Thank you for your question.
We're not recommending that there be a change in terms of having the market basket measure as the official poverty line. It's a measure that we have made reference to for several years. It provides a certain amount of helpful information. Given its methodology, it tends to reflect more of a cost of living differentiation across communities, so we appreciate that that can be helpful.
I think one of our main concerns is that the market basket measure, because it has a complex methodology, requires very regular review. The costs can change year after year, and we're looking at about 50 communities across the country. Each of these communities is being reviewed for their particular data and household set-up. There is an established basket, what they call a basket of necessities, and that should also be considered something that isn't set in stone. It also needs to be reviewed, in terms of whether or not that's adequately reflective of the actual necessities for people living on low incomes.
It's a complex methodology, and we feel that because of that, it requires very regular review. The last review for the market basket measure was quite a while ago. We're looking at 2011. It's currently under review.
The other complex issue is that it requires that Statistics Canada and Employment and Social Development Canada work in close contact to make sure these reviews are taking place. It also informs the progress, and the ability to track the progress, of the poverty strategy.
We do want to see a very robust process involved, and not necessarily to say that we don't think the market basket measure can have a function.