Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the comments of the member from Winnipeg. I understand that the member was involved in 1993 on the health committee and in fact wrote a minority report suggesting that there should be a review of the blood supply. We have that review. We have the Krever report and the Krever report is not being followed by the government.
The Krever report specifically said that there should be compensation and it should be fair and equitable to all victims of hepatitis C. You cannot have it both ways, one side of the government saying we should have the review on the Krever report and having another on the opposite side saying that it is the responsibility of the provinces.
It is not the responsibility of the provinces. The responsibility lies with the federal government and the Minister of Health and no one else. The Minister of Health has every right to provide leadership in this situation. He stands there and hides behind the skirts of the provinces saying that when there are 10 provinces and a federal government negotiating the deal it has to be a good deal.
The Minister of Health and the government had every right and every honourable requirement to go out and do the right thing, to make this negotiated settlement fair for everybody. Do not hide behind the provinces.
Now the provinces are finally coming forward after the bullying tactics on a negotiated settlement and saying that what they have done is wrong. If it is wrong, the government should live up to that responsibility.