The Correctional Service of Canada has launched an internal investigation to find out how the Wikipedia page was changed from one of its computers. (CBC)

The Correctional Service of Canada has started an internal investigation into how the Official Languages Act was renamed the "Quebec Nazi Act" on Wikipedia.

The web entry was altered from a government computer. The English version of the online encyclopedia has now been corrected.

"We have somebody who put up some racist, hatred words, which is totally disgusting and unacceptable," said Liberal MP Denis Coderre, who noticed the passage on Aug. 12.

The Wikipedia entry had been changed to this:

• "The Quebec Nazi act is a law adopted by the Parliament of Canada in 1969 and substantially amended in 1988. The law gives Frenchspeaking Canadians more opportunity than English speaking Canadians in the government of Canada... It allows Quebecers to have preferential treatment in jobs over people who already live in Ontario."

After Coderre contacted Wikipedia, site officials traced the comments back to a federal government office located on Laurier Avenue West in Ottawa, and to a computer operated by Correctional Service of Canada.

"It comes from the Government of Canada. There are some issues you can't let go," said an outraged Coderre.

'[It's] totally disgusting and unacceptable.'—Denis Coderre, Liberal MP for the Bourassa riding

The politician is now calling for an inquiry into how the page was changed from within a government office.

The federal agency said it is taking the incident seriously.

"We're investigating and we'll [get] to the bottom of it," said Correctional Service of Canada spokesperson Christelle Chartrand.

Chartrand said criminal charges could be laid, depending on the results of the internal investigation.