Mr. Speaker, as a former Liberal I am terribly and deeply disappointed at the position the government is taking. I was a member of that party for a good number of years. It seems to me that one of the hallmarks of Liberalism, one of the things that has permitted the Liberal Party to remain in office for so long over such an extended period of time is that for so many years it was a party that cared for the disadvantaged in Canada. It was a party that went to bat for innocent victims. It was a party that believed in fairness, equity and compassion.
Now we have a Liberal government. I can tell the Prime Minister and Liberal members opposite that rank and file Liberal members right across the country are phoning and telling me that they are ashamed of being Liberals given the position of the government with respect to this matter.
The mere fact that this government would force innocent victims, some of whom will be gravely ill and others dying, into court in order to receive compensation and some compassion is shameful. I hope the Prime Minister will look into his heart and ask himself how he would react if a member of his family were an innocent victim of the tainted blood system in this country.
The Ireland government has shown the way to compensate innocent victims. It has provided generous compensation for all victims of hepatitis C. How could a small country like Ireland have such a huge heart when a prosperous and large country like Canada can be so heartless when it comes to compensating innocent victims?