The president of Ontario's Chamber of Commerce, Rocco Rossi, has apologized for a New Year's Eve tweet featuring a bottle of Veuve champagne and caviar, boasting that he was celebrating the "1-percenter way."

In the apology, issued around 9 p.m. on New Year's Day, Rossi said the tweet "was never intended to offend."

Saved it for you! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ONpoli?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ONpoli</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cdnpoli?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cdnpoli</a> <a href="https://t.co/KpPDUj8Rsy">pic.twitter.com/KpPDUj8Rsy</a> —@MimiProbably Rossi, a one-time Toronto mayoral hopeful, was among the leading voices to call for the repeal of the Ontario Liberals' labour reforms under Bill 148, which would have seen the province's minimum wage increase by $1 to $15 per hour beginning Jan. 1.

Instead, in October, the Doug Ford government froze the rate at $14 as part of a sweeping pro-business roll-back that included scrapping plans to offer two paid sick days to all Ontario workers and forcing employers to pay part-time and casual staff the same rate as full-timers.

The reforms, Rossi said last fall, were "too much, too fast."

"The compounding labour reforms and unintended consequences came at too high a cost to Ontario's economy."

Rossi's now-deleted tweet drew widespread ire on social media, where it was described as everything from "unfortunate" to "tone-deaf."

Rossi successfully lobbied the Ford government to cancel a $1/hour minimum wage increase that would have kicked in today <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/onpoli?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#onpoli</a> <a href="https://t.co/QywGiU6IoT">pic.twitter.com/QywGiU6IoT</a> —@bowker_john

I’m neither 1% nor minimum wage. I am an Ontario voter who believes fairness and equality are deep seeded Canadian values worth protecting from those who begrudge the less fortunate from having a small amount more. It’s not satire it’s cruel to joke about the misfortune of others —@nealferguson

I hope you enjoyed that new year celebration that you paid for by robbing Ontario's poor. I mean, i can't afford my medication, but it sure is worth that as long as you can raise a glass of champagne. Your apology doesn't fool any of us. —@stirwhipbeat

Rocco's one of the good ones, someone who's dedicated himself to public service. It was an unfortunate, off-color tweet, but does not represent at all the person I know. I'd advise giving him the benefit of the doubt. Happy 2019 everyone. Let's make this a great year for all. —@YungWu

While meant to be "satirical," Rossi said, his tweet "in retrospect was insensitive and caused offence."

But for some that apology wasn't good enough.