Mr. Speaker, there are a few omissions from what the hon. member across has said. First, the quotation is not as I heard him describe it. It is a variation thereof. Second, there is a matter about what was and was not said in the House that was not taken into consideration.
Generally of course we all stand to gain when we are respectful of one another both in this place and outside this place. That is the first proposition. That being said, I will quote from the Ottawa Citizen article to which the hon. member is referring:
I think it would be treasonous to suggest that we would let out known terrorist suspects simply because there was not space (in detention facilities)--
The minister, and I will not use her name, said:
That's wrong, it's false and I was a little angry about it.
In other words, in a comment made outside the House the minister suggested that if someone were to suggest terrorists were let out of detention centres because there was not enough room, in her opinion that would be a treasonous proposition.
First, this does not suggest she or any member of the House said that a member of the House was a traitor. Second, it was not said in the House at all.
I think these variations have to be brought to the attention of the Speaker, not to get to the point that we all have to gain by being more respectful. The hon. member across may counsel his colleagues to entertain lawsuits, which I just heard him say on the floor of the House of Commons. I am sure the record will demonstrate that. I do want to draw attention, however, to the context in which those comments were made outside the House of Commons.
Mr. Speaker, you will no doubt be aware of the Hansard of December 3, and the comments of the member for New Westminster--Coquitlam--Burnaby who said:
The minister day after day shows contempt for parliament and today dishonours our American guests.
I end my presentation.