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The Economy

In question period on the economy, Conservatives pointed to record food bank use—citing 2.4 million visits in one month nationally, 3.2 million monthly requests in Quebec, and rising visits in the territories, with about a third involving children—to argue the government’s affordability measures are not working, and asked the government to lower costs, including by removing federal taxes on diesel. Liberal members replied by pointing to their programs: national child care, dental care, the Canada child benefit, and a national school food program reaching 400,000 more children, and repeatedly asked why Conservatives vote against these measures. Most exchanges stayed on this back-and-forth about food insecurity and government supports.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

11 statements

Sandra Cobena

Conservative
“A record 2.4 million people visited food banks in one month, and a third of them were children. Canadians are working hard but falling behind. I want the Prime Minister to explain why working hard is no longer enough to support a family.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, there are 2.4 million food bank visits in a single month. That is the highest ever recorded in this country, and one in three is for a child. What greater failure of a government’s economic record is there than that a parent who works all day still cannot provide for their children? After more than a year and a half under the Liberal Prime Minister, Canadians are working harder but falling further behind. Will the Prime Minister explain why, in a country such as Canada, honest work is no longer enough to provide for one’s family?

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Anna Gainey

Liberal
“I want the opposition to answer why they voted against school food. I also want them to explain why they voted against dental workers.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to ask why members opposite can stand in the House on this issue without answering the question as to why they vote against school food. Why do they vote against dental workers? Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

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Anna Gainey

Liberal
“Our government helps Canadians by providing cheaper child care, dental care, and food programs in schools. The opposition keeps voting against these helpful programs. It makes no sense.”

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  • A repeated line

    “Dental care and the national school food program.”

    Said 4 times by 4 members since May 7.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, time and again, we take action on this side of the House. The government has advanced a national child care strategy, dental care and a national school food program, among other efforts to help Canadians make ends meet. Members opposite continue to vote against these things that have direct impacts on the people in their communities who rely on things such as checkups at the dentist and affordable child care. It makes no sense.

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Sandra Cobena

Conservative
“The government's plans are not working. Canadians visit food banks 2.4 million times a month, and one-third of those visits are for children. The government should measure success by how many people no longer need help. I want the government to explain why hard work is no longer enough to support a family.”

  • A repeated line

    “After 11 years of the Liberal government.”

    Said 25 times by 19 members since April 30.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the member says that they are working, but the reality is that whatever they are doing is, in fact, not working, not when there are 2.4 million visits to a food bank in a single month and one in three of them is for children. I would encourage the member to stop measuring success by how many Canadians need government assistance, and start measuring by how many no longer do. Therefore I ask again, why, after 11 years of the Liberal government, honest hard work is no longer enough to provide for one’s family.

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Anna Gainey

Liberal
“Our school food program now feeds 400,000 more children and reaches 80% of public schools. I want to know why the opposition votes against school meals, dental care, and other help for families.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the national school food program is reaching an additional 400,000 children across this country with nutritious meals. That is 80% of public schools across this country that are benefiting from this support. Again, why do the members opposite vote against things such as breakfast for children in elementary schools, dental care and other things that help families make ends meet?

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Bob Zimmer

Conservative
“The Prime Minister says life is affordable, but Canadian families are struggling. Food bank visits are way up in the north, and almost a third of the people using them are children. I want the Prime Minister to admit that too many Canadians now rely on food banks.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, earlier this year, the Prime Minister said that affordability is the best it has been in over a decade, but despite the Prime Minister’s promise, Canadian families are in trouble. In Yukon, food bank visits are up 24% from 2025. In the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, food bank visits are up 29% from 2025, and 32.5% of food bank visitors are children. Will the Prime Minister admit that food banks are now the sad reality for too many Canadians, or is he really that out of touch?

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Joanne Thompson

Liberal
“We are finding new trade partners, speeding up big projects, investing in workers, and lowering costs. The Conservatives are just playing politics instead of supporting projects that help Canadians.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, apart from the suite of supports that my colleagues have outlined already today, we are also diversifying our trade partners, supercharging major projects, investing in workers, drawing down costs and keeping the needs of Canadians foremost in every decision. The other side of the House is just playing politics today. Why do the Conservatives not come along with the projects that are actually making a difference for this country and in people’s lives?

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Joël Godin

Conservative
“Food banks in Quebec get over 3.2 million requests every month. People cannot afford food. I want the government to adopt our plan to lower the cost of living.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, it is so strange to hear this Liberal government boast that everything is just fine and life is good thanks to them. Today, Food Banks of Quebec reported that its network receives over 3.2 million requests a month from families, seniors and children. The food insecurity crisis is for real. Let us put partisanship aside. Can the government use our Conservative plan to lower the cost of living?

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Joël Lightbound

Liberal
“The Conservatives keep voting against programs that help the people they represent. These include dental care, child benefits, food money, and school meals. I want them to start voting for measures that help their constituents.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I find this line of questioning absolutely fascinating coming from a member and a party that consistently, at every opportunity, vote against measures that are actually helping their constituents. Take the Canadian dental care plan, for example, which is helping thousands of his constituents in Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier. Other examples include the Canada child benefit, the Canada groceries and essentials benefit, the national school food program and the list goes on. It is time for the members across the way to back up their words with action and start voting in favour of measures that will help their constituents.

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Joël Godin

Conservative

Linked statement

“The government's plans are not working. A new report shows more people across the country need help from food banks, including many people who work full time. The government should remove all federal taxes on diesel to lower the cost of groceries.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, what they have done is not working. The Liberals keep telling us that they have introduced a whole suite of measures but, as I was saying, they are not working. It is time for them to come back down to earth. This morning, the Food Banks Canada report shows that food insecurity is getting worse across the country. In Quebec, more than one-third of those seeking help actually work full time. Why not adopt our proposal to abolish all federal taxes on diesel in order to bring down the cost of groceries and give Canadian families some breathing room?

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Joël Lightbound

Liberal
“Our programs are working. In the member's riding, thousands of families get child benefit money, and thousands of people now have dental care. He voted against dental care, and he needs to start voting for what helps his constituents.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, if the member believes these measures are not working, then he should explain that to the 24,366 children and their families who receive $80 million annually through the Canada child benefit. He should also explain it to the 23,855 people in his riding who now have access to dental care through the Canadian dental care plan, a program he voted against. He should tell them that the program does not work, that it is not important, that the dental care that they and every Canadian should have access to makes no difference, and that the support this program provides is somehow not working. I urge him to come to his senses and, at the very least, start voting in the interests of his constituents.

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