Food bank use SURGES as Carney unveils grocery rebate
Marc Patrone speaks with Daily Bread Food Bank CEO Neil Hetherington, who says rising housing and grocery costs are pushing employed Canadians into food insecurity.
After nearly ten months of steadily rising grocery prices, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced new measures aimed at easing the affordability crisis, centred on a significant expansion of the GST credit.
The federal government plans to spend almost $10 billion over five years, boosting the GST credit by 25 per cent. The increase could save a family of four nearly $1,900 this year. Carney emphasized that the benefit will go directly to individuals, with no restrictions on how the money is spent.
Agricultural expert Dr. Sylvain Charlebois questioned why the government opted for cash transfers instead of cutting the GST on food altogether. He argued a tax cut would reduce prices immediately at the checkout for all Canadians, rather than delivering delayed relief through government programs.
Food insecurity remains at record levels. More than 2.2 million Canadians visit food banks every month, while 25 per cent of Canadians face food insecurity, including one-third who are children.
Neil Hetherington, CEO of the Daily Bread Food Bank in Toronto, told Marc Patrone the measures will help, but warned they do not address the root causes driving food bank use.
Hetherington stressed that food banks should not be the solution. “I don’t want governments funding food banks,” he said. “I want governments fixing the systems so people don’t need them.”
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Handouts do not lift people out of poverty. Canadians need real jobs with a decent income and lower taxes. Then, and only then, will the lineups at food banks go down. Carney is NOT 'the man.'
In the meantime, the dairy cabal pours millions of litres of milk down the drain and destroys tens of thousands of eggs, etc. Utterly vile.