Libby wanted to be here today, but she had to be back in Ottawa because there is some stuff happening. In her role as House leader, she needs to be there to manage things. She can't do it all.
I appreciate all of the input that we've heard today. It has been enlightening and encouraging and informative.
I don't think there is anybody around this table who doesn't believe there is poverty in the country and that we need to do something about it. I also think we probably all believe that the federal government has a leadership role to play. It's just a question of what that role should be and how complicated it can get. In my own head, I'm trying to simplify it. I don't want it to become so complicated that they will just tell us to forget it, they have too many other things to deal with, and that all this should be dealt with another day.
I want to ask for your response. As I look at it, there are at least three areas in which the federal government could show leadership. One is income security. We do that for seniors through the Canada Pension Plan, OAS, and GIS, and there are lots of other income security matters over which the federal government has control. The second would be housing. We have done that before, and we're able to do it. The third is a bit more complicated. It is the whole question of social inclusion. How do you involve people in the communities in which they live and give them the dignity they deserve as human beings? I would like to think that, as a federal government, we could get this done for everybody. I heard at least one of you mention poverty reduction. Poverty elimination should be the goal that we adopt. Our challenge is to get the federal government to act on a national anti-poverty strategy.
You mentioned housing. What else is there?