Thanks very much.
Yes, that's quite important. There are those other, supplementary or corollary kinds of services, and of course the basic need to have a proper roof over your head. I was really thrilled with some of that support and grateful to our government. There is always more that can be done, but they are doing something in respect of this.
In fact, in this case it was 46 units. I thought this was great, but more, of course, can be done as well.
Some of the other things we have put forward on which I wouldn't mind some comment, if time allows, and I know we're pretty limited here, include providing up to an additional $150 of annual tax savings for low- and middle-income seniors by making a $1,000 increase to the age credit amount—making that adjust upwards is a good thing—and reducing the required minimum registered retirement income fund, or RRIF, withdrawal for 2008 by 25%, so that it is not penalizing. I've heard some good comments with respect to that too.
Also, in Budget 2008 there were investments of about $13 million over three years to combat elder abuse. It is a growing concern for me. I worked as a nursing home attendant. I know it's a thing that would concern all of us, if we had parents and elderly relatives or people we know. I think that's good; there doesn't seem to be enough awareness about this.
Allowing GIS recipients to keep more of their money by also raising the GIS earnings exemption to $3,500 from the former level of $500 was a huge upward increase that I'm hearing some positive comments on.
There is a package of things here, but there is also the tax-free savings account, which permits seniors to grow their savings without affecting their GIS benefits and having them clawed back. That is also something of benefit.
I mentioned the pension income credit. Income splitting as well is something I'm hearing about at this time, as people have gotten their income tax filing done.
The quick question I would have, which embraces seniors but others as well, is this. I would be curious and interested to hear whether the various groups before us today have done significant study of the root causes of poverty. We respond and we want to deal with the symptoms of the needs that are before us. But what are some of the root causes of poverty among the various age groups on which you could give me a quick response?