Again, thank you, senator. The government is working with its counterparts to find solutions and to do what we can to address these important issues. Again, I fear that I repeat myself when I say that issues of basic income are matters that need to be studied more thoroughly and experimented with more thoroughly in this country. It is regrettable that pilot projects were not continued in certain areas, which would have given us more information. But this is not something that the federal government can or should do unilaterally.

As we know from reading the newspapers, even the articulation of a desire for national standards has precipitated, from my province and others, a very strong, equivocal and negative reaction. This is Canadian federalism in what is perhaps its most frustrating aspect, especially as we look for national solutions to matters that have been and remain outside the scope of federal jurisdiction, beyond the ability to provide funding through various programs and mechanisms through the provinces.