With respect to your final point, the idea of creating framework legislation, a policy or an action plan is important, as is the setting of goals. It also relates to the idea that generally, when we create public policy we need to be sensitive to its effect on various segments of the population.
You referred to employment insurance, for instance. The fact that it is difficult to access employment insurance will have a different effect on various categories of people. For instance, someone not receiving EI is not necessarily poor, because he or she may have a spouse, for instance, who holds a good job, etc. However, we need further information. We should be able to understand the effects of public policy.
All this to say that poverty is not strictly related to the way markets operate or individual people's capacities or skills. It is also a creature of public policy. Governments do a great deal to counter poverty created by market or other social inequalities, but they may also sometimes worsen the situation. This may not be the forum to do so, but we should reflect on public policy. One criteria in the development of public policy should be at the very least not to worsen the situation, and at best, to improve it.