This amendment is intended to delete three lines from the bill under the subheading “Dissolution”. In the English version, it is “Dissolution of Council” but just “Dissolution” in the French version. We want it to be possible for the council to continue in existence. A number of witnesses have told the committee that there will be no reason to dissolve the council. The minister might decide that the Council no longer has any use if the objective of reducing poverty by 50% below the 2015 level is achieved and that we should celebrate the fact, close the books and move on to other priorities.
But reducing, not to say eliminating, poverty, must be an on-going objective that is maintained over time. I do not know why it would be necessary to dissolve the council. Even if the objective of reducing poverty by 50% is achieved, the council will still be useful, as long as poverty has not been eliminated.
I hope that the members of the committee will adopt this reasonable amendment, so that the proposed council can do its work even after the government has achieved its objective, which I see as not ambitious enough.