Mr. Speaker, sometimes governments are called upon to make tough decisions as a matter of public policy. When we look back on the tragedy of the tainted blood, it is plain that the period 1986 to 1990 stands out. It stands out because it is a period during which those responsible could have and should have acted. Had they acted, many of those infections would have been prevented.
Every government in the country thinks it is good public policy to provide assistance to people who were infected in that period. That is the reason we put aside more than $1 billion to assist the more than 22,000 people who were infected.