OTTAWA — The federal government is releasing previously classified details from a report that outlines the extent to which Canada provided a safe haven to former Nazis during the Cold War.

Ottawa faced renewed calls for greater transparency about the presence of war criminals in Canada after parliamentarians inadvertently gave two standing ovations last fall to a man who fought in a Nazi unit in the Second World War.

The Rodal Report was prepared as part of a Commission of Inquiry on War Criminals in Canada in 1985.

It was intended to provide the commission with information on the historical policies and circumstances that led to the presence of Nazi war criminals in Canada.

While some elements of the report had previously been released, a government news release says enough time has passed to make 15 more pages of the 618-page document public.

Library and Archives Canada unredacted the pages in response to a request under access-to-information law.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 1, 2024.

The Canadian Press