Yes, I am ready to reply.
I was at that speech. That was not the only time that Mr. Ignatieff said that to imply any false moral equivalence between a terrorist organization like Hezbollah and a country like Israel, acting in self-defence, is an odious slur. He clearly in that speech threw that out. If anybody can't read that as an apology, then they can read other matters.
I have the best evidence, Mr. Chair, and not my words. I will read this into the record today.
The person who first publicly accused Mr. Ignatieff with respect to that statement was none other than my wife. She wrote at that time a letter to the National Post. The National Post wrote that the former justice minister's wife criticizes the Liberal leader.
It was at that time, if you will, a kind of media event.
Mr. Ignatieff apologized thereafter to my wife, but the Conservatives continued to keep using the fact of my wife's letter against me, against my wife, against the Liberal Party.