Mr. Speaker, it is a sad day that we have this debate in the House today because of the decision of the Minister of Health and the fact that he has created two tiers of victims in the country.
I would like the hon. member to perhaps turn the page to 1045 in the Krever report and read this statement:
Until now, our treatment of the blood-injured has been unequal—. Compensating some needy sufferers and not others cannot, in my opinion, be justified.
I wonder how the members of the government can stand in their places today and argue the fact that there should be two tiers of victims: those who are compensated and those who are not. It is shameful. I know there are several hepatitis C victims watching this debate today.
Let us just do a quick summary of what we have heard so far today. We have heard from members on the government side canned speeches from the minister's department and misdirection. They will not deal with the fundamental issue or question of the motion being put that there should be compensation for all victims of hepatitis C.
This is a non-partisan issue. All members of the opposition parties—colleagues in the Conservative Party, the Bloc Party, the NDP and the Reform Party—are in unison when they say to the government that it is wrong. Canadians know. The government knows it is wrong on this issue. In fact there is nothing wrong with being wrong if one does something about it. If a person admits a mistake and moves on people have honour and respect for that. If a person stonewalls and says there is no problem, deflects and will not stand in league, the people of this country have no respect for that.
I would like to focus on the human tragedy that this has become and I would like to focus on some of my constituents who have taken the time to write letters. There are heart rending stories of individuals who have been affected by this tragedy and they have asked me to share their comments here in the House, that the government would listen to their stories, that the government would have compassion and hear what has happened to them by no fault of their own.
One of my constituents, Mrs. Laura Stoll from Maple Ridge, B.C., writes:
I am pleased to hear that [the health minister] supports compensation for victims of hepatitis C. The Krever commission calls for compensation, in which I fully agree. I would like to inform you how HCV has affected me.
In 1983 due to a motor vehicle accident I received a blood transfusion and in January 1996 was diagnosed with HCV. Needless to say, it was a dreadful shock.
I now have much bruising on legs and arms, blood vessels rupturing and leaving black marks and permanent brown marks on my legs. Then also swelling and pain in my legs, other effects are: nausea, dizziness, tinnitis and fatigue.
It is hard to have to read this letter and to share the pain this individual in my riding has had to suffer. She concludes by saying please bring about just compensation. She was initially thankful to the Minister of Health because compensation was coming forward and she thought there would be compensation for all victims.
She wrote me again on April 15 when she found out the truth of the matter:
I was greatly disturbed by the decision made by the health ministers to only compensate the HCV victims who received blood products from 1986 to 1990. These dates mean nothing, they were chosen by lawyers to define a case they would most easily win.
My family and I are counting on you to do the right thing and support compensation for all victims.
That is what I am compelled to do. I must stand in my place and make a compelling case for the victims of hepatitis C from my riding and across this country that this is morally wrong. My colleagues from all parties and I will stand in our places to point out to the government the wrong decision it has made in this case. It is so clear.
Mrs. Joyce Smith from my own home town of Mission B.C. writes:
I am writing on behalf of myself and all the other people in this province and in Canada who are suffering from the effects of tainted blood. I have been working on this letter for many, many days and I realize you may look at the length of this letter and wonder why it is so long. I have tried to downsize it, but because every bit of information I am sharing with you is of the utmost importance, I pray that somehow, in some way, it will help give you insight as to how my life has been dramatically changed. I also hope that it will show you some of the adversities we are dealing with in our everyday lives. There must be changes made to help compensate our ongoing burden of this illness. We are innocent victims of a crime that no one wishes to take responsibility of.
As time went on I did not get any better and the financial pressure was increased as my income had decreased. We started getting behind in our mortgage payments and other financial commitments. We could not pay our mortgage insurance, so now when I die my husband will be left with a mortgage to pay. I was running scared and the stress was unbelievable.
She goes on in detail about the effects of hepatitis C and how it has impacted her life and the life of her family members. She concludes quite bravely:
You may be interested in knowing that through all of this turmoil and with what little energy I have I have set myself some goals. I will: do my part to help as many hep C people as is possible; tell anyone that will listen that I think it is absolutely deplorable the way decisions concerning our lives are kept in secret; stand and shout out loud how inhuman it is for the establishments, the Red Cross, the federal government and the provincial government to not accept their part of the responsibility for what has happened to us; make the most out of every moment of the day; hold my grandchildren just a little bit longer; watch for rainbows; pray and seek forgiveness for those I do not understand.
In closing, I wish to take this opportunity to thank you for your valuable time and understanding in this matter. I would appreciate hearing from you in the very near future. Please keep in mind that my future may not be as long as yours.
I have written to Mrs. Smith. I communicated with her my deep concern for her plight and the lack of action from the government side on this issue. It is quite clear that action can still be taken in this matter, that the government can change its mind and compensate all victims of hepatitis C.
I received another letter that was very disturbing to me. I know the individual who wrote to me. He was a community leader in the area in which I grew up. It was quite shocking to learn that he too had become a victim of hepatitis C. He has not even been able to tell his own family of his plight because of the impact it will have on their lives.
This is a wrong decision. All we are hearing is weak arguments from this government and it is time for the people of Canada to rise up, to call their members of parliament and to say no, we do not support you on this, change your mind and support all victims of hepatitis C.