Senator Gold: Thank you for your question. As the Government Representative in the Senate, I am advised and want to categorically state that making life more affordable for Canadians is one of the government’s primary goals, as set out in Budget 2022 that was tabled here recently.

In the long run, the government believes that the measures in the budget, along with other measures it has already taken, will contribute to addressing long-standing structural challenges and to providing meaningful improvements in living standards for more Canadians in the near term. In the near term, Canadians can remain confident that they will receive support from the government when they need it most. For example, in Budget 2022 we find a range of measures that help to bring down the cost of living, including $475 million in the year 2022-23 to provide a one-time payment of $500 to those facing housing affordability challenges. There are other measures that represent a suite of attempts to address this serious and real issue Canadians are facing.