Mr. Speaker, the cost was the international reputation as a viable democratic government speaking out across the globe against corruption. It is hypocritical that the former prime minister would go to Africa and say that we are going to develop a program to assist it but that Africa must clean up the corruption, that it is endemic on that continent and it has to be cleaned up. What level of hypocrisy is that? Domestically, some people feel they are justified in not paying their taxes and not obeying the law when they see this kind of corruption going on.
In the House of Commons on April 14th, 2005. See this statement in context.