Mr. Speaker, October 17 is the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. The theme this year is “Working together out of poverty”, which highlights the need for a truly global anti-poverty alliance.
One in five people around the world live on less than one dollar a day. Right here in Canada, poverty is a daily fact of life for over one million children, and in aboriginal communities, poverty only compounds the challenges aboriginals already face.
As Canadians, we can make a difference by volunteering our time or giving our money, but it is imperative for the Conservative government to ensure that it provides leadership and delivers on behalf of the most vulnerable in our society and around the world. We must work together as MPs from all parties to ensure that families, children and aboriginal people living in poverty do so no longer.