Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the member for her presentation on this issue. I would like to indicate and reiterate for the record that indeed the Minister of Health did indicate yesterday during question period that “Today's development is a new one. The ground has moved and an important partner has changed its position”, referring of course to the province of Ontario, a major province of our Confederation.
I was not present for the earlier part of the debate, but I am sure we all share the point of view that this government is known for its compassion. I think the hon. member would agree that had it not been for the federal Minister of Health the issue of compensation for hepatitis C patients would not have advanced.
In 1990 I started speaking on the issue of HIV infection and certainly this has been a preoccupation of this government.
I agree this is a non-partisan issue. It is an issue that calls on good public policy and policy that is imbued with reasonableness and compassion at all times. We have to put this together. The challenge for us now is how to creatively approach this issue.
With respect to the motion before us, I certainly would agree to a consultation with and the involvement of the Hepatitis C Society of Canada. I have consulted with my constituents. Patients have called me. When I explained to them the position of the government I must say, without hesitation, that they agreed with the position the government has taken.
I assured these individuals that we have not abandoned the other patients with hepatitis C. In fact we have taken an approach of compassion for all of them, contrary to the Reform member who only alluded to the victims infected from 1981 on. When we say all, we have to speak of all.
I would like to say that I am prepared—and I cannot speak for the government—to work in a very non-partisan fashion as we approach this very delicate issue to address in a creative way the needs of patients with hepatitis C, even those who were infected before 1986. We will have to approach this in a very creative, non-partisan and careful way.