Mr. Speaker, there is a growing gap between the health of the economy and the well-being of Canadians according to a recent report on an experimental index of social health developed by Human Resources Development Canada.
This index suggests that since the late 1970s improvements in the economy have not been matched by increases in the social well-being of Canadians. On the contrary, it shows that as the economy has grown Canadian social health has in fact declined.
The index is composed of 15 indicators, some of which apply to all age groups. Others such as infant mortality, teen suicide, weekly earnings of adults and poverty among the elderly apply to specific age groups.
I think this suggests that it is not enough to take care of the economy and then just assume that the economy will take care of the welfare and well-being of individuals. The government needs to be and must be more proactive to ensure the well-being of all Canadians.
What exactly does the parliamentary secretary of human resources development suggest be done by the federal government to narrow this gap and to ensure that, as the economy moves up, so too does the well-being of all Canadians?