On the importance of focusing on the causes of poverty, if we promote government programs over looking at what is causing the problem, we will probably never be successful in solving the problem. I think that's what Mr. Fitzgerald just addressed. We're dealing with complex issues. You need to hopefully find the cause in each individual situation to be able to help the person come out of poverty, come out of hopelessness. Would you agree that it's important that we find the cause?

10:40 a.m.

Prof. Timothy Diette

I would absolutely agree that it's essential to find the cause. Generally, when you look at best practices, those programs are likely the ones getting right to the root of the problem.

To go to an earlier question on homelessness, Housing First seems to be providing quite promising results. In that case, it is the role of jobs versus housing first. Certainly, the success of the program, which I've read about and looked at some of the research, has suggested that in that case, it is possibly the best practice.

10:40 a.m.

Conservative

Mark Warawa Conservative Langley—Aldergrove, BC

I have a quick question on drug use. If you have somebody using illegal drugs and the government has promised to change the marijuana laws in Canada, if we do not get it right, is there a correlation in your studies between hopelessness and the use of illegal drugs?

10:40 a.m.

Prof. Timothy Diette

That's actually a study I'm currently working on. In my head I'm trying to think through some of the results. The preliminary results are at least suggestive that there can be an increase in negative behaviours more broadly and in drug use in general. It's not surprising that this might be a coping mechanism for individuals in despair.

10:40 a.m.

Conservative

Mark Warawa Conservative Langley—Aldergrove, BC

I have one last question. PTSD is a problem we didn't realize we had years ago. How important is it to deal with that to give future hope to people struggling with PTSD?

10:40 a.m.

Prof. Timothy Diette

I didn't get into the details of the research on PTSD. I looked at poor mental health. We looked at diagnoses of depression, general anxiety disorder, and also PTSD. PTSD has been shown to be an important issue in my research and is related to unemployment, sexual assault, and abusive parents. PTSD is absolutely an important issue for our society to deal with.

10:40 a.m.

Conservative

Mark Warawa Conservative Langley—Aldergrove, BC

It could be people suffering because of a sexual or violent assault, but it could also affect first responders and veterans.

10:40 a.m.

Prof. Timothy Diette

Certainly.

10:40 a.m.

Conservative

Mark Warawa Conservative Langley—Aldergrove, BC

All these people would need help to be able to have a future. Without dealing with the causes, they are likely to stay in that state of poverty and depression and hopelessness.

10:40 a.m.

Prof. Timothy Diette

I would think addressing it directly would be the most efficient way.

10:40 a.m.

Conservative

Mark Warawa Conservative Langley—Aldergrove, BC

Thank you.

10:40 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Bryan May

Excellent.

Thank you, sir. That brings us to a close.

I want to thank all of the witnesses for being here today.

I will remind the committee that we are scheduled to meet on Thursday, when we're going to be meeting with the departmental officials. The notices have gone out and I believe the majority of them have accepted. We have to be here on Thursday, assuming we don't rise. The clerk has just informed me that we can't rise. She's done a lot of work to make sure that they can get here. But seriously, if there is an off-chance that we rise before Thursday, I want to take the opportunity to thank this committee and all the individuals who help us run this meeting.

I wish everybody a happy holiday. Hopefully, I'll get the opportunity to say it again on Thursday.

Thank you. This meeting is adjourned.