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The Economy

Question period focused on the economy and affordability. The Conservatives raised a new Food Banks Canada report showing food bank visits up 9% since the Prime Minister took office, with 2.35 million visits in one month, and asked why the government voted against a motion recognizing an affordability crisis. Liberals replied that the government has delivered concrete help—dental care, child care, the national school food program, the groceries and essentials benefit, a GST cut on new homes and a fuel tax cut—and said the Conservatives voted against these measures. The exchange remained centered on this back-and-forth over affordability and voting records.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

11 statements

Pierre Poilievre

Conservative
“Canadians cannot afford food. Food bank visits are up by 9 percent since the Prime Minister took office, with 2.35 million visits in one month. He promised we could judge him by grocery prices, so he needs to answer for this.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are hungry, literally. They are hungry, yet putting food on the table is beyond their ability and their means. Food Banks Canada released a report showing that food bank visits have increased by 9% since this Prime Minister took office. There are 2.35 million visits in a single month. The Prime Minister promised that he would be judged by the price at the grocery store, so what is the verdict according to all the people lining up?

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Joël Lightbound

Liberal
“We need to make life more affordable. The Conservatives talk about this, but they voted against dental care for 300,000 Quebeckers and against child benefit payments. They need to back up their words with their votes.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his question. He is right: The government and all parliamentarians need to make fighting this country’s affordability crisis a priority. At every opportunity, however, members of his party have voted against highly concrete measures that are helping the neediest Quebeckers and Canadians cope with the rising cost of living. For example, his party’s 10 Quebec members voted against 300,000 Quebeckers who now have access to the Canadian dental care plan. These 10 Quebec members voted against $900 million in Canada child benefit payments. It is high time that they backed up their words—

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Pierre Poilievre

Conservative
“The Prime Minister will not admit that Canadians are facing an affordability crisis. Food bank use has more than doubled in seven years and is up another 9% this year. His plans have failed to make food affordable.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, crisis? What crisis? Yesterday, the Prime Minister voted against a motion that would have recognized the affordability crisis. He refuses to even acknowledge that there is a crisis, even though the number of people needing to visit food banks has more than doubled in the past seven years and is up another 9% this year. The Prime Minister promised that his grand programs and fine words would make life affordable, so where is the affordable food today?

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Joël Lightbound

Liberal
“For 20 years, the member has argued about words instead of helping people. He did not support our benefits for groceries and children, or our school food program. These programs directly help millions of families.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, for 20 years, this member has been debating semantics in the House. However, for 20 years, whenever the time has come to actually support people, he has not stepped up. He did not step up for the 12 million Canadians who have access to the Canada groceries and essentials benefit or for the six million children who have access to the Canada child benefit. I should also mention the 400,000 children who are benefiting from Canada’s national school food program. These are concrete measures that are having a direct impact on the lives of families in Canada.

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Pierre Poilievre

Conservative
“Canadians cannot afford food. Food bank visits are up nine percent since the Prime Minister took office, with 2.35 million visits in a single month. He broke his promise to make food affordable.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are hungry, literally. They cannot afford to feed themselves. Today, Food Banks Canada released a report revealing that the number of visits is up 9% since the Prime Minister was elected on the promise that he would make food affordable. There were 2.35 million visits in one single month, and food banks are literally running out of food. The Prime Minister said on his first day in office that he would be judged by the price at the grocery store, so what is the verdict according to the 2.35 million people lined up at food banks?

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Evan Solomon

Liberal
“We have taken many steps to help make life more affordable, including school food, dental care, and child care. I want the opposition to support these programs.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, before I answer, I want to thank the hon. member for the work he has done in his riding at CFB Wainwright. We all stand with the families who lost loved ones and the families of the injured. We thank him for the work he has done in the community, and we all stand together on that tragedy. In terms of affordability, the government has taken multiple measures on affordability, and we look forward to the opposition at least once supporting those measures, whether it is our national school food program, the dental program or child care. Just once we would love to see the opposition support affordability measures.

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Pierre Poilievre

Conservative
“The Prime Minister and his government do not understand how hard life is for Canadians. Millions of people are running out of food and money, and have to choose between eating and paying rent. Why did the government vote yesterday against admitting that we are in an affordability crisis?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, this is more proof that the Liberal government and the Prime Minister are out of touch, as Canadians are out of food and out of money. Food Banks Canada’s CEO said this report “is the story of what happens when millions of people are out of options.” She also said, “In the past, most people in Canada could absorb a small financial setback... those days are over. Canada’s bleak new reality is that millions of people are making impossible trade-offs every day as they choose between food or rent”. How could the Liberal government and the Prime Minister vote yesterday against the basic recognition that we are in an affordability crisis?

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Evan Solomon

Liberal
“There is a big difference between talking and taking action. The Conservatives had their chance to act.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, there is a big difference between talking about something and doing something. The opposition had their opportunity— Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

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Evan Solomon

Liberal

Linked statement

“Conservatives talk about making life affordable, but they vote against helping Canadians. They voted against school food programs, dental care, child care, and giving people $1,900 for groceries and essentials.”

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, there was an opportunity to vote for the groceries and essentials benefit to put $1,900 in the pockets of Canadians. They voted against it. There was an opportunity for Conservatives to support the national school food program. What did they do to help kids? They voted against it. They voted against dental care and child care. At every opportunity, they talk about affordability, and they do nothing to help Canadians.

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Pierre Poilievre

Conservative
“The Liberals talk about helping, but their results are bad. Food bank visits are at 2.35 million. Inflation is 50% above target. Home construction went down by 4% instead of doubling. When will the government stop talking and deliver real results?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, he is absolutely right. There is a big difference between talk and results. The Liberals talked about how they were going to make food affordable, yet what did they do? They delivered 2.35 million visits to food banks. They talked about how they were going to reduce the cost of living, but what did they do? They are 50% over target on inflation numbers. They talked about doubling homebuilding, yet they delivered a 4% decrease in construction, and now they are not even talking about doubling homebuilding. When will we have an end to all the Liberal talk and actually get some real results?

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Evan Solomon

Liberal
“We got real results by cutting the GST on new homes and cutting the gas tax. The opposition voted against both. I want them to work with us to build homes and support families.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we are delighted to bring some real results that I wish the opposition supported. For example, we took the GST off new homes, saving $250,000 for new homebuyers. They do not support that. We took the federal excise tax off gasoline, saving people 25¢. They do not support that. This is a critical moment in our country. Whether we are building affordable homes or supporting families, for once, the opposition should use this opportunity to work and build this country strong.

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