A settlement is not a precident - the pay outs were never tested in court and could easily fail if tested by a new government and taken to a full court.

When government settles a case they are not admitting that the case had merit, just that they lacked the fortitude to challenge it on behalf of the Canadian people.

In truth a settlement by government is a loss of national security in that they are subverting the rights of taxpayers to a fair trial when sued. They are risking sovereign rights doing it.