Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Noël, I thank you for being here. You say it is possible to reduce poverty. Do you think it is possible to break the cycle of poverty and specifically prevent it from taking hold in children?
Can legislation and public policy alone suffice in reducing poverty? Aside from legislation, are there other factors or other partners in the fight against poverty? What about local initiatives? Can public policy alone address this issue?
You also referred to the Collectif pour un Québec sans pauvreté. The legislation grew out of a grassroots effort in Quebec and a rather broad partnership, which seems rather important to me. The Collectif pour un Québec sans pauvreté is always on the lookout and informs government of any developments in the area of poverty. I think local initiatives are important factors, even in the area of mental health.
Let's now move to housing. We have spoken of income, but very little of expenses. These days, housing is expensive for average-income families, so imagine what it is like for low-income ones. The issue of housing is not being addressed. Almost 42,000 families in Quebec are awaiting social housing, in other words housing which they can afford to rent.
I would like you to address this issue for us and any related aspects.