Thank you, Chair. I'm sharing my time with MP Van Bynen.
Minister Qualtrough, Carla, welcome and thank you for coming back to speak with us today. It's always a pleasure to have you back, and I thank you so much for the work you do on behalf of so many Canadians.
As we know, the Canada disability benefit was tabled in the last Parliament. It died on the Order Paper. I'm very happy to see it remains part of your mandate, and I'm really looking forward to fulfilling this important platform promise.
In New Brunswick, approximately 23% of the working-age population lives with a disability. This benefit will be crucial to those who live in my riding Saint John-Rothesay and across Canada.
I actually tabled a motion to study how a benefit such as this would reduce poverty among working-age Canadians with disabilities and how the federal government can improve access to federal programs and services for persons with disabilities. I look forward to getting to work on it in the near future.
Minister, could you explain the importance of the Canada disability benefit and exactly what you believe it will achieve and can you provide any insight on when my constituents can expect this legislation to come into place?
Thank you and welcome.