Mr. Chair, with all due respect to the hon. member, it is important that we acknowledge the history surrounding this tragic episode in Canadian history. I do not think asking questions about why decisions were made by members of the government back seven years ago is angels dancing on the head of a pin. It is important to understand this issue in the context of how the decision was made and why it was made. In essence it was really not about affordability. It was not about whether we had the money to support all victims of tainted blood. It was about a government, at that time, that refused to accept responsibility for the culpability or the dereliction of duty found within its own ranks.
In my view, there is no question about the evidence being available that could have formed the basis for a much more rational decision-making process. That evidence was deliberately ignored. In the final analysis the government refused to accept responsibility for it and chose a roundabout way to try to address the issue. It chose a system that really created two new tiers, two sets of victims.
It is important not to diminish and dismiss these kinds of questions around the history of this event. As far as I can tell, and I have studied this issue inside and out, it points to inappropriate decision-making on the part of the government of the day and a failure to take responsibility for dereliction of duty.