Manitoba politician retracts statement comparing Crown minister to Nazi

WINNIPEG — A member of Manitoba’s Opposition New Democrats apologized Friday for comparing a government minister to a Nazi.

Ted Marcelino drew fire for remarks a day earlier when he accused Crown Services Minister Ron Schuler of repeatedly stating false information about Manitoba Hydro.

“The minister for Crown services tries to repeat some facts, as he called them. He would call them facts,” Marcelino said during a debate in the legislature chamber late Thursday afternoon, according to the official transcript.

“And he would keep on repeating them until somebody believes it. And that’s the propaganda style of Joseph Goebbels — the minister of propaganda of the National Socialist Party during the time of somebody’s friend, Adolf.”

Premier Brian Pallister demanded an apology Friday. He said the remark was an insult to all Manitobans.

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“In particular in a province where so many people came here to escape oppression, and so many people have family who are linked directly to the atrocities of Nazi Germany, it is absolutely and totally inappropriate,” Pallister said.

Marcelino retracted his remarks and apologized for what he called a perceived slight.

“In the heat of debate, and more as an expression of my frustration about getting no answers, we sometimes make comments and comparisons which, on reflection, do not properly reflect the views we wish to say or express.”

Pallister said Marcelino should also apologize to ethnic communities in the province who suffered under the Nazis, but NDP house leader Jim Maloway said he considers the matter closed.

“The member recognized that he made mistake, and he has apologized to the house … and to (Schuler). You can’t get any better than that,” Maloway said.

The Nazi remark is the latest in a series of apologies, retractions and overheated comments in the legislature since the April 19 election, when the Progressive Conservatives swept the NDP from power after 17 years.

Last month, two New Democrats apologized for targeting Tory women during a vote in the legislature by saying the word “shame” as each woman voted against a New Democrat bill.

A few days later, Tory cabinet minister Rochelle Squires accused a New Democrat of telling her to take her pants off during a debate. The legislature speaker ruled the comment was something completely different and Squires apologized.

Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A government transcript quoted in an earlier version misspelled Hitler’s first name.