I appreciate the opportunity, Speaker, to stand up in this House today to reflect on the amazing work that our commodity organizations across this province are doing in support of food banks. Just this week alone we had both Ontario Pork as well as our Chicken Farmers of Ontario in this House. We need to celebrate what they’re doing. I hope the member took time to actually meet face to face with real farmers, because if she had perhaps she would have learned that the pork farmers of Ontario donate to food banks every year and Chicken Farmers of Ontario have donated the equivalent of eight million meals.

Our farmers across this province are doing amazing work to support food banks. But I have to share with you: We have a strategy in Ontario supported by our government. It’s called Grow Ontario. We’re increasing our food production and processing in this province by 30% by 2032. We do not have a food security issue in this province, but we—

While this government sits on a multi-billion-dollar slush fund, refusing to help people struggling with the cost of living, food bank use has hit record levels in Ottawa. One in seven Ottawa residents is currently food insecure. In 2023 alone there have been nearly half a million food bank visits in Ottawa. A growing number of food bank users are employed full time and still can’t put food on the table.

When is the Premier going to get serious about solving the affordability crisis by reinstating real rent control, increasing social assistance and raising the minimum wage?

While Ottawa food banks are extending hours into evenings and weekends to accommodate people who have full-time jobs and can’t go at any other time, this government is eroding the social safety net at every turn. We know what the solutions are and the Premier can implement them today if he wanted to. Put a stop to price gouging. Reinstate real rent control. Increase Ontario Works and ODSP. Raise the minimum wage. Why is the Premier busy pretending to be helpless instead of doing his job and helping people?