Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In considering your advice and in responding to the suggestion made by Mr. Koe, the MLA from Inuvik, that I had made allegations, otherwise known as unproven statements, that he was misleading the House when using quotes from the unedited Hansard. Mr. Speaker, I take seriously your remarks, directions and cautions to this House. Mr. Speaker, many Members have spoken in great detail and laid before this House complaints about misinterpretations or misrepresentation of Members' remarks, publicly, either through statements, public remarks, or published stories through the media.
I believe, Mr. Speaker, that your direction yesterday captured my concern. Mr. Speaker, I have risen, along with my colleagues on this side of the House and on that side, to state my concern about how quotations used or misused can lead to public impressions or release of information that does not capture the essence of the statements or remarks that are being made.
I believe that this institution is a good forum for public debate, and, as such, part of that debate requires my accountability. But it also requires the ability for me to challenge the remarks, information provided to me, or questions directed at me. Mr. Speaker, I also take seriously the role of Members and the institutions of this Legislature, including the rules adopted for addressing matters or reports with recommendations. I do not wish to create any impression that I do not want to be accountable.
In fact, Mr. Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth. Mr. Speaker, in this context, I apologize to the honourable -- and I use this word respectfully -- Member for Inuvik for suggesting that he may have misled the House. Even so, I would ask him to use all the quotations in the context they were presented and not present them in the normal media method of the so-called ten second sound bite.
Mr. Speaker, I hope that this House will accept my apology.