Mr. Speaker, in early September, the United Nations Development Program submitted its world report on human development. This report, which used to serve as a political smoke screen to hide a country's social reality, will now have to be viewed as an indispensable tool to expose false political claims.
Indeed, the report indicates that the gap between rich and poor is a contemporary reality. It clearly states that, in the industrialized countries, it remains necessary to eradicate poverty and meet the basic needs of everyone. In fact, it is a shame that these objectives have still not been achieved in the richest countries.
Incidentally, the UN tells us that, when it comes to human poverty, Canada ranks 10th out of the 17 OECD members. There are more people living below the poverty line in Canada than in the Scandinavian countries, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, France and Italy.
A study released this week confirms that this trend is continuing, in spite of the government's rhetoric. It is high time the government increased social transfers and improved the employment insurance program.