Finance committee  You're entirely right that when those who are a thousand dollars under water below the poverty line receive any benefit associated with that, they are going to put every dollar—every penny—back into the local economy. I think that needs to happen. At the same time, we want to ensure that each of the monetary policies are tamed to ensure that they are not a significant driver—and they wouldn't be—of inflation.

Finance committee  I see that every day. I see it when somebody doing their best working 40 or 50 hours with two or three part-time jobs has to come to the food bank because they have to make a choice among rent, food, medications and hydro. Those are important benefits, particularly when they're deep and targeted benefits for both dental and pharma.

Finance committee  Food bank usage did increase during that time, but CERB was an absolutely needed stopgap. Just to back up for one second, you mentioned the figure $2,000. I think everybody on this panel can ask the “elephant in the room” kind of question: Why did we feel that $2,000 was the right number, yet every year, everywhere across the country, pandemic or not, those with disabilities are told they'll be fine on $1,300?

Finance committee  Approximately one-fifth to one-quarter of food bank users identify as having a disability.

Finance committee  Of that percentage, you would be looking at one-third.

Finance committee  It's one-third.

Finance committee  Disability advocates have long said it should be the poverty line plus 15% to 30%. It costs more to get by when you are disabled, even at that very minimal level of the poverty line. There's an easy way to look at it. Across the country, folks are generally receiving about $1,300 or so on disability.

Finance committee  One of the challenges we have at the food bank is in summer months when individuals have more mouths at home to feed. If you look at a universal program, as was recently announced, it has the great possibility of making significant and permanent changes to food insecurity across the country.

Finance committee  I don't think it's either-or. Yes, of course we need a strong economy, but what do we need in order to make that happen? We need to make sure that each of the levers the government holds is being appropriately used in both fiscal and monetary policies. We have seen a positive result when it comes to driving down food prices.

Finance committee  Let me use this opportunity to be very clear. It's not either-or. We need to have strong economic conditions, with both fiscal and monetary policies that drive our economy so that everybody who is able can have a position that allows them to thrive. At the same time, we need to make sure that there are restraints in play that ensure everybody thrives within that economic boom.

Finance committee  Obviously, as a charity, we are non-partisan, so I won't be able to comment on that. I will say that it should be alarming that unemployment is as low as it is and we find ourselves in the state we do. That is troubling to me. As we look towards the upcoming budget, I think we need to focus on who is most vulnerable to the acute shocks that we've had to the system.

Finance committee  Good afternoon. I have the awesome privilege of being the CEO of the Daily Bread Food Bank. We are Toronto's primary food bank, and we have a clear vision that one day every Canadian's right to food will be realized. I am grateful to have the opportunity to share with you what we are seeing on the ground and to share with you why, as policy-makers, you should be gravely concerned about the state of food insecurity in Canada now and in the coming months.

Finance committee  The guaranteed seniors income benefit had a major correlated reduction in poverty among seniors. That should be applauded.

Finance committee  We applaud those programs. Canada ranks number one out of 120 countries, according to The Economist, in food safety. That's wonderful. We rank 26th in food affordability, and we are dismal when it comes to food wastage. We waste, according to Second Harvest, 50 billion dollars' worth of food per year.

Finance committee  It's astonishing. Promoting programs that will provide for the reclamation of those foods so they can be used.... In Ontario, as an example, in 2013, there was a private member's bill to gave a tax credit. I think your colleagues across the aisle might like this tax credit, which allows farmers to benefit from the donation of food.