Anti-poverty strategy debated in Legislature

Opposition calls for an all-party special committee to address issue

REGINA — The provincial Opposition on Tuesday echoed calls from anti-poverty groups for the Saskatchewan government to develop a provincewide poverty reduction strategy.

“Other provinces have had good success by implementing antipoverty strategies and there is no question that Saskatchewan needs a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy.

“There have been many calls for this over the years, including from Poverty Free Saskatchewan and now Poverty Costs,” Opposition social services critic David Forbes said during question period at the Legislative Building in Regina.

Forbes called on the government to announce funding in next week’s provincial budget to support the formation of an all-party special committee to develop an anti-poverty strategy.

Social Services Minister June Draude responded by defending the government’s record since it was elected in 2007.

“Since 2007, our government has reduced the number of low-income people more than any other province in Canada, including all of those that have a poverty strategy. What we are talking about is action to deliver results. Working together is an important part of what we’re doing,” Draude said.

She said the number of lowincome people in the province declined by 16 per cent during the former NDP government’s last seven years, while the Sask. Party government has reduced the figure by 30 per cent in six years.

“We agree there’s always more work to be done and we’ll learn from other jurisdictions,” the minister added.