Mr. Tony O'Brien:

I preface my remarks by pointing out that we are talking about a real individual. I know from contact with the representative body to which the individual belongs that the constant public discussion of the issue is a source of distress for the person, to which I do not wish to add. I will say, however, that we do ask questions in order to establish whether an individual's circumstances have changed. A person certainly can have a lifelong medical condition - that is not in doubt - have other conditions, experience an exacerbation of an illness or find himself or herself in changed financial circumstances. The questions we ask are intended to elicit the totality of the picture that will enable the person to qualify. I understand, however, that this could be heard as, "Does your child still have a particular underlying condition?" where one believes the sole reason the child was granted a medical card was the presence of that condition.