A new Salvation Army report says more Canadians are struggling to feed themselves — and Conservatives are blaming Liberal tax hikes and inflationary spending for the crisis.The Salvation Army surveyed over 1,500 people and discovered more than half of those accessing food banks are using them for the first time — 58% this year compared to 43% in 2023 — revealing a growing financial crisis.Canadians have suffered the worst recession since the Great Depression, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said in a press conference on Thursday. She said Statistics Canada has published some “upward revisions” of Canada’s GDP for 2021, 2022 and 2023.“It makes me even more optimistic that after a really challenging time, and the deepest recession since the Great Depression itself, Canada is on track for a soft landing,” she said.According to a Canadian Medical Association Journal report published in October, Canadian doctors are being warned to watch for signs of scurvy, a malnutrition-related disease resulting from vitamin C deficiency, among patients. Many fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C.According to 2023 data from Statistics Canada, 8.7 million Canadians, including 2.1 million children, lived with food-insecurity.Parents are disproportionately affected by Canada’s affordability crisis, said the Salvation Army. Fifty-eight percent of parents are grappling with food-related challenges, compared to 50% of Canadians overall, and residents are carrying a heavier burden when it comes to organizing finances and keeping essential services.Twenty four percent of parents reported reducing their own food intake to ensure their children can eat. 15% of Canadians said they missed bill payments due to financial constraints, with the number rising to 22% among parents. 27% of Canadians lost access to services due to missed payments, compared to 37% of parents.MP Dane Lloyd (Sturgeon River–Parkland) said the Salvation Army report is devastating. In the House of Commons on Friday, he called out Liberal tax and spend policies for exacerbating the poverty crisis - costs for farmers and truckers are increasing and that’s bad news for struggling Canadians. “Canada’s GDP per capita is collapsing under the weight of tax hikes,” he said, adding the Liberal carbon tax is devastating the economy and moving jobs south of the border. “With malnutrition on the rise, and scurvy making a comeback, it’s no wonder that Canadians are dissatisfied with the menu of higher taxes and inflationary spending offered by these Liberals,” said Lloyd. “It’s time to axe the tax so Canadians can afford to heat, eat and get themselves to work.”
A new Salvation Army report says more Canadians are struggling to feed themselves — and Conservatives are blaming Liberal tax hikes and inflationary spending for the crisis.The Salvation Army surveyed over 1,500 people and discovered more than half of those accessing food banks are using them for the first time — 58% this year compared to 43% in 2023 — revealing a growing financial crisis.Canadians have suffered the worst recession since the Great Depression, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said in a press conference on Thursday. She said Statistics Canada has published some “upward revisions” of Canada’s GDP for 2021, 2022 and 2023.“It makes me even more optimistic that after a really challenging time, and the deepest recession since the Great Depression itself, Canada is on track for a soft landing,” she said.According to a Canadian Medical Association Journal report published in October, Canadian doctors are being warned to watch for signs of scurvy, a malnutrition-related disease resulting from vitamin C deficiency, among patients. Many fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C.According to 2023 data from Statistics Canada, 8.7 million Canadians, including 2.1 million children, lived with food-insecurity.Parents are disproportionately affected by Canada’s affordability crisis, said the Salvation Army. Fifty-eight percent of parents are grappling with food-related challenges, compared to 50% of Canadians overall, and residents are carrying a heavier burden when it comes to organizing finances and keeping essential services.Twenty four percent of parents reported reducing their own food intake to ensure their children can eat. 15% of Canadians said they missed bill payments due to financial constraints, with the number rising to 22% among parents. 27% of Canadians lost access to services due to missed payments, compared to 37% of parents.MP Dane Lloyd (Sturgeon River–Parkland) said the Salvation Army report is devastating. In the House of Commons on Friday, he called out Liberal tax and spend policies for exacerbating the poverty crisis - costs for farmers and truckers are increasing and that’s bad news for struggling Canadians. “Canada’s GDP per capita is collapsing under the weight of tax hikes,” he said, adding the Liberal carbon tax is devastating the economy and moving jobs south of the border. “With malnutrition on the rise, and scurvy making a comeback, it’s no wonder that Canadians are dissatisfied with the menu of higher taxes and inflationary spending offered by these Liberals,” said Lloyd. “It’s time to axe the tax so Canadians can afford to heat, eat and get themselves to work.”
