The president of the largest public sector union in Alberta released an anti-Semitic statement on Friday, which was republished by the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees.

Jewish lobby groups have put out statements calling for an apology from President Guy Smith, which was eventually made several hours after the statement was hastily deleted.

The statement said that a government minister was throwing “a few shekels” on the ground and watching people scramble to grab the money. This was an obvious reference to vile trope used by neo-Nazis and white supremacists to stigmatize Jewish people as greedy.

Smith pleaded ignorance in his apology, insisting that he did not understand what he was saying. As of Friday Smith has not resigned yet from his position.