Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time today with the member for Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay.
I am going to share with the House today some recent figures from the consumer price index, Canada's primary measure of inflation. Quite frankly, they are astonishing. As of April, prices of food purchased from stores have increased by 3.8%. This marks the third consecutive month in which grocery prices have risen faster than the general cost of living. Key contributors include the following: fresh or frozen beef, up 16.2%; coffee and tea, up 13.4%; sugar and confectionery, up 8.6%; and fresh vegetables, up 3.7%. These numbers are not just statistics. They represent real struggles for Canadians trying to put food on the table.
Let us break this down a little further. Ground beef has risen to $14.17 per kilogram. Tomatoes have risen to $4.69 per kilogram. Two kilograms of white rice is $9.82. Are we ready for this? A pack of bacon is $6.85. Let us have a look at just pure essentials: milk, two litres, is $5.38; white bread is $3.48 a loaf; and infant formula now costs $48.24. For parents who are unable to breastfeed, whether for medical, physical or personal reasons, this is not a choice. It is a necessity. For nearly $50 a container, how is the average Canadian supposed to afford the basic nutrition their baby needs to grow and thrive?
For many families across Canada, grocery shopping has become more than a routine errand; it has become a high-stakes strategy game. Parents are now forced to adopt tactics just to make ends meet, scanning for clearance stickers, timing their visits to catch markdowns and relying on discount racks where the freshness of the food is, at best, questionable. These are not just cost-saving habits. They are survival strategies, and they speak volumes about the growing cost of living.
I would like to break this down to one example of what many would consider a modest, affordable dinner, spaghetti and meat sauce with a salad: one pound of beef, $4.72; two cans of tomatoes, $4.22; two onions, $2.00; milk for the family, $5.38; pasta sauce, $3.22; iceberg lettuce, $3.07; salad dressing, $3.29; and noodles, two packs, $3.94. That is a total of $29.84 for just one dinner. Now, we can multiply that by 30 days. That is $895.20 to eat just the same basic meal every night for 30 days, with no breakfast, no lunch, no snacks, no fruit, no eggs, no bread, no cleaning supplies and no toiletries. That is just dinner. It is no wonder that more and more families are slipping below the poverty line.
I recently spoke with people at Extend-A-Family in Kitchener, which is doing incredible work supporting children and adults with disabilities. They shared with me that after being granted the disability tax credit, individuals with disabilities still struggle to meet their basic needs. Every month, they fall short on essentials such as food, shelter and transportation. There is simply not enough. We need to do better.
I bring this up because we need a plan for Canadians. As a government, planning is not optional; it is our responsibility. At the heart of any meaningful plan is a budget. How can anyone, whether families, businesses or governments, make sound financial decisions without a budget? The answer is simple: They cannot.
Without a budget, there is no road map, no way to allocate resources, no way to prepare for the future and no way to ensure that the most vulnerable among us are not left behind. Some may ask, “Why should I care if the government releases a budget? How does that affect my life?” Here is how: The federal budget is Canada's financial blueprint. It outlines how the government plans to spend, invest and manage public funds to support our economy and our people.
It matters deeply. Here is why: It helps steer the economy by funding infrastructure, job creation and innovation, laying a foundation for long-term growth. It determines how much support goes to social services, things Canadians rely on every day. It sets tax policies and decides how revenue is collected and then distributed, impacting what Canadians pay and therefore what they receive in return. It manages our national debt and ensures financial stability for future generations. At the heart of today's discussion, it addresses cost of living and affordability. It addresses inflation, housing affordability and everyday expenses, issues that are hitting Canadians harder than ever. Therefore, yes, a budget matters. It is not just a document. It is a reflection of our priorities, our values and our commitment to the people we serve.
Navigating financial uncertainty is difficult under any circumstances, but when government plans remain unclear, it becomes nearly impossible. The absence of a clear, structured budget has created a ripple effect in uncertainties for individuals, families and businesses across this country. Without a financial road map, we lack the stability and direction needed to support Canadians effectively. A well-defined budget does more than allocate dollars. It provides transparency, ensures fiscal responsibility and empowers Canadians to plan their financial future with confidence.
As inflation continues to drive up the cost of living, we need more than vague promises. We need concrete measures. We need a budget that addresses economic challenges head-on and delivers real relief to the households that are struggling the most. There is a cost of living crisis in Canada right now. About 50% of Canadians are living paycheque to paycheque, according to Equifax Canada. This year, Canadians will pay nearly $17,000 for food, an $800 increase from last year. There goes that tax cut. Two million Canadians visit food banks in a single month. Social media is filled with videos of people crying and struggling to make ends meet. According to the latest data from Statistics Canada, just over 106,000 people left this country in 2024, marking the highest number of departures in nearly six decades.
Will the Liberal government finally listen to the voices of Canadians, voices that have echoed and been voted on in this House, and present a comprehensive budget this spring, a budget that outlines clear plans for economic recovery, affordability and long-term financial stability?
Canadians are not asking for the impossible. They are asking for clarity and leadership, and for the confidence that the government has a plan. They deserve to know where this country is headed and how they are going to get there. When will the Liberal government hold itself accountable to Canadians and put forward a budget? Will it be this spring?