Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the member for Vancouver Kingsway on his recent election and all the hard work he has done on behalf of his constituents.
Many members in the House will know that Ed Broadbent introduced a motion in 1989 to reduce child poverty. A recent Campaign 2000 report speaks to the fact that British Columbia continues to report the highest provincial child poverty rate despite strong economic growth. The throne speech completely disregarded child poverty and, in particular, first nations children in poverty.
The report goes on to say that the long-term benefits of a poverty prevention strategy will be felt by all Canadians. It speaks to the fact that as we invest in child and family poverty, we have savings in justice, health care, education and many other aspects of government spending.
Could the member could comment specifically on what he would see as important elements in a poverty-reduction strategy for children and families in British Columbia, his riding and in Canada?