Mr. Speaker, three years ago the finance minister promised Canadians he would stabilize food prices. Since then, lettuce is up nearly 40%, coffee 33%, beef 27%, baby formula 13% and canned vegetables almost 12%.
Canada is leading the G7 in food inflation. It is now twice as high as when the Prime Minister took office and twice as high as it is in the United States. Canadians are making 2.2 million visits a month to food banks, which has doubled under the Liberal government. In my area, the local health unit has identified food insecurity as an urgent issue, as the typical family spends over $1,200 each month on healthy food alone, and many are forced to juggle between rent and buying groceries.
Instead of working to reduce the cost of food, the minister is announcing yet another temporary rebate, giving some about $10 a week. The government needs to support a Conservative affordability plan, one that eliminates taxes and encourages competition.