There's no question that many of the individual cases are compelling cases that need attention and need to be looked at. There needs to be expedition on that. But let's get one thing clear: this problem existed for a number of years--the 1947 act, the 1967 act, 13 years of Liberal government.
Mr. Alghabra indicates that he wants a solution right away. And there should be a solution; we do need to fix it. But let's not be mistaken: we have a member of this committee who was a chair of this committee...a vice-chair of this committee. We had a government that knew these problems existed. The problems didn't originate just now, and they did nothing about it, absolutely nothing.
I agree that we've identified the categories. We've done that through a number of meetings. This committee, which continues to hear individual cases but has yet to make a recommendation to the minister, when she asked for recommendations and solutions, has failed to do that because they're playing politics with a very sensitive issue, making comments that are putting some concern and alarm into people's minds.
They know this requires some legislative intervention, requires something to be done, and yet—and yet—they take great glee in politicizing an issue that actually requires some work to be done and a solution to be brought forward so that you don't have to deal with this on an individual basis.
Mr. Chapman has been here about five different times, I think, and has identified all of the categories, saying here is the problem, and we need to work out some solutions. That's what needs to happen. He has some suggestions on how that might happen, and I think we have undertaken that we will address the situation. We're going to do it in a logical, legitimate fashion, without playing on people's emotions for political gain, which has happened here time and time again. I think that's absolutely wrong. When they were in the position to do something about it, they did nothing. We will do something about it.
Thank you.