Thank you very much. I think we have unanimity among our guests that the refusal of recommendation 17 is a very sad point in our history. I know that Conservative members are working very hard on this committee to come up with an anti-poverty plan, and to be told by our own government that you're wasting your time, in essence, is a bit of a kick in the head. It's not that our personal feelings matter much; this is about the fact that there are people who are trying to make a difference, many of whom have come before our committee to talk about the importance and relevance of the federal government role in producing an anti-poverty strategy.
I want to congratulate Karri and CPJ. I'm not sure if any of the other organizations were at the social forum in Calgary. You were there as well? I'm thinking it was a seminal moment in the galvanizing of public support for an anti-poverty campaign in Canada. You spoke about the Dignity for All campaign on the Friday morning, I think it was, and it was very important.
I also want to congratulate our chair, Dean Allison, who came out and took part in that public forum, where I thought he handled himself very well as well.
I want to ask each of you if any of you have a view, a specific view, on the idea of the basic income that Hugh Segal spoke about at that forum and at many other places? Do you support the idea of a basic income? Do we need more information on it? Is it an idea that's evolving? Where would you be on the idea of a basic income for Canadians?