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Roland Butler, Opposition Critic for Human Resources, Labour and Employment
and MHA for the District of Port de Grave, says he is disappointed that
government is studying poverty rather than taking immediate and substantial
action to do something about the current situation. "This government is
getting the reputation of dealing with real problems as if they were only
public relations problems," said Butler. "They describe the seriousness and
complexity of the problem, but in the end they have done very little to help
the poorest people in our society."
The Liberal MHA says, given the province’s improved financial position,
he was looking for some initiatives in the budget that would secure adequate
nutrition for children living in poverty. "This government has stood by as
the price of milk was significantly increased and now they say they want to
spend more time and money studying the problem. This government is in the
second year of their mandate and for them to say at this point they will
start to study poverty is a real admission of failure."
Butler says he is also concerned that there are no details available on
the nature of this study. "We don’t know what the terms of reference are, we
don’t know who will do the study, we don’t know when it will be completed
and we don’t have any firm commitment from this government that they will
implement the recommendations of the study."
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