Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I also would like to thank the Minister, Ms. Vivian-Book and Ms. Gogan for coming to tell us about their experience which, I am sure, will certainly enlighten us on your commitment to alleviate poverty. It is impressive that results are already visible.
Of course, we would like to see if some elements of your strategy might guide us in our study, particularly as it concerns the measures that we will suggest to the Canadian government.
Minister, you referred to the federal government as a partner, which is totally understandable. You also spoke of your expectations, among other things in regard to the partnerships in the fields of early childhood development, social housing and employment insurance. I shall not refer to each of them, but you have made reference to a whole gamut of social measures.
Close to nine years ago, in February 1999, your government and that of other provinces, except Quebec, signed a framework agreement with the federal government. This framework agreement on social union included a commitment to find measures that would guarantee to all Canadians access to comparable essential programs and social services, assistance to persons in need and that it would promote the full participation of all Canadians in the social and economic life of our society.
You said that financial help is not enough for these people and that it is also necessary to fight social exclusion. I think that the 1999 agreement took these two elements into consideration.
What has happened with that agreement and that partnership? Have you established your poverty reduction strategy based on those commitments? Has the federal government taken part in that process?