Thank you very much.
I think we are certainly back on track this morning. I appreciate that. I think Ms. Yelich would agree. We've had a fairly good overview of what poverty looks like and some of the measurements that are there if we want to access them.
I really appreciated the reference to the Broadbent resolution and the UN resolution at Copenhagen on absolute and relative poverty. There's a new phenomenon--or at least words--starting to evolve, particularly in the European Union and other places, about this notion of social exclusion or inclusion.
I want to share what Richard Shillington dropped on our desk on Tuesday, which speaks to that for me, and then I want to ask you what you think:
Poverty is...
wishing you could go to McDonald's
getting a basket from the Santa Fund
feeling ashamed when my dad can't get a job
not buying books at the book fair
not getting to go to birthday parties
hearing my mom and dad fight over money
not ever getting a pet because it costs too much
wishing you had a nice house
not being able to go camping
not getting a hot dog on hot dog day
not getting pizza on pizza day
not going to Canada's Wonderland
not being able to have your friends sleep over
pretending that you forgot your lunch
being afraid to tell your mom that you need gym shoes
not having any breakfast sometimes
not being able to play hockey
sometimes really hard because my mom gets scared and she cries
hiding your feet so the teacher won't get cross when you don't have boots
not being able to go to Cubs or play soccer
not being able to take swimming lessons
not being able to take the electives at school (downhill skiing)
not being able to afford a holiday
not having pretty barrettes for your hair
not having your own private backyard
being teased for the way you are dressed
not getting to go on school trips
This is how kids themselves, grade 4 and grade 5 from North Bay, define poverty. For me it's an obvious example of this notion of social inclusion. Should that be included in this measure that we are trying to come to terms with in defining poverty?