Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I really appreciate this motion from the Conservative side.
Campaign 2000 and other civil society advocates have been at the forefront of activism to end poverty for families in Canada. This is clear with this latest report card, and previously we have seen this work in their successful efforts to protect the Canada child benefit from clawbacks. At the time, Campaign 2000 urged the government to take the lead in entering into agreements with provinces and territories to ensure that families wouldn't see this needed income clawed back. We're seeing the same problem emerge now, though, with the Canada disability benefit.
The data this motion refers to shows how children with disabilities and their families are disproportionately experiencing higher poverty rates. We must ensure that, just like the Canada child benefit, the Canada disability benefit doesn't face clawbacks, or we will only see child poverty get worse for the most vulnerable.
I have an amendment, Mr. Chair. It reads:
Given that recently published numbers from Campaign 2000 indicate that between 2021-2022, Canada experienced the largest jump in child poverty on record; that children with disabilities, particularly young women and girls with disabilities, are disproportionately experiencing higher rates of poverty; that clawbacks to benefits perpetuate the cycle of poverty for people living with disabilities; that the Canada disability benefit has not yet been safeguarded from clawbacks and would provide needed relief for people with disabilities and their families experiencing poverty; and that, in the opinion of the committee, it is imperative that the government take the lead in engaging with provinces and territories to ensure that the Canada disability benefit does not face clawbacks by ensuring similar exemptions as were secured for the Canada child benefit by Campaign 2000, the committee report this and its concern over rising child poverty to the House.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.