Okay, Mr. Chair.
I've been a member of Parliament for nine years. I was elected to represent my people. Like everyone around this table, I've sat on a number of committees, often two at a time. On these committees, my experiences have included, as my colleague just said, hearing emotional comments that sometimes fall short of expectations.
My parents always told me that, if I said the wrong thing, I should apologize. The first and most important step is to acknowledge that the choice of words may not have been correct or the most appropriate. These things happen, even to me. I'm sure that a number of people could say the same thing about me when I reflect on my conversations over the past nine years.
The example that comes to mind is a meeting where the committee heard from a Statistics Canada director. You were there, Mr. Chair, as were most of my colleagues. It was hot in the room. Even the journalists could certainly attest to that. I'm trying to remember what I said. At certain points during that meeting, I questioned the witness's honesty, analysis or interpretation. I remember it like it was yesterday. He said that a percentage obtained through a poll was more accurate than going door‑to‑door. We can certainly say that polls are significant. Nonetheless, whether you survey 100 people, 1,000 people, 10,000 people or 100,000 people, I think that a poll can never be more accurate or definitive than going door‑to‑door, individual by individual.
The person can say it. I'm right on the crux of the matter here. It's all about word choice. I remember it like it was yesterday. I challenged the witness, quite directly, as an Acadian can do. You know how it is, Mr. Chair. The Acadians came here to stay. As you well know, you have to stay up late and get up early…
Sorry, but that hurts me…