Jagmeet Singh: Families need help with skyrocketing cost of living

WHITEHORSE – On his third day in Yukon, the Leader of Canada’s NDP Jagmeet Singh continued to hear from people in the territory about increasing costs for their families. People in Yukon have been struggling with the rising costs of groceries, gas and housing. While interest rates continue to rise, putting a larger squeeze on working families, the federal Liberal government sits by and lets people fend for themselves. New Democrats are calling for help for people now.

“Families in Yukon are falling further and further behind, and it's only getting harder to make ends meet. People are feeling abandoned by the government because they are bearing the brunt of the cost-of-living crisis alone,” said Singh. “Canadians deserve a government that is ready to step in and help when times are tough – not one that protects the profits of the ultra-rich and leaves them to fend for themselves.”

Under the Liberal government, inflation has hit an almost forty-year high. But it isn't the wages of hardworking people that are causing inflation, it is corporate greed jacking up costs. Grocery stores, oil and gas companies and big box stores are making a fortune off of Canadians, while families are barely able to make ends meet. Yet, the Liberals have no plan to help families. In fact, the measure they are pushing through the GST tax credit will only put an extra seven dollars in people's pockets. Seven dollars doesn’t even cover the cost of a single meal for a hardworking family. It definitely won’t cover people’s grocery bills or mortgages.

“While families have had to sacrifice to pay the bills, rich corporations are making record profits. And the Liberals are refusing to act – New Democrats know that this is wrong," added Singh. "We don't work for rich and powerful corporations; we work for you. That’s why we’ve been pushing the Liberals to double the GST rebate and add $500 to every Canada Child Benefit getting $500 to $1000 back into peoples’ pockets."

New Democrats have been calling on the Liberal government to move on measures that will help working families in Yukon without making inflation worse. They're calling on the government to double the GST rebate and add $500 to every CCB payment, sending $500 to $1,000 to families to help with rising costs.