Mr. Chair, the hon. member asks some very important questions. The thing to remember is that at the time, the money which was given to provinces was specifically set aside for persons who were not in the 1986 to 1990 group. It was for care, medication or treatment.
We know the treatment was extremely expensive. We were looking at interferon at $5,000 a dose. Therefore, the provinces could not suddenly find the money for that, so the money was specifically transferred to provinces to give that medical care to all persons who had hepatitis C.
That money is not in question at the moment. If it was not used for that, then there is an accountability issue that we have to discuss, and provinces have to respond to it.
What we are talking about is the ability to assist people who are not in that window and who are suffering from poverty, or have lost their homes, or are extremely disabled and lost their ability to live from day to day, never mind if they are getting medication and care, we mind the disability to live life and to have a life. We have heard from everyone on this side of the House, especially the Minister of Health, that the government will do something about that.
Many people on the other side of the House have asked why we do not take the funds already there for a particular group and use them. We have said that this money is not given in a lump sum to the group. We cannot say to the 1986-1990 group that we will give them a lump of money and that will have to last them the rest of their lives. Many people in that group, who were apparently infected, are not sick yet, but could be. These people may live another 70 years or another 50 years. We need to at least make sure, when they do get ill, that the money is there for them.
Therefore, we need to discuss how we can help the persons who are in the pre-group and post-groups and how we do it. It is not whether we do it. It is how we do it and what means will we use to do it. I think the House has heard very clearly from this side that this will be done.