The six or seven points I mentioned are all important. I am trying to advocate for those people who are the poorest, who are at the buttom of the ladder.
I view the minimum wage issue as very important. I know that the federal government has no authority to legislate in this area provincially, but it could set an example. That might be an incentive.
If, in all those areas that are under federal jurisdiction, you had the courage to legislate with regard to minimum wage, that would have a domino effect. This is extremely important.
Then, there are the people who are in a difficult situation, especially here in New Brunswick, and receive employment insurance benefits. We have a lot of seasonal work and there have been numerous lay-offs, especially in the forestry industry. Given the present situation, if nothing changes, these people will have to rely on social assistance, and our rates are the worst in Canada — $294 per month for an employable person. Those would be my priorities.
The next issue would be housing, because it eats up a good portion of people's income. There should be many more federal and provincial programs transferring major funding for coop housing, housing run by non-profit groups, in particular.