In reply, one might argue that overt support for the liberal perspective is an important tactical move which Is necessary in order to win over elites to the project of adult literacy education, regardless of the nature of one's private beliefs about the political orientation which should be followed in setting up new programs. However, even on these purely pragmatic (Machiavellian) grounds, such an alliance is a questionable prospect at present. While it is undeniable that in the 1960's and early 1970's the liberal perspective formed the basis of a working alliance of adult educators and political and economic elites which achieved real gains for impoverished adults in terms of access to publically-funded basic education and job training, the continuing economic crisis has transformed the political terrain in a way that makes the reestablishment of a similar alliance, this time at the provincial level, an increasingly doubtful possibility. Even where gains are made in influencing the development of new programs, as -in British Columbia, they may well be increasingly in jeopardy as the fiscal crisis of governments causes increasingly conservative-minded politicians to reduce funding for educational programs. There exists a very real possibility that programs of adult basic education could remain at token and marginal levels for some time to come, or at best, at levels well below those which would be required to reach the millions of Canadian adults who can make use of them.

In light of the shortcomings and limitations of the liberal perspective and political approaches based upon it, the critical perspective becomes an increasingly important option for Canadian adult basic educators. However, it is also clear that the critical perspective is not widely held among them, or if it is, the commitment has yet to translate itself into concrete strategies and approaches to advance the development of adult basic education opportunities. In the following chapter we explore some of the reasons for this and offer suggestions for extending the influence of this perspective.