Senator Plett: My question for the Liberal government, leader, concerns the cost of living. I hope that is a concern for you as well, as forest fires are.

Last week, the Ottawa Food Bank opened its new location, which is twice the size of the previous space. As their CEO Rachael Wilson stated, there is nothing to celebrate about having to move to a larger space because the need in this city continues to rise.

The Ottawa Food Bank has seen an 85% increase in the number of visits since 2019, which their CEO called astronomical numbers that they have never seen in their 40-year history. Last year alone, they saw a 30% increase.

Harvest Manitoba says the need for food banks in my province increased by 40% in just one year. A quarter of their food bank clients are now people with jobs, a 50% increase from just a year earlier.

Of course, this increase occurred with only one carbon tax in place. A second carbon tax will be in place on July 1. According to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, the average household in Manitoba will pay an extra $611 under the second carbon tax. Combined with the Prime Minister’s first carbon tax, Manitobans will be out $2,101 per household.

I hope that concerns you, too, Senator Gold.