Mr. Speaker, at a national child welfare conference in Ottawa yesterday, Premier Roy Romanow and the province of Saskatchewan were acknowledged as leaders in caring for our nation's children.
In the words of the award presented to the premier, Saskatchewan was acknowledged for its commitment to investing in children as a key priority and a co-ordinated approach to policy development and delivery.
We are very proud of our province, our provincial party and our provincial premier.
Members may remember that in 1989 a resolution brought forward by then NDP federal leader Ed Broadbent to eliminate poverty by the year 2000 was passed unanimously in this House. Since then 46 per cent more children are living below the poverty line, a shameful illustration of the failure of this government to act on one of this country's most critical issues.
In congratulating Premier Romanow and the province of Saskatchewan, I also encourage the federal government to follow Saskatchewan's lead and make the elimination of child poverty a priority and begin that effort today.