"There is a connection between the policies of this government and the poverty issues in this province," said Butler. "It is all about what kind of society government wants to create in the province. The policies of this government are creating a greater divide between the rich and poor and they have done very little to address the serious issues of poverty, addictions and mental illness which are really at the root of this situation.

"It is very easy to blame some of the people who find themselves in desperate circumstances, but we should be looking at the entire picture. We need to ask some serious questions about what is happening here. Is the amount of money we provide to income support clients enough to live on? Is the increased cost of housing in St. John’s part of the problem? Should we be looking at improving the services we offer people with mental illness or addictions? I believe that these are the type of questions that need to be addressed and acted upon quickly by government."

Butlers’ comments come in the wake of media reports last week highlighting the problem of increased aggressive panhandling in St. John’s. Business owners are indicating and expressing concerns that panhandlers are being aggressive and their customers are being harassed.

"I don’t think we are currently faced with a situation like that of many large cities across North America, but I don’t think we should wait until we get to that stage before we deal with the root cause of this problem. This is the symptom of a more serious problem and we should take notice that, unless we address it now, it will continue to become more of a problem."

The Liberal MHA says he does not believe that laws to ban panhandling are a realistic solution. "I know other jurisdictions have brought in or considered legislation in this regard, but the bottom line is that you cannot make a law against poverty. It is a serious problem that our government must address."