Mr. Speaker, there is so much work the federal government can do if it truly wants to step up to the plate on this. I was elected to local government for 12 years before being elected to the House and we heard this again and again. If we had partnership with the federal government on a national strategy to abate poverty, we would lift so many people out of being in health crisis. If we better supported home care, then we would have seniors supported where they want to be, which is at home. We would not have people brought into the emergency department, clogging up acute care beds.
One after the next, if we take our federal leadership role to help people in the most desperate places, we save money ultimately for the government. We are easier on front-line workers and families, and we allow people to have the dignified life that every Canadian surely deserves.