I want to welcome the Honourable Deb Matthews, Minister of Children and Youth Services, Minister Responsible for Women's Issues, and chair of the Cabinet Committee on Poverty Reduction. Thank you very much for taking time out of your very busy schedule to be here today.
Maybe this is not much of a segue, but your government has just funded an organization called Pathways to Education that we're going to be hearing from. I think they have done some amazing things. I want to thank your government for funding them. I think they're doing a great job.
I know you're going to talk to us a little more about some of the strategies your government has been trying to look at in poverty reduction, as we as a federal committee in HR study the whole issue of poverty.
I will give you the opportunity to make some opening remarks, and then we'll go around the table and go back and forth with some questions on what you are trying to accomplish in Ontario.
Welcome. The floor is yours.