Social Development Minister Mary Schryer appears to be offering a conflicting account of whether the Liberal government will honour a campaign promise to bring New Brunswick's welfare rates up to the Atlantic average.

The Liberals made that promise in the 2006 New Brunswick election campaign, and Schryer said on Wednesday it's still the goal.

"Will we still strive as a province for that goal, of the Atlantic rates? Of course, we will. We said that we would, and we're still doing it," Schryer told reporters on Wednesday.

'We were in opposition when the platform was developed, and when you're given better information, your opinion does change.'— Premier Shawn Graham

Her comments appear to contradict ones made by Premier Shawn Graham, who appeared to backtrack on the promise. Graham suggested in an interview with CBC News that the campaign promise was a mistake the party made while in opposition.

"We were in opposition when the platform was developed, and when you're given better information, your opinion does change," Graham said.

When Schryer was asked about Graham's comments, she said that no one had changed their mind.

"No. The goal is still to make sure we move towards the Atlantic average," she said.

New Brunswick's social assistance rates already lag behind most of the country, and Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador are raising their rates this year.

Schryer said a series of public forums on poverty might come up with other ideas for helping poor people.

But she said social assistance rates will still be a part of the solution despite Graham's comments.

N.B. has among lowest welfare rates

The National Council of Welfare, in its latest report released last summer, said in 2007 that New Brunswick paid the lowest amount by far to single, employable adults at $3,258 a year. That rate alone would have to double to reach the Atlantic average.

The amount available to a couple with two children was also lowest in the country, at $11,595, and would have to increase by 22 per cent. Rates paid to single adults with a disability were tied for the worst with Alberta, and would require a 14 per cent increase to get to the Atlantic average.

The one category in which New Brunswick did not rank last was amounts available to single parents with one child. At $9,909 a year, that was listed as Canada's sixth best rate. However, it would still require a 10.6 per cent increase to reach the Atlantic average, according to the council.

In April, 39,097 New Brunswick residents were living on social assistance, and about 35 per cent of them were children.