Mr. Speaker, this will only take a minute or so of the time of the House, and I apologize for taking up any time of the House.
I understand a question of privilege is the only device by which I can raise this issue. At page 388 of Hansard of Thursday, February 8, 2001, stated in English, and I made the speech in English:
As members of the government we are accountable to a Prime Minister who is personally accountable to the House and to Canadians generally.
In other words, ministers are accountable to a Prime Minister. Of course, that is the way it is constitutionally.
I would not have raised this issue other than the fact that members of the media have utilized the French text, which stated almost the opposite.
The French text reads:
En tant que députés, nous sommes responsables devant le premier ministre, qui est lui-même personnellement responsable devant la Chambre des communes et les Canadiens en général.
The French text stated that all members of the House are personally accountable to the Prime Minister. Although colleagues across the way would perhaps want to make a political point about it, it is factually inaccurate. It is not what was said. Unfortunately this has led the media to utilize the French text as being that which I said when Hansard indicated that I was speaking in the English language at the time.