A British Columbia New Democrat politician offered profuse apologies Friday for comparing a Liberal cabinet minister to Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels.
Leonard Krog said during an appearance on a cable television show that Social Development Minister Kevin Krueger is filling the same role for Premier Gordon Campbell as Goebbels did for Hitler.
Goebbels was known for orchestrating hate campaigns against Jews and was the chief architect of the Kristallnacht attack on German Jews that unleashed the violence of the Holocaust.
During an appearance on the weekly Shaw Cable program Voice of B.C. on Thursday night, Krog was commenting about a political dust-up between Krueger and his cabinet colleague Bill Bennett, over Bennett's criticism of the premier.
"Well, I guess my reaction -- without trying to go over the top of this -- is that I think Kevin Krueger's playing the same role to Premier Campbell that Goebbels played to Hitler: he'll be the last to leave....," said Krog.
The host cut in to say: "That's not a good analogy."
"I'm joking," Krog continued. "But I say he'll be the last to leave the bunker. Kevin Krueger is entirely loyal to the premier. If you say anything about Premier Campbell, Kevin Krueger is going to go for the gusto."
Krog immediately regretted his remarks.
The provincial New Democrat MLA offered a public apology in an interview with The Canadian Press, and said he's written letters of apology to Krueger, Campbell and the Canadian Jewish Congress. He's also written apologies to his party leader, Carole James, and the New Democrat caucus.
"On reflection, when you hear it back and when you see it, so to speak, I apologize for it, and that's all I can do at this point," he said. "You make a mistake, you apologize."
Krueger said Friday he was appalled with the Nazi comparison and wrote a letter of protest to James. He said Krog sent him an apology and the two politicians were planning to speak about it one-on-one.
"One of the things that startled me about this is that I consider him, certainly, one of their smarter and nicer MLA's, and I was really shocked to hear this from him," said Krueger.
"But he has apologized to me personally and I accept that and I have no problem forgiving the guy."
Krueger said he sent Krog an email explaining that his father served in the Second World War and often spoke about the horrors he witnessed after landing on the beaches of Normandy.
He also took the occasion to say the New Democrats should lay off their personal attacks on Campbell and other Liberals and start talking policy.
In a letter to the Canadian Jewish Congress in Vancouver, Krog said he did not intend to offend anyone but understands some may, indeed, be offended by his remarks.
"I want to unequivocally apologize, particularly to those members of the Jewish community, if anyone has taken offence or (was) reminded of painful memories," he wrote.
Romy Ritter, a spokeswoman for the congress, said the swift apology is accepted, but she hoped Krog and others would consider the gravity of their words before making comparisons linked to Nazi terror.
"The attempt to annihilate an entire people is beyond such analogies, and I think he realizes that and that we hope, moving forward, everybody, when they reach for language to capture people's attention, will really think about it before they speak," she said.
James could not be reached for comment about whether she will take any further action against the Nanaimo MLA.
