Thank you very much for taking the time to make your presentations this morning.
As you know, we're grappling with the federal responsibility where poverty in the country is concerned. I don't think we need to look much at whether there is poverty and what it looks like; I think we have a pretty good idea that it's there. As Mr. Shillington said, we have spent a number of years trying to define poverty and not really getting to actually dealing with poverty. In fact he makes a very good case that perhaps the exercise was trying to define poverty out of existence as opposed to actually doing something about it.
Katherine, you talked about local approaches to unique challenges in different areas in the country.
Glenn and Drummond and the Canadian Association of Social Workers talked about the fact that poor children, whom I think we've latched on to in a fairly dramatic way in the country, are always attached to poor families, and in most instances it's a poor mother trying to look after that child.
Richard, you talked about social exclusion. You had an experience at St. Christopher House in Toronto, where you actually came in contact directly with folks who are living in poverty and heard from them. And I think you did a wonderful piece in the Toronto Star at one point.
You also referenced a poem, which was first published by ISARC in Ontario, called Poverty Is. It's actually on my website, if you want to go there and check it out. It is a wonderful description of the day-to-day challenges of children as they grapple with the issue of poverty.
As quickly as you possibly can, what should the federal role be, in your view?
We can start with Katherine, and we'll work our way across.