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Manitoba is holding a series of public meetings in rural communities on a five-year poverty reduction strategy, the government announced Friday. The initiative aims to engage rural Manitobans, who make up about 40% of the provincial population.
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Officials emphasized the importance of hearing directly from people in rural areas to create a strategy that meets the needs of all Manitobans. The public meetings will take place throughout October and November in Thompson, The Pas, Dauphin, Brandon, Morden, and Arborg. The workshops will allow residents to ask questions and share their thoughts on how the government should address poverty.
Minister Bernadette Smith highlighted the need to remove systemic barriers that contribute to poverty and explained the importance of including voices from all parts of Manitoba. The meetings will include consultations with Indigenous rights holders, community stakeholders, and people with lived experiences of poverty.
The government has already hosted roundtable discussions with front-line service providers who work in poverty alleviation. The feedback from these discussions will be part of the broader consultation process. The key topics being discussed include basic needs, education, employment, health, and well-being.
The Poverty Reduction Strategy Act requires Manitoba to review and update its strategy every five years. The current strategy, Pathways to a Better Future, was released in 2019. Public meetings will also be held in Winnipeg in October.
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