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The Economy

Question period exchanges on the economy focused on food affordability and food bank use. Conservatives cited Food Banks Canada figures showing over 2.3 million food bank visits in a single month and rising food prices, said the government’s economic plan was not working, and asked the government to cut taxes so Canadians can afford food. Liberals pointed to hardship but said it should not be politicized, and listed government supports including the Canada child benefit, the groceries and essentials benefit, dental care, school food, child care, and investments in housing, saying the opposition had voted against these measures. Conservatives replied that their party supports keeping money in Canadians’ pockets and said the Liberals had voted against a motion acknowledging an affordability crisis.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

8 statements

John Barlow

Conservative
“Food bank visits in Canada have jumped 116% since 2019, with more than 2.3 million visits in a single month. I want the Prime Minister to admit that many Canadians can no longer afford food.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister told Canadians he should be judged by their experience at the grocery store. For Becky, her experience has been a nightmare. She said she works hard, but she still cannot afford to put food on the table for her and her son. She is not alone. There have been more than 2.3 million visits to food banks in Canada in one month. The number of Canadian families forced to use a food bank is up 116% since 2019. Will the Prime Minister admit that relying on a food bank is now a reality for many Canadians, or does he truly believe that affordability is the best it has been in a decade?

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Peter Fragiskatos

Liberal
“Canadians are struggling, but we should work together instead of playing politics with it. Our government is already helping millions of people with money for children, dental care, school food, and child care. We will keep doing that work.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 44 of 100

    None of this answer addressed the specific question that was asked.

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, there certainly is hardship in Canada. We should not ignore that fact. What we should do is work together and not politicize the hardship of Canadians. The member knows that. All members know that, or should know that. We have six million Canadians receiving the Canada child benefit. We have 6.5 million Canadians receiving dental support. We have 400,000 children receiving the support of the school food program. We have 900,000 children and their families receiving the support of the child care program. We will continue in that vein on the basis that we represent our constituents and always have.

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John Barlow

Conservative
“The food crisis is the Liberal government's fault. Under this government, food prices are up 30 percent and food bank use has doubled. In my riding, the food bank helped 26,000 people in just three months, and almost a third of them have full-time jobs. I want the government to cut taxes so Canadians can afford food.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the member said to not politicize a food affordability crisis, a crisis that lies clearly at the feet of the Liberal government. In its 10 years, food prices are up 30%. The number of Canadians being forced to a food bank has doubled. In my riding, in Okotoks, in one quarter, the food bank served 26,000 people. Shockingly, 30% of those people had full-time jobs, but they still were forced to a food bank because Liberal policies have made feeding their families unaffordable. Will the Liberals check their egos at the door and eliminate taxes to make sure Canadians can put food on the table?

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Peter Fragiskatos

Liberal
“Food Banks Canada asked for several things in its report, and our government is doing them. We created the groceries and essentials benefit, which 12 million Canadians now get. We are also building housing and infrastructure, and working to give Canadians cheaper energy options. I want the Conservatives to stop playing politics and work with us.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 33 of 100

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, if he is going to cite Food Banks Canada and its report, he should look at the recommendations. The recommendations are clear. The groceries and essentials benefit is something the organization called for. This government enacted it, and 12 million Canadians are now receiving it. The organization also called for, among other things, housing. We have a serious focus on housing and the building up of critical infrastructure. In particular, the report called for expanding energy options in this country so Canadians can have access to cheaper energy. I invite the Conservatives to put aside partisanship in the same way that Premier Ford has, in the same way that Premier Smith has, in the same way Stephen—

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Rhonda Kirkland

Conservative
“More Canadians are using food banks because food costs too much. A new report says people visited food banks over 2.3 million times in March alone. I want the Liberals to admit that their economic plan is not working.”

  • 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, after 11 years of the Liberal government, Canadians are paying more and getting less every single time they visit the grocery store. According to today’s Food Banks Canada report, Canada had over 2.3 million food bank visits in March of 2026. That is an increase of over 200,000 visits since March of last year, yet the Liberal government continues to insist its economic plan is working. Will the Liberals finally acknowledge that relying on food banks has become a reality for too many Canadians, or are the Liberals just too out of touch to admit it?

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Leslie Church

Liberal
“We want to make sure no one goes hungry. We created benefits to help people pay for groceries, support workers, and help people with disabilities. The opposition voted against all of these supports.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I want to start by acknowledging and thanking representatives of the Daily Bread Food Bank for being on the Hill and meeting with parliamentarians yesterday. It is one of the biggest partners in this study. Its report asks us, and provincial governments in particular, to build a future where no one goes hungry, and that is what we are committed to doing. That report talks about the importance of income security. It talks about the groceries and essentials benefit. It talks about the Canada disability benefit and the Canada disability tax credit. It talks about the Canada workers benefit. What do these measures have in common? The opposition voted against them.

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Rhonda Kirkland

Conservative

Linked statement

“Canadians are struggling to afford life. The Oshawa food bank serves over 3,600 people a month and has to turn people away because it does not have enough resources. The Liberals voted against admitting there is an affordability crisis. How can the government have a plan to fix a problem it will not admit exists?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, Conservatives will support measures that keep Canadians’ money in their own pockets. Just yesterday, the Liberals were the only party in the House to vote against acknowledging that Canada is in an affordability crisis. Meanwhile, families in Oshawa are living it. Over 3,600 people rely on the food bank in Oshawa every month. It has been forced to limit visits and close its doors to people who need it, because the resources are not there. How can the government claim to have a plan to fix Canada’s affordability crisis if it does not even admit there is a problem?

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Leslie Church

Liberal
“Canadians see through the Conservatives' words. They want to cut income supports that help people right now. They will likely vote against the school food program again, even though it helps 80% of our public schools.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 35 of 100

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Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I think the problem Canadians have is that they see through the rhetoric on the other side of the House, which would cut the income security programs that a report such as this calls for and that are supporting Canadians right now. If the member stands up and again votes against the national school food program, a program that is in 80% of public schools in this country, that is what Canadians have learned to expect of the opposition when it comes to the supports we are delivering for Canadians and Canadian children.

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