Alberta Premier Danielle Smith issued an apology Monday after as video was uncovered of her in 2021 comparing those who had received the COVID-19 vaccine to the followers of Nazi tyrant Adolph Hitler..Smith also said on the podcast that the attitude of politicians in the pandemic meant she refused to wear a poppy that year..About 75% of Albertans were vaccinated.."As everyone knows, I was against the use of vaccine mandates during COVID," Smith told the Western Standard.."However, the horrors of the Holocaust are without precedent, and no one should make any modern-day comparisons that minimize the experience of the Holocaust and suffering under Hitler, nor the sacrifice of our veterans.".Smith said she has always been and will remain a friend to the Jewish community, Israel and Canada's veterans.."I apologize for any offensive language used regarding this issue made while on talk radio or podcasts during my previous career," Smith said.."COVID was a divisive and painful period for so many, including myself, but is thankfully now over. I would hope we can all move on to talk about issues that currently matter to Albertans and their families," said Smith..READ MORE: Smith says 'I think that people don't expect the politicians to be perfect'.NDP leader Rachel Notley said the video was proof Smith was "unfit" to be premier..Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley said she is "horrified" about the comments.."I have been inundated with messages from concerned Albertans about the latest comments that have surfaced from Danielle Smith," Notley said.."Of course, I am horrified."."She also disrespects the wearing of the poppy, saying its significance was somehow ruined by decisions made by political and public health leaders during the pandemic. These comments are utterly horrifying."."What we have here is a premier who is looking at over 75% of Albertans who stepped up who followed the science and respected the requests that were made by public health officials to protect themselves their neighbours and Alberta's most vulnerable citizens and everybody who needed our hospitals. And she's comparing those Albertans 75% of them to the architects of an anti-semitic genocide.".In the podcast video, from 2021, which has surfaced online Smith said "I noticed you're not wearing a poppy.".In the interview, which occurred on Nov. 10, 2021, Smith spoke with Integrated Wealth Management before she was premier. The segment was titled Essential Human Needs — Energy, Free Speech, Functioning Health Care & Honest Politicians.."But they (politicians) ruined it (poppy) for me this year," Smith said in 2021..“I don’t know if you’ve had a chance to watch the Netflix series How to Become a Tyrant, but it starts with Hitler in the first episode, and it’s absolutely appalling and shocking how — and it’s one academic says — I know so many people would say they must have filmed this before COVID," Smith said.."So many people say that they would not have succumbed to the charms of a tyrant, somebody telling them that they have all the answers. And he said I guarantee you would. And that’s the test here, is we’ve seen it. We have 75% of the public who say not only hit me but hit me harder and keep me away from those dirty unvaxxed.”
