(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to express my concern with the recent tactics of the Yellowknife media in publicizing personal financial matters involving honourable Members of this House. I refer to reports which aired on CBC Mackenzie this morning that some current and previous Members owe money to a local Yellowknife business. As the dean of the House, I have seen some examples of negative media reporting during my 18 years as a Member of the Legislative Assembly, but I do not believe that I have ever seen such an outright personal attack as the one which CBC broadcast this morning. No one minds when reporters dig around to find out about news which affects the people of the Northwest Territories, however, this matter was not that kind of news item.

If customers have outstanding bills then those should be left as a personal matter between the individual and the businesses involved. I do not believe that Canadian taxpayers want to hear CBC spreading gossip about personal financial matters which do not affect the public at large. The CRTC has not given CBC reporters a mandate to act as bill collectors for their friends and acquaintances.

To my honourable colleagues in this House, I want to stress that, as politicians, we must be more careful than ever before in our personal lives, as well as our public lives. I remember a time when we could count on the media to report the news, and now it seems we must be especially cautious because the media is more interested in reporting personal problems and presenting present MLAs as disreputable people.