Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General expressed the point of view that there was not a culture of corruption either in the government or in the civil service. This morning the House of Commons counsel indicated that the higher public interest is not served by bringing down the institutions of government and Parliament. There is the judicial inquiry. There is the public accounts committee which is chaired by a member of the opposition. There are the checks and balances that are inherent in Parliament. Given all of that, why is the member not satisfied? On behalf of serving the higher public interest why can he not let those institutions and those mechanisms work so that the House of Commons can get on with the other important work of the House?
In the House of Commons on February 17th, 2004. See this statement in context.