Canada PoliticsNewspaper apologizes for cartoon comparing Harper government to Nazis
A community newspaper in Nova Scotia has issued an apology for publishing an editorial cartoon, this week, which included a Nazi flag flying over Parliament Hill.
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After national media attention and a public outcry The Pictou Advocate posted this explanation on their website late Thursday evening:
If our editorial cartoon in the March 5 edition of The Advocate has offended anyone, we sincerely apologize. It was certainly not our intention to offend our readers. The cartoon was simply meant as a satire, or exaggeration, on Harper’s Economic Action Plan and its implications for some segments of the community.
We regret that the cartoon was not received in the spirit with which it was intended.
The views of the editorial cartoon are those of the contributor, and not necessarily the views of The Advocate, as are all other views by contributors to The Advocate.
From our editorial cartoonist is the following explanation:
“I certainly didn’t mean to offend anybody. The use of the swastika was simply aligning the Harper government’s policies with the Nazis. The fact is, Harper has violated virtually every element of his platform which is taking away the freedoms and rights of all Canadians, especially the disabled and elderly. All Canadians, but especially the Atlantic Provinces, should be absolutely irate over the latest budget and announcements which are continuing to oppress the poorer provinces. That is why I used the swastika. There are no religious connotations, there is no anti-Semitism, there are no ethnic attacks, there is no racism… Just the suggestion that Canadian politics is heading toward fascism.”
The outcry came from veterans groups, regular Nova Scotians and the Atlantic Jewish Council.
"The tasteless and inappropriate use of the swastika to make a political point only trivializes the horrific crimes of the Nazis," they said in a statement.
"Such a cartoon is offensive to the Jewish community, to all who suffered during WWII, and to Canadian veterans who sacrificed so much to liberate Europe from Nazi rule."
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Even Justice Minister Peter MacKay — who is, of course, an MP from Nova Scotia — weighed-in.
"I would like to express my strong dismay and condemnation of the editorial cartoon published in the Pictou Advocate," MacKay, said in a statement, according to the Huffington Post.
"This image is deeply offensive, outrageous, insulting and completely inappropriate. I call on all parties involved to make an unequivocal apology."
MacKay told CTV News that he cancelled his subscription to the paper.
What do you think?
Was the outcry warranted and did the newspaper need to issue an apology and explanation?
Or, is creating controversy and discussion the purpose of political cartoons?
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
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