Senator Housakos: Government leader, your government’s inflationary deficits and tax increases are having an impact on the daily lives of ordinary Canadians. Last week, I raised the question right here in this chamber about the cost of food for families. The average cost is a $1,000-a-year increase for middle-class Canadian families to provide food on their tables, which we all agree is a necessity in this country.

We also learned today that housing prices are at a record high of 25% this year, yet the economic update yesterday only said the Trudeau government’s work on housing affordability is ongoing and that they will take action next year. So clearly, this is not a priority for the government.

How could the government look at Canadians with a straight face and say inflation is a priority when, in the financial statement and in the Speech from the Throne, we didn’t have any semblance that this government is willing to address spending and high taxes in this country and those two things are combining for an off-the-chart inflation rate?