Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1997. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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United Press International; Friday, September 26, 1997 - 8:06 PM EDT
The Red Cross has been opposing the right of Justice Horace Krever to name names in his final report, saying to do so would amount to trial by inquiry.
The Supreme Court ruled today that while Krever may name individuals in his final report, he must be careful to avoid assigning criminal responsibility.
Krever, who conducted a 22-month inquiry into the scandal, is now expected to hand in his report within two months.
The inquiry was launched after more than 12,000 Canadians developed AIDS, and an almost equal number were infected with hepatitis C in the late 1980s.
Hundreds of people died as a result of infection, and class action suits have been launched against the Red Cross, the federal government and provincial governments.
In July, the federal government decided to strip the Red Cross of its responsibility to collect and distribute blood in Canada, and to set up a new agency to handle the job.
The opposition Reform and New Democratic parties applauded the court's ruling.
Reform health critic Grant Hill says, "This is a victory for transparency and accountability."
He says, "Krever has been obstructed by the current health minister, the Red Cross and drug companies, and now he is finally free to tell the truth about the tainted blood scandal."
Hill says the challenge now is to incorporate Krever's wisdom in the creation of the new national blood agency, and it is "imperative that the health minister formally include him."
NDP leader Alexa McDonough says the judgement today should "let (the victims) get on with compensation."
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