initially resisted calls to resign but ultimately announced his resignation after meeting with party leaders in Ottawa on Tuesday.

In a statement delivered in parliament, he expressed his decision, saying, "I must resign from my position as your Speaker," and added, "I reiterate my profound regret."

The incident, which occurred last Friday, received widespread condemnation internationally.

During a visit by Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky, Yaroslav Hunka, aged 98, received a standing ovation after Mr. Rota referred to him as a "hero."

Mr. Rota admitted to not being aware of Mr. Hunka's Nazi affiliations and acknowledged his mistake in inviting him to the event.

Canada's Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, expressed his deep dismay over the incident on Monday, describing it as "extremely upsetting." He stated, "This is something that is deeply embarrassing to the parliament of Canada and, by extension, to all Canadians."

Yaroslav Hunka had served in the 14th Waffen-SS Grenadier Division during World War Two, a voluntary unit primarily composed of ethnic Ukrainians under Nazi command. While the division's members have faced accusations of killing Polish and Jewish civilians, they have not been found guilty of war crimes by any tribunal.

Earlier on Tuesday, Poland's Education Minister, Przemysław Czarnek, indicated that steps were being taken to extradite Mr. Hunka.

As of now, Mr. Hunka and his family have not responded to requests for comment from the BBC or Canadian media.

Members of Justin Trudeau's cabinet, along with cross-party calls, urged Mr. Rota to resign on Tuesday.

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly, hours before Rota's resignation announcement, deemed the mistake "completely unacceptable" and stated, "I believe the Speaker should heed the voices of the House and step down; I don't see any other option."

The House leader for Canada's New Democratic Party, Peter Julian, applauded Mr. Rota's decision to resign, describing it as the "right choice" while acknowledging his apology.

Various Canadian Jewish organizations welcomed the Speaker's decision to step aside. However, Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies raised questions about how this situation had transpired.

Michael Mostyn, CEO of the Jewish human rights group B'nai Brith Canada, emphasized that the incident's implications go beyond the Speaker's resignation, highlighting the need for a deeper understanding of Canada's history concerning Nazi individuals who entered the country.

Criticism continued from Canada's opposition leader, Pierre Poilievre of the Conservative Party. Addressing parliament, he placed responsibility on Mr. Trudeau to rectify the damage done to Canada's international reputation, calling for an apology.