Open Letter to The Honourable Mona Fortier, Minister of Middle Class Prosperity
December 4, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Red Deer – Mountain View, AB
Feed Ontario recently released “Hunger Report 2020”. The report highlights some troubling details surrounding food bank usage in Ontario between April 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020.
While usage during the pandemic is concerning, it is the pre-pandemic figures that are truly concerning. Between April 1, 2019 and March 31, 2020, 537,575 Ontarians accessed food banks (5.3% increase over the previous year).
The report also indicates that nearly half of food bank visitors worried about getting evicted or defaulting on mortgage payments in the coming months. Additionally, 93% reported borrowing money, accessing payday loans or using credit cards to pay for monthly necessities.
As Prime Minister Trudeau has stated, “We [Federal government] took on debt so Canadians wouldn’t have to.”
The Hunger Report 2020 indicates otherwise.
According to your December 2019 mandate letter from the Prime Minister, your ministerial position was created with the intention of improving the use of data in government decision-making.
The food bank usage data should be the only data needed to indicate that Canadians are struggling.
We do not want handouts and subsidy programs. We want to work, to provide for our families and to support vulnerable individuals within our communities.
Canadians are urging you to act on their behalf to reduce government red-tape, end crony capitalism, stop corporate subsidies, put aside plans for a “green economy”, encourage free market competition and stop the war on work.
Sincerely,
Jared Pilon
Candidate for Red Deer – Mountain View, AB