Liberal backbench MP Carolyn Parrish refuses to back down from comments she made earlier this week when she called Americans "a coalition of the idiots," in reference to the U.S. missile defence plan.

"I think you apologize when you're absolutely convinced you've made a serious error. I don't think I have," Parrish said on Canada AM Friday.

She said being a former English teacher, she looked in the dictionary to make sure her comments were appropriate.

"I looked up the word (idiot) and it means lacking in common sense, lacking in knowledge, and that's exactly what the Canadian public is facing," she said.

"I thought about it, and I thought, okay, I'm sticking to my guns."

On Thursday, a U.S. State Department spokesperson said of Parrish's comments, "People are welcome to their opinion. We believe that the missile defence program is something that serves the cause of peace."

During a small protest against the U.S. missile defence plan on Wednesday, Parrish said ""We are not joining the coalition of the idiots. We are joining the coalition of the wise."

Afterward, Parrish begged reporters not to make the comments public. "Please guys don't put that on tape," she said. "I already got into trouble once...Really, please, I've had enough trouble."

Parrish gained notoriety last year for saying "Damn Americans ... I hate those bastards," after a scrum outside the House of Commons.

When asked how her comments were different this time from last she said, "Because my comments a year ago were expletives deleted, they were inappropriate language, they weren't in the dictionary." She said this time around, it was a whole different situation.

Prime Minister Paul Martin was vague Wednesday when asked if he would sanction Parrish for her "coalition of the idiots" comments.

"You're going to get strongly-held views" on the missile-defence debate," he said. "But let me tell you, those (views) need to be expressed in language that's acceptable." Martin added that Parrish's comments were unacceptable and should be withdrawn.

But Parrish is adamant that no withdrawal or apology is necessary. "I was elected by thousands of people in my riding. They have known me for years. I think they like my style."