Hon. Donald Neil Plett (Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, my question is for the government leader in the Senate. Leader, a poll conducted for Food Banks Canada has found that almost a quarter of Canadians are eating less than they should be, because they don’t have enough money for food. For Indigenous households, this number rises to 45%, leader. A month ago, the Ottawa Food Bank said the number of people needing their assistance was at its highest in their entire 38-year history. Harvest Manitoba in Winnipeg says they’ve seen a 40% increase year over year in the number of people they’re supporting across every part of my province.

Leader, this NDP-Liberal government’s spending is fuelling the inflation behind record food bank usage across Canada. Even your own former finance minister Bill Morneau criticizes your economic mismanagement. Where is your plan, leader, to stop hunger and food insecurity in our country?