The only way to reach low-income people is through transfer programs. For example, it would have been much better policy not to reduce the GST but in fact use that revenue to increase the working income supplement, which I think is a very good program and can be substantially increased. In the United States, the comparable program is $4,000 a year, the earned income tax credit. I think the money could well have been used to do that in order to create some employment, and so on. I think it could have been used to increase the child tax benefit. That clearly benefits low-income people. I think it could have been used to provide more early childhood education for children, which clearly benefits low-income people.
I just think there would lots of ways. If what you're concerned about is low-income people, I don't think the GST credit did anything for them.