The federal Liberals have unveiled their long-promised anti-poverty law – which they say will force future governments to meet ambitious targets – to lift more than two million people above the poverty line.

Social Development Minister Jean-Yves Duclos says the Trudeau government wants to eliminate poverty – but that will take time.

The government has set targets to lower poverty rates by 20 per cent from 2015 levels by the end of the current decade – with a further 50 per cent reduction by 2030.