COLUMN: On Parliament Hill – Sleepless in Canada

A new United Way report reveals 40 percent of Canadians say they lie awake worrying about how to stretch their paycheque to pay for food, gas and housing. The findings come as Statistics Canada reports how in the first quarter of 2026, household debt has outpaced income with Canadians now carrying approximately $1.80 in debt for every dollar of household disposable income. All of this is occurring under the leadership of Mark Carney’s Liberal government.

According to the United Way, 60 percent of Canadians feel anxious about their personal finances while 38 percent are experiencing food insecurity. One in five respondents said they had run out of food with no money left to buy more. The report also found that 34 percent know someone close to them who has experienced poverty and 22 percent have personally faced it. Furthermore, food bank usage has reached record levels, with 2.2 million Canadians having visited food banks in a single month.

While Canadians are staying awake with anxiety, the Liberal government still refuses to acknowledge they have driven Canada into the only recession in the G20.

Last week, Mr. Carney acknowledged the paradox that Canada, despite being one of the world’s largest food producers, should in theory have lower food prices. Conservatives agree. Pierre Poilievre responded directly to PM Carney’s comment on X: “Your taxes and recession gave Canada the worst food inflation in the G7. You raised the industrial carbon tax on farm equipment and fertiliser; your weak economy and our weak dollar have lowered purchasing power and raised the cost of imported food.”

Instead of addressing the specific issues Mr. Poilievre lists, the Liberal government saw fit to make yet another Liberal announcement about a food affordability strategy. This time, to give greater access to local fruit and vegetables, costing Canadians yet another $1 billion in infrastructure.

Announcements have been made in the past—yet food prices remain the highest in the G7.

A year ago, PM Carney declared he could be judged by the cost of groceries at the checkout. And here we are.

That’s why Conservatives keep laying out a better plan to suspend all fuel taxes for the rest of the year, end the industrial carbon tax, and cut inflationary spending so farmers can grow more for less. This is the plan that will enable Canadians to once again afford groceries.

Canadians want action, not announcements.

Adding fuel to the fire is the catering bill for PM Carney’s luxury in-flight costs which have almost reached $1 million over 14 trips. That same catering bill would feed one family for 55 years. While our prime minister is living high on the hard-earned money of taxpayers, Canadians are struggling.

Full-time workers are living in RVs, families are spending more than their income on food and rent, and seniors are relying on public spaces for shelter.

One such example is 87‑year‑old Lance Evans of Richmond, B.C., who told CTV News he sleeps in a Tim Hortons overnight due to a lack of housing options. In New Brunswick, a father of two declined a medically necessary surgery because he could not afford to take time off work.

Responding to Global News, he said, “They called… to say that they were ready to do the surgery. But unfortunately, I am not in a financial situation where I can leave my family for five to eight weeks while I heal. So, I had to decline the surgery.”

Canadians remain sleepless at night because of the stress they carry as the Liberals keep hitting the snooze button on the consequences.

It is time to wake-up.

Its time for the Liberal government to adjust their policies that contribute to the higher cost of everyday living.

Its time to cut the financial strain and let Canadians dream again.