Whatever Happened To Poverty Reduction Strategy?

You don't hear too much these days about the poverty reduction strategy for the province that was cobbled together a few years ago in Saint John at a big roundtable discussion by then Premier Shawn Graham and endorsed by then Opposition Leader David Alward with such fanfare. Whether it can be resuscitated with an improving economy remains to be seen. 

Kevin Lacey of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation tells CHSJ News the provincial government is not in any position to be embarking on any new spending programmes, being saddled with a burgeoning deficit and growing debt.

Jean Claude Basque of the Common Front for Social Justice says there are probably more people living in poverty now than when the poverty reduction strategy was announced and he blames a lack of revenue, lower income people not getting paid enough money and fewer people qualifying for Employment Insurance.

Finance Minister Blaine Higgs says the provincial economy never did recover fully from the 2008 financial meltdown and is still being adversely affected.