Just very briefly, we know that the costs of poverty are so high because of the kinds of downstream effects we end up having to deal with. We've heard something about the health care system. Yesterday I learned from Dr. Jeff Turnbull, the immediate past president of the Canadian Medical Association, that 20% of health care costs can be attributed to health inequities--in other words, poverty.
So there's a big savings to be had if we can prevent poverty or alleviate the poverty of those who are experiencing it. You will see better health outcomes, you will see better criminal justice outcomes, and you'll see better productivity outcomes. The evidence on this is compelling.