Mr. Speaker, in her Standing Order 31 statement yesterday the hon. member for Brant attributed to me "comments denying any racism in the video depicting conduct of some members of the Canadian Airborne Regiment". I assume the hon. member took this statement, out of context and misrepresenting my position, from a media report.
Now I consider calling someone or an organization racist to be a very serious charge and demand factual evidence before levelling such a charge.
It is one thing to have my position misrepresented in the media but quite another to have it misrepresented in the official records of this House of Commons.
I make this statement to make clear that I did not and will not condone racism in any form. However, neither will I join the politically correct in flinging charges of racism before I know all the pertinent facts.